Cafeteria closes at legislative assembly
No interest shown in taking over establishment, states official
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, April 8, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
There may be a lot of brown bagging it going on at the legislative assembly these days after the facility's cafeteria closed on Friday.
The only cafeteria at the legislative assembly closed for good on Friday. The Epic Grill owners had run the cafeteria and catered meetings and events at the assembly building for the past year. - John McFadden/NNSL photo |
Visitors and employees can't even buy a cup of coffee in the building, never mind lunch.
In a news release, legislative assembly spokesperson Barbara Abramchuk stated the Epic Grill will remain closed to the public and building occupants until further notice.
The Epic Grill had been run by Joselito De Leon and Dorothy De Leon for the past year. They were not available for comment.
Not only does the closure mean that there is no cafeteria but outside caterers will now have to be hired to bring in food and drinks for meetings and other events at the building. Abramchuk said there has been no demonstrated interest in taking over the cafeteria or the catering services.
"A request for proposal (RFP) process to find a new operator to run the catering services and cafeteria operations closed on March 4 and eventually proved to be unsuccessful," Abramchuk stated. "A number of proposal packages were picked up but no proposals (were) submitted for consideration."
She added that outside caterers will be hired to provide food and beverage services next week for committee meetings but did not say how much this would cost.
Caterers now need to be found to feed people for an average 46 session days and 30 committee meeting days each year, according to Abramchuk.
"The Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly, which is available for public meetings, displays and events is reserved on average 73 times each year and many of these events request catering services at various levels," Abramchuk stated.
She also stated the legislative assembly hosts about 10,000 visitors each year and that employees are not allowed to use the former cafeteria as a lunch room for workplace safety reasons.
At this time, she stated, assembly officials are considering how to best provide catering services and resume cafeteria operations, including the possible installation of food and drink vending machines.
It is not clear when or if another request for proposal will go out.
