Inuvik greenhouse to be closed to public, but will continue to grow food

April is usually the time when members of the community greenhouse in Inuvik, N.W.T., begin filling their plots with soil.

However, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's going to be a very different season at the greenhouse, organizers say. It's going to be closed to the public for the time being.

"Even with using social distancing measures, the idea of, somebody touches those shovels, and then you touch them, there could be an issue," said Ray Solotki, executive director of the Inuvik Community Greenhouse.Solotki is also in charge of the smaller greenhouses in the communities of the Beaufort Delta region.

"We don't know what the severity could be and how it could spread in a hot humid environment."

The greenhouse is going into its 22nd year of operation.Usually, it expands its services eachyear. There are about 200 people who have greenhouse memberships or pick up a weekly veggie box, said Solotki.

Other programs like "food-fit" cooking classes and canning courses, which the greenhouse puts on year-round, have been halted.

'More of us need to be growing food'

Solotki said it's looking "financially grim."However, she'salso determined to keep the greenhouse running and producing food.

"We need to look at what's most responsible," she said."I think growing food is still important, and that more and more of us need to be growing food."

Extra soil has been ordered to set up home gardens in the community. Solotkistill plans to hold the greenhouse's annual plant sale, but it wouldn't be a community gathering instead, she would deliver the plants.

The greenhouse is still figuring out what the growing season will looklike, but Solotki said one option might be that she grows the veggies for residents, and they pay a flat rate.

"There has to be a way for us to be able to grow food, even if it means I put on my farmer hat for the summer and I am your very-following-protocol-sterile farmer," Solotki said.

Solotki is the only full-time employee and potentially could be the only employee this year, she said.

'Biggest loss to our community'

The greenhouse is a way for residents to get fresh produce, but also to connect with each other.

"The greenhouse has become for me a place where I met everybody and interacted with different people in the community," said Lee Watt, chairmanofthe greenhouse'sboard.

"The cooler days in the summer, you can get a nice dose of heat at times, which can really help lift people's spirits."

The greenhouse also hostweekly tours, a cafe, yoga sessions, andweddings.Watt said none of those events will likely happen this year, which will be the "biggest loss to our community."

"It's a beautiful centre to be in. It's lush and green it's kind of like a little oasis, but in the North."

However, Wattsaid the greenhouse wants to get more into community gardening, instead of single plots for individuals. It was going to do a test project with some plots this year to see how it would work in Inuvik.

"We want to go toward food production and use the best value for our space over the years," he said. "It may actually speed up some of our long-term plans, [to]increase food production in the greenhouse."