Friday, July 25, 1997
It's a crying shame
Only three people have so far signed up as volunteers to help out with next year's Caribou Carnival, which has been cancelled ostensibly because of a lack of volunteer support.
That's a crying shame.
In a city of nearly 18,000, one would expect more to give up some of their time for an event that would have been the its 44th consecutive annual running.
What we've heard publicly is that the 1998 Arctic Winter Games have tied up all of Yellowknife's volunteer power, which seems like a weak excuse. What we've heard from the back rooms, however, is that the last time Caribou Carnival and the Arctic Winter Games collided in Yellowknife, the carnival lost a pile of money.
If the latter is the real reason why the carnival was cancelled, then the board should come clean and say it. Hiding the truth doesn't do anyone or any cause any good.
There's no doubt that many Yellowknifers will be disappointed that a cultural event of such longevity will miss a beat next winter.
But wouldn't it be better to make the best of a tough situation, swallow a bit of Northern pride and focus on pulling off one successful event, rather than trying for two but ending up with mediocrity all around?
Surely an alternative to a full-fledged Caribou Carnival -- some sor of mini-carnival -- could be incorporated within the Games to keep the spirit alive.
As well, Lupi could share some of the Games' mascot duties with Carnie and Carnella, if not out of fairness, then at least to stave off exhaustion.
We suppose such ideas should have been thought out and discussed months ago when Yellowknife began planning for the Games.
Still, none of this excuses Yellowknifers for not coming forward and volunteering for carnival duty. It would be sad to think that we're just not the same cohesive, caring and fun-loving community we were 44 winters ago.
We'd all like to think we can live together, if only we show a little respect and patience. But the truth is cities like Yellowknife need zoning laws to keep incompatible elements apart.
A dog kennel, for example, belongs in an agricultural or industrial area, like the Kam Lake industrial park, where the barking of pent-up canines will annoy few. Homes for humans, on the other hand, belong in residential neighborhoods.
So we have little sympathy for those humans who choose to live in an industrial park -- and then complain about the potential noise from a future kennel the city has just approved.
One of the most lasting elements of the recent summer festival season is the appearance of new works of very public art around the city, thanks to some creative-minded painters.
Dumpsters have fresh faces and the Canadian Tire mural has grown a few meters more. And welcome additions to the city's character they are. More than just splashes of color on otherwise drab pieces of architecture and equipment, these new works suggest an intriguing alternative for those youth whose idle hands turn too often to acts of vandalism. Why not include mural- or dumpster-painting as community service for those caught defacing public property?
We all might learn something about esthetics.