Nunavut premier heading to Pangnirtung to say thanks

A fire at the Pangnirtung power station knocked out power in that south Baffin community over the Easter weekend this year. Premier Peter Taptuna and local MLA Johnny Mike are heading to Pangnirtung June 5 for a community barbecue to thank local residents for their help and sacrifice during that difficult time. (FILE PHOTO)

Now that the lights are back on in the south Baffin community of Pangnirtung, the Government of Nunavut wants to fire up the barbeque and celebrate.

The GN will host a public meal June 5 to recognize “those who contributed to the successful response to the emergency situation in Pangnirtung in April 2015,” a June 2 news release from the territorial government says.

The hamlet office announced a state of emergency April 2 after a fire at the local power plant, which started around 1:30 a.m., left the community of 1,500 in the cold and dark.

Partial power was restored later that same morning, but it took two weeks for large generators to be flown into the community to stabilize that power, and nearly a month before the state of emergency was lifted.

The GN commended the Hamlet of Pangnirtung for its efforts during the emergency in a May 1 news release.

“Their efforts in coordinating the local emergency response ensured that residents were kept safe and warm during power outages, and informed throughout the local state of emergency,” the release said.

And now the entire town is invited to celebrate with Premier Peter Taptuna and local MLA Johnny Mike, who is also the minister of community and government services.

The barbeque will be held June 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Pangnirtung Hamlet Community Hall.