District sets reopening dates for front desk purchases at municipal office

As the Province enters stage two of it’s four-stage plan to re-open, the District has announced it will be reopening its front desk at the municipal office for select services between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Starting on May 25 residents will be able to drop by to purchase transit passes, while starting on June 1 the office will be opened to up accept tax payments and process homeowner grants as well.

To ensure a safe transition the District is asking residents to take a number of steps, including limiting the number of non-staff residents allowed inside the office to one at a time and asking residents to wait outside the lobby until instructed to enter if there is already someone inside. People are also being asked to wash their hands before coming or use the hand sanitizer present and to stay at home if they are feeling unwell or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

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They are also asking residents to be patient and respectful if they experience delays during this transitional period towards the resumption of regular services. “We have implemented these protocols for the safety of our employees and those we serve,” the District said in an update highlighting the new protocols.

The District of Kitimat closed the majority of its facilities — including the Sam Lindsay Aquatic Centre, Tamitik Arena, Kitimat Ice Rink and Riverlodge Recreation Centre — to the public on March 18. It also closed its municipal offices, the local Public Works facility and Fire Hall on the same day.

In addition to the above, the Kitimat Public Library (KPL), Kitimat Museum & Archives (KMA) and Kitimat Youth Centre have also been closed. KMA has told the Kitimat Northern Sentinel they recently held a meeting to discuss what reopening the facility would look like. It’s unclear when the KPL intends to reopen its doors, however in a May 8 Facebook post the organization said it would be opening up restricted services, including book takeout, for residents with a valid library membership.

Libraries and museums are both explicitly mentioned as businesses which are allowed to reopen in Stage Two of the Province’s Restart Plan.

Anyone with matters pertaining to building, bylaw or planning are being asked to continue to call the front desk at 250-632-8900 where you will be able to book an appointment with the appropriate person, as the District has noted walk-in services for these items will not be available.