A wide range of activities for town residents during lockdown

Now almost three weeks have passed since the lockdown due to COVID-19 began, and at Hafnarfjörður municipality, staff are finding ways to share health-promoting ideas and events that were planned for home via social media. According to Andri Ómarsson, the events manager, residents have been particularly keen to get moving and enjoy the outdoors in recent days and weeks.

The local newspaper Hafnfirðingur interviewed Andri recently. 

„We're going to be using social media a lot in the near future to enrich the spirit and plant seeds and ideas for family time together. This is how we want to contribute to the community in these times.“ says Andri. For example, story times will be streamed from the library, where library staff will read aloud in Icelandic, Polish and even more languages.

Story times from the library are being posted on social media. Photo/OBÞ

„As for the Folk Museum, the photography exhibition at Strandstígur is of course open and accessible all year round, and there is also a new display in the window of Beggubúð which is interesting to see, although we don't have the town's oldest teddy bear.” ...and refers to teddy bears peering out of windows all over the town, delighting children as they walk around. The collection of the Folk Museum is largely accessible in an electronic database, and it is fun to try searching for various keywords in the photograph collection on the museum's website.

_{One of the many beautiful outdoor areas in the uplands of Hafnarfjörður, in the forest surrounding Lake Hvaleyrarvatn. Photo/OBÞ}

Electronic access to collections

Hafnarborg and Myndstef recently signed an agreement for the digital publication of reproductions of the collection from the electronic collection catalogue. „This authorises Hafnarborg to digitise all of the museum's records in the Sarpi cultural history database, thereby improving public access to information about Hafnarborg's collection. Work is currently underway to make those images of Hafnarborg's collection, which have not previously been accessible to the public, visible in Sarpi.“ says Andri, adding that a guide to the current exhibition at Hafnarborg is expected, where people can view the artworks from their own living room. „We will also be recording some songs at a lunchtime concert and sharing them over the coming weeks. Although the collections are closed, the staff are looking for every way to engage via social media.

The health-conscious town of Hafnarfjörður has launched an offensive in chess and is now offering an online chess tournament for all primary school-aged children several times a week, while other sports and pastimes for the pupils are on hold.. Youth clubs are also looking for ways to offer an online programme, for example activity bingo and quizzes during the temporary closure. For example, my son is being offered the chance to take part in a short story competition.„ says Andri.

Traffic on Strandstígur is increasing significantly.

Andri makes a special mention of how pleasant it has been to see the people of Hafnarfjörður enjoying the outdoors and getting some exercise, both around the town and in the countryside. „Traffic on Strandstígsvegur has increased absolutely massively and is more than double compared to the same time last year; not everyone knows that we can measure it.“ says Andri. The City of Hafnarfjörður offers a route in Wapp around Stórhöfði and a mindfulness walk around Hvaleyrarvatn, and a new walk is in preparation. „Now it's extra important to do something inspiring and family-friendly, discover new places and try out new walking and cycling routes.“ says Andri, reminding people of the health-promoting deck of cards with 52 ideas for outdoor activities and exercise that was sent to residents around the year. „How about, for example, going out and counting the Flensburg steps! We just need to keep to the 2-metre distance, be considerate and not be in groups of more than 20.“ says Andri.

An interview with Andri was published in Hafnfirðinginn on 3 April 2020.