Yellowknife Online

Today is  Sunday and it is the day of rest, so I’m not going to post anything to deep. I thought a video would be perfect.

Along my travels through the Internet, specifically YouTube, I came across this interesting video of none other than old town. The video was produced by WAMP Film production and Paul Gordon. I’m not sure as the exact time the video was shot but in the description it states it aired in 2001 or 2002. Take a look.

I also found the video below by the same user and thought I would share it to. I actually found this video years ago while in high school and thought it was a neat idea. It is called “Dump Talk” and I thought and still do a think it would make a great web series. *Note there is a little bit of bad language in the video, among other crappy things, so be warned.

I came across this page on the City of Yellowknife website today and it is about being prepared for emergencies. Now I am not entirely sure if this page was on the site before the dump fire or not (been told it was) but none the less it brings up an important question. Would the City be able to alert its residents if there were a city wide emergency. The short answer is unfortunately no, but they want to change that. In one of last weeks Yellowknifers, councilor David McCann did state that they should look into a City Twitter account and Facebook page.

If you didn’t know when the dump fire broke out, Facebook and Twitter lit up with updates about the fire. RT’s, Photos and News flooded these new media sites with information about what was happening as it was happening as well as the Mayor’s Message he released. The City on the other hand had no real way of getting the message out, except for radio, which is only one medium. Now I am sure there are many issues The City would have to work out to get a Twitter account and Facebook page up, like the fact they would actually have to allow an employee to use these social networking sites to update them.

I am going to go ahead and assume no one would be against an official Twitter account and Facebook page so my questions for you are. How do you think the City can manage these accounts if they were to set them up and would you follow them. Will this be an election topic?

We could also continue this conversation by adding all the other things the City could do with these accounts besides just emergency purposes. Such as the Mayor Message, Council Minutes, New ByLaws, etc.

Show Notes

• Bay side Bed & Breakfast and Cafe: Facebook Page
• Artsorensen Twitter Account. NNSL? @artsorensen
• Where are the 86 Pay Phone in Yellowknife: Facebook Group
• Yellowknife Dump Fire: Collection of Photo and Links from around the Yellowknife

Until next week.

No doubt you saw the massive amount of black smoke being emitted into the sky earlier Saturday evening. The dump was on fire once again, this time in full forced. What started at 4:30pm continued to burn for about 12 hours. With help from Airport Fire Dept as well as helicopter and bomber they managed to contain it.

Mayor Van Tighen released this statement at 6:44pm:

There is a fire at the dump.

YKFD is on site and fighting it.

City heavy equipment is being supplemented by RTL.

ENR are working to enable an air attack.

YKFD asks residents t…o stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed until it is extinguished.

Unfortunately I was not able to be there myself and take pictures, nor was I even in internet range, but here are links to picture and posts they were put up as the first was happening.

http://twitpic.com/gn64f – Credit Shane Riley

http://twitpic.com/gn6aa – Credit Shane Riley

http://twitpic.com/photos/arcticrose45 – Credit  Val Pond

Fire at Yellowknife Dump and Facebook album with amazing photos – David Heffernan

Flickr Photo Album – More amazing shots – Nigel Fearon

Reflections in the Snow-covered Hills – Megan brings up any excellent point about something I want to talk more about soon.

News/North (NNSL) Video Clip – Credit NNSL

http://twitpic.com/photos/aumpleby – Credit Aumpleby

If you know of more pictures and/or posts that have gone up make sure you add a link in the comment section.