Heartbreak in Tagish after a fire destroys community centre

Good morning,

Is spring here? It certainly feels like it driving/hitting potholes on the turnoff from Two Mile Hill to the Klondike Highway!

Sadly I was unable to finish the ski marathon this weekend. I don’t recommend cross-country skiing after bashing your shoulder while downhill skiing. It makes for very painful cross-country skiing. Unlike my misfortune, it looks like everyone else had a great time!

On a personal note, thank you to everyone who has subscribed and shared the Lookout with their friends and family. We’re only 70 people away from 1,000 subscribers, which after only three weeks, feels like a crazy thing to say!

Speaking of spring, we’ve got camping news that you all will want to read. But we’ll temper that good news with a truly heartbreaking update on a fire that destroyed the Tagish Community Centre. 

Let’s get to it.

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout founder

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The Yukon Weather Report

YUKON NUMBERS

💰️ $7.36 million: The amount the federal government is putting into Yukon schools’ food programs over three years, through the new National School Food Program.

📈 $17.94: The new Yukon minimum wage, which is set to increase on April 1, rising from $17.59. This is pegged to the Whitehorse Consumer Price Index, which is two per cent.

🌡️ 2nd: For only the second time in recorded history, Whitehorse’s temperature was above -31.5 C during the 2024 winter months. Yikes!

PUBLIC SAFETY

Heartbreak in Tagish

What happened: Last week I wrote about how recreation centres help knit together communities, which feels even more pertinent today — yesterday morning Tagish’s recreation centre caught fire and burned down.

The details: The entire building was impacted but no injuries were reported. Five volunteer fire departments were involved in trying to put out the blaze, which started early Wednesday morning, according to the Yukon government. 

The Tagish Community Centre Facebook page shared the news from Heather Bekar, President of the Tagish Community Association, who said, “the Centre has been a gathering place for so many in our community.”

• “It is with heavy hearts that we share the devastating news that a fire engulfed the Tagish Community Centre early this morning… We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of support, kind words, and offers of help. Your compassion and strength remind us of the resilience of our community.”

Questions: Before anyone begins to speculate, there is no information on what caused the blaze. Whitehorse Fire Department is investigating the cause, according to Yukon Protective Services.

What comes next: People have been asked to stay away from the fire area. For obvious reasons, all progams and events at the Centre have been cancelled until further notice. The Yukon government noted in their press release that they were “committed to rebuilding a new community space that meets local needs.”

• Given the critical importance community centres play in the territory, it wouldn’t be surprising if all levels of government moved quickly to help build a new facility. 

Have a story about the Tagish Community Centre? Let us know and we’ll include it in the next newsletter.

NEW JOBS

Discover a new job in the Yukon:

• Construction labourer, Mindanao General Contracting Services in Whitehorse

• Elder care worker, Carcross/Tagish First Nation in Carcross

• Human resource coordinator, City of Whitehorse

• Barista, Baked Cafe and Bakery in Whitehorse

• Strength conditioning and sports coach, Northern Strength Academy in Whitehorse

• Line cook/prep cook, Wolf-It-Down Restaurant in Watson Lake

HOME OF THE WEEK

At one point we were looking for a place to buy in Riverdale, and I have to say, this place is much nicer than the one we were considering!

It feels like a very typical Riverdale home, in a good way — three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a big yard. But it’s got some extra features, including upgraded windows, new insulation, and a new roof. 

But honestly, it’s the garden setup that makes this place stand out for me. If you’ve got a green thumb, it’s hard to imagine a better setup.

See how much this place will set you back.

OUTDOORS

Summer camping gears up

What happened: The sun is staying up longer and that means we’re getting closer to (summer) camping season. Another sign? The territory has officially opened up campground reservations.

Background: Campground reservations were implemented last April. I know a few people who were a bit perturbed by the change. But by the end, everyone I talked to seemed to enjoy the flexibility and certainty of booking a campsite ahead of time. 

