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Council chamber gets makeover

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Stacey Barnes, the executive assistant with the Town of Hay River, stands in front of the large photographs now adorning council chamber. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

The council chamber of the Town of Hay River has a new look.

On April 24, four large photographs were added to the wall behind where councillors sit.

Stacey Barnes, the executive assistant with the Town of Hay River, oversaw the changes at the request of council.

"They wanted to dress the place up," she said, noting the wall was very bare.

The new images – by well-known Hay River photographer Adam Hill – are of Alexandra Falls, an aerial view of the community, Northern lights over the town and Fisherman's Wharf in the summer.

Barnes noted that, with the South Slave Arctic Winter Games coming to Hay River in March of next year, the sporting event's logo will also be added to the wall on each side of the photographs.

Above the photographs there will be wording to promote Hay River.

"We're going to have 'Our Hay River', 'Town of Hay River' and 'Discover Hay River'," said Barnes.

She noted one of the reasons for the changes is that council meetings are now being broadcast on the Hay River Elks Community Channel on local television.

It can also be seen across Canada on Channel 649 on the Bell satellite network.

Barnes said, with the meetings being on the satellite service, the town council figured it's a good way to promote the community.

Mayor Brad Mapes is pleased with the changes to the council chamber.

"You'll come into a meeting and you'll see that, and you'll see the beauty of our community," he said. "So I think it's a great thing."

Mapes said the council meetings returning to the community channel created an opportunity for the town.

"I think that we need to showcase our community, the beauty and the people that we've got," he said. "And one of the things that I've really wanted is to have something in the chamber for a while that would set us apart, and I think those pictures really symbolize our town pretty good."

Mapes noted the pictures could be changed in the future.

Photographs of previous councils will remain in the council chamber near the entrance to the room.

A photo of the current council has yet to be added to that collection.