Yellowknife, NWT, Canada
For those not so familiar with Canadian geography, Yellowknife is the capital city (in fact it’s the only city) of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Approximately 20,000 people call Yellowknife home making it the largest community and commercial hub in the territory.
As much as we’d love to tell you more about Yellowknife, because it truly is a destination like no other, we’ll spare you the details except to say that we definitely recommend learning more about this unique northern gem and experiencing it for yourself.
It Starts With Creative Vision
Greg Boucher, principal of Yellowknife Motors (YK Motors), leads the team at the locally owned and operated Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC dealership. In 2019, Greg and his team came up with an idea that would set YK Motors apart from other dealerships and provide an exciting opportunity for the local people.
The idea was simple; “Let’s put a massive screen right in the middle of our showroom so we can display high quality promotional materials showcasing our vehicles and expert auto services. At night, we’ll bring the community together by hosting sports events on the big screen for all to enjoy.”
From there, it was just a matter of finding the right partner to take the creative vision and bring it to life. Greg reached out to Jeff Philipp, Yellowknife local and president of SSi Micro, and began planning the project with the expert support from SSi’s team.
SSi Micro: Communication Services For Remote Communities
SSi Micro is a telecommunications service provider founded in 1990 and headquartered in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada. Serving all 25 communities in Nunavut and several in the Northwest Territories, SSi Micro understands first-hand the importance of reliable communications in remote and rural communities.
SSi’s president Jeff Philipp is always on the lookout for the next great thing to enhance communications for the people living in Northern Canada. This drive and passion are ultimately what led Jeff and SSi Micro to LIGHTVU.
LIGHTVU and SSi Micro joined forces to bring safe and reliable LED display technology to Canada’s northern communities. SSi’s team is now equipped to deploy and support LIGHTVU’s LED display solutions in all of the areas they serve.
Factory Installation Support With A Side Of Unique Experience
As YK Motors was the first installation completed by SSi Micro using LIGHTVU’s display technology, our team was onsite to support the deployment of the display solution.
We (myself included) boarded the plane just after 6 am in Edmonton, Alberta on route to Yellowknife about 1,500 km north. We arrived around 9 am at the Yellowknife Airport to a balmy (or so the locals call it) minus 20 degrees Celsius and quickly rendezvoused with SSi Micro’s team.
Although not considered “remote” compared to most Arctic communities (you can drive to Yellowknife by highway and many planes land there each day), the opportunity to actually experience the people and spirit of this far north community was incredible. The local warmth and friendship was felt immediately upon arrival and our time spent, although short lived, was like no other.
Deployment of the LED Signage Solution
Enjoy this photo progression of the 183″ AURORA Series 3mm pitch LED signage solution in YK Motors. We’ll keep the reading to a minimum from here on out.
Vision Is Now Reality
Step outside YK Motors and the content shines through the modern glass store-front and is easily seen from the main road. A few customers came in within minutes of switching the sign on for the first time, saying they saw it as they drove by and had to swing back for a better look.
What started as a creative vision is now an exciting reality. Thanks to the great work done by the team at SSi Micro, YK Motors is now the proud owners of this professional LED signage solution and enjoy peace of mind knowing technical support is never far away.