Key dates: Backcountry camping is now reservable, so get those Tombstone reservations in fast. Annual and daily permits are available on April 1, and frontcountry reservations can be made available on April 9 at 9 am.

• Front-country camping officially opens May 9 and ends October 1. 

The locations are the same as last year, at Wolf Creek, Marsh Lake, Pine Lake, and Tombstone Mountain. Fifty percent of campsites are reservable and reservations are only available to Yukon residents.

One change: It’s a bit more favourable to annual permit holders this year, who can reserve up to three nights, free of charge.

• You can book your nights here. 

Where I’m going this summer: Everywhere. Seriously. I’ve got my eyes on classics like Kusawa Lake and Congdon to access some hikes on my bucket list. But I’m also hoping to grab a canoe and stay a night or two on Teresa Island, or other spots on Atlin Lake.

THE AGENDA

💰 The Yukon government released its budget last week, forecasting a $82 million surplus. The biggest new spending items were $72 million for health care, $75 million to improve Whitehorse’s airport, and money for completing the Nisutlin Bay Bridge. One thing that has changed is the $40 million for the ore dock in Skagway, which has moved to the following year since no agreement has officially occured. But all these projections should be taken with a grain of salt, given the massive uncertainty around tariffs and the Eagle Gold Mine disaster. The Yukon Party responded by focusing on the rising level of territorial debt. [Yukon Government, CBC]

🛣️ Speaking of money, the planned upgrades to the highway between Destruction Bay and Beaver Creek are unclear due to uncertainty over whether the U.S. will reimburse the costs. [CKRW]

👮 On March 3, a stolen vehicle in Teslin was stopped by the RCMP using a tire deflation device after a man tried to flee the police. After almost hitting an officer and ditching the vehicle, he was eventually apprehended and was charged with theft and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and assault of a police officer with a weapon. [RCMP]

🚍 Riverdale will be getting a transit priority lane from Alsek Road to Hospital Road through Lewes Boulevard, with council unanimously approving it. School buses and cyclists will also be able to use it. [CBC]

📅 Connective, which runs the shelter at 405 Alexander Street, has been given a three-month extension to operate the facility until June 30. [Yukon government]

🏫 Yukon NDP leader Kate White has called for the defunding of the Catholic education system in the territory. The agreement between Catholic schools and the territory says they must follow Yukon laws and policies, and White says they do not, especially around the Department of Education’s sexual orientation and gender identity policy. [CBC]

🏒 Local hockey player Dylan Cozens, hailing from Whitehorse, is coming home. Well, at least to Canada… Cozens was traded from the Buffalo Sabers on Friday to the Ottawa Senators for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker. His impact was felt immediately on Saturday, garnering one assist and nine hits in the Senators win. [Hockey News]

Disclosure: In the interest of transparency, please note that my partner works for the Yukon government.

FOOD

​​Mamayo’s Cuisine is a melting pot of flavour

I’ve tried every region of Chinese food, Peruvian, coastal French, the list goes on. I’ve eaten a lot.

But I’ve never had Mauritian food. And I’ve certainly never had it in Whitehorse. Until this week.

​​Mamayo’s Cuisine (no website) at 2193 2nd Ave has opened without much fanfare but it should be on everyone’s radar. The restaurant focuses on food from Mauritius, the island off the far coast of Africa.

A melting pot of different cultures — you can blame repeated colonization for that — you’re likely to find a healthy mix of Chinese, French, Indian, African and many more cuisines in Mauritian cooking.

hile India has a big influence, don’t expect to find traditional dishes like butter chicken. But you will find things like pakoras, deep-fried vegetarian chickpea balls full of onions and cabbage. Fresh is the best way to eat them, though I wish they had a bit more of a sweeter sauce accompanying them. 

Reflecting Southern Indian cuisine, you can find a masala dosa, usually a crispy, savoury pancake, like a crepe, full of masala curry. Since we ordered takeout, I suspect the crispness was lost in the delivery due to the steam, but it was still a tasty bite. Other classics include pakora and chapati. The samosas were fine but honestly, I find all of them a bit overrated. 

