NANA opens new office in Kivalina

NANA opened a new office in Kivalina at the end of September— one of several new facilities recently constructed or planned for the near future.

The building, constructed in spring and transported to the community by barge this month, includes common meeting areas, as well as the spaces and equipment for residents to complete computer-based training and onboarding requirements, said NANA’s spokesman Ty Hardt. The office has already been used for shareholder General Education Development training, Hardt said.

“The offices are a place for shareholders to connect, gather and engage with their corporation and community,” Hardt said.

Back in October 2022, during a fall storm, high winds peeled back the roofing tin on the NANA office building in Kivalina. The village regularly experiences fall storms, worsening due to diminishing ice. Residents are planning to eventually relocate to the site about 8 miles inland from the current village.

“The new village offices are built to meet or exceed the latest industry standards for safety,” Hardt said. “The building was designed and constructed with the intent to move it to the new village location at a future date.”

A new NANA office has been set up in Deering last year. This year, the corporation wants to open facilities in Selawik and Shungnak, and in 2024, they plan to install offices in Ambler and Noorvik, said NANA’s spokesman Ty Hardt.