Food For Fines nets $6,535 in food and cash for groups
Whitehorse residents who found themselves with parking tickets in early December provided more than $6,535 worth of cash and food to the Whitehorse Food Bank and Kaushee’s Place women’s shelter through the city’s annual Food for Fines program.
The program allows those who get parking tickets over a one-week period (in this case between Nov. 30 and Dec. 7) to pay off their tickets in the form of cash or food donations to the campaign.
This year’s program raised $4,760 in cash along with food donations valued at $1,775. That’s a significant increase over the 2018 contributions of $3,110 in cash and food, the city noted in a Dec. 16 statement.
“I would like to thank our bylaw services officers, especially our meter attendants and traffic constable, for their hard work during this campaign,” said Mayor Dan Curtis at a presentation to provide the donations to the groups. “Thank you to the food bank and Kaushee’s Place for providing such an important service to the community and for continuing to help families in need during the holiday season. And lastly, thank you to those who so generously donated non-perishable food items during this time.”
Road closed for fuel abatement work
A five-kilometre section of the Copper Haul Road from the McLean Lake Road intersection to Mount Sima has been closed to the public so trees can be cleared to reduce the amount of fuel in the event of a fire.
In a Dec. 17 statement, city officials explained Yukon Yardworks is doing fuel abatement work for the city in the area.
“Travelling along the road poses a safety risk to workers and the public, so the road will be closed until the project’s completion,” the city noted in a public service announcement.
It’s anticipated this part of project will wrap up around the end of January, though that will depend on weather, acting Whitehorse fire chief Chris Green said in an email.
There will also be further fire abatement work continuing into the spring that will have further impacts on that section of road.
Closed signs are in place at the north and south ends of the Copper Haul Road as well as at various crossings.
As the contractor on the project, Yukon Yardworks may pile materials along the roadway until the project is finished, the city said.
Holiday changes to city schedules
Anyone who rides the bus, spends time at the Canada Games Centre or has their garbage and compost picked up by the city will want to make sure they’ve got a copy of the right schedule over the next couple of weeks.
Over the holiday season, a number of city services are impacted by scheduling changes.
Transit services will not be running Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1 with buses making their last routes on Dec. 24 anywhere between 6:55 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. depending on the precise route.
The Canada Games Centre will operate on a similar schedule, being closed Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1. On Dec. 24, the CGC will close early at 4 p.m.
Meanwhile on New Year’s Eve, the CGC will be the place to be until 6 p.m. Along with its usual list of drop-in activities throughout the day, at 4 p.m. the New Year’s Eve festivities will get underway with free skating, swimming, family Zumba, a bouncy castle and facilitated games and crafts until 6 p.m. when the recreation complex will close.
The party festivities will, however, continue in Shipyards Park with sledding, snow painting, hot chocolate and kettle corn ahead of the fireworks finale at 8 p.m.
Finally, those in Porter Creek and Crestview who normally have their garbage or compost collected by the city on Wednesdays will have it collected Fridays. The compost that would normally be collected Dec. 25 will be picked up Dec. 27 and the garbage that would normally be collected Jan. 1 will be picked up on Jan. 3.
Those celebrating Christmas with a tree are asked to have them to the curb by 7 a.m. Jan. 12. The city will collect them over a two-week period.