Chinese influences can be found in the fried egg noodles, a slightly sweet, black pepper-infused dish that we devoured. Perfectly cooked, with strong shrimp flavours and ample shrimp, you can see the Chinese influences, as some recipes I’ve read use Chinese staples of oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine.

But the winner of the evening was the lamb curry roti. Roti is, in my opinion, the perfect bread, fried, crispy and able to absorb sauce, it makes a nice alternative to a flour or corn burrito.

Mamayo’s lamb curry roti was exceptional. Nicely cooked chunks of lamb, strong curry flavour mixed with what almost tasted like sweet onions, it’s a salty, sweet (and yes, spicy) di that anyone in Whitehorse should try.

Mamayo’s Cuisine is new to the city, but a welcome addition. Like Whitehorse itself, it’s a mix of cultures and cuisines, that together elevate the food into something special and unique. 

Other food stories

• In our first Yukon Burger Ranking review, we check out Dirty Northern

EVENTS

Whitehorse

Nature’s Touch: Art by Isaac and Isabel | ATCO Electric Yukon Youth Gallery | Now until May 23 | Local youths showcase their nature art

Spring Break Art Vibes | Old Fire Hall | March 10-11, 14, 17-19 | Multiple shows and workshops for kids throughout the March Break | Learn more

Foxtail Market | 33 Olive Way | Mar. 29, 10 am-4 pm | Come see and support local artisans

Snowshoe Stroll | Greenbelt across from North Star Drivee | Mar. 13, 4 pm-5 pm | Wildlife viewing walk, for all ages | Free

Community Barn Dance | Church of the Northern Apostles, 45 Boxwood Cres | Mar. 15, 7:30 pm-10 pm | Live music and barnyard dancing | $15, cash or e-transer to [email protected]

Acoustic Live Music at the Huts | Whitehorse Nordic Centre | Mar. 16, 3 pm-6 pm | Live music at the huts along the cross-country ski trails | Free

45th Annual Kilrich Yukon Native Hockey Tournament | Throughout Whitehorse | Mar. 20-23 | A weekend full of hockey! | Learn more

EDI Hut to Hut | Nordic Centre | Mar. 23, 11 am-3:30 pm | Family-friendly ski, snowshoe or fat bike trails, with hot beverages and snacks | Day or season pass required

2025 Paddling Film Festival World Tour | Yukon Beringo Interpretive Centre | Apr. 3, 6 pm | The best in paddling films | Tickets $20

Dawson City

Thaw di Gras Spring Carnival | Mar. 14-16 | Celebrate the end of the winter with numerous activities, including hockey, tricycle races, chilli cook-off, snow sculptures, fireworks and live music | Learn more

2025 Dawson City Fur Show | Robert Service School | Mar. 15, 10 am-5 pm | Fur and trap setting competition, along with a market

Haines Junction

Yukon Hardwater Racing | Pine Lake | Mar. 15-16 | X country racing, kids racing and more | Registration open Mar. 1

Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival | St. Elias Convention Centre | June 6-8 | Come enjoy bluegrass music all weekend long | Tickets $195

Faro

Fisheye Frenzy Ice Fishing Derby | Mar. 15 | Cash prizes for the biggest fish, lots of door prizes

Marsh Lake

Winter Carnival | March Lake Community Centre | Mar. 15, 11 am-3 pm | Vendor market, dogsledding, outdoor games and more | Free

Have an event or a community announcement? Submit it here.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• The Kluane National Park Artist Residency is still open for applications.

• For all you backcountry adventurers, be aware that Avalanche Canada found a windslab, on the North slopes at 1,800 metres.

• The Yukon Food Bank is running a 50/50 raffle to raise money. The jackpot is currently $1,660.

• According to Facebook, there’s a new pet supplies store called Scales & Tails which is opening up where Duffy’s used to be.

• Yukon Provisions has a new Haksap Vanille Lattes which looks incredible

THE YUKON WORDLE

Think you can guess this week’s Wordle? Play it here.