Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Nov 06/98) - With the Delta recently frozen over as of this week, and the Mackenzie River quickly freezing up stream, many area entrepreneurs, whose focus is transportation, are seeing a jump in interest.

Hans Lennie, who manages Westwind Recreation, says business has taken off lately, as many residents start enjoying relatively mild temperatures with lots of snow.

"We have daily rentals for about $120 and weekly rentals for $300," he says.

Westwind also has a lease-to-own part of the business, though Lennie says no program is in place yet to lease a vehicle for an entire winter.

That niche could make money off transient residents who may wish to avoid the large initial investment and hassle of selling the snowmobile for when they do move on from Inuvik.

"Each year we have a fishing derby for the lightest and heaviest fish," he says.

"People can weigh the fish here until Dec. 1."

The winners will receive discounts on snowmobile servicing.

Meanwhile, as freeze-up approaches, the truck rental business will see more activity from tourists.

Marjorie Baetz, 28, is one young entrepreneur who started Marcon, a vehicle-rental company, in March.

With three trucks and a minivan, she says her small business has been rolling smoothly since it started in March.

"This is a slower time of year," the mother of three says.

"It will pick up again after freeze-up when there are more tourists in town."

Baetz spent a year, before starting her business, working on her business plan and asking people at Western Arctic Business Development Services how to run a business.

Arctic Tire is Baetz's main competition for trucks and minivan rentals. Before Baetz started her company, Arctic Tire owner Brian McCarthy says he was more focused on small equipment rentals such as loaders, one-tonne trucks and Bobcats.

"Business has been fair," McCarthy says.

"It's had its ups and downs every month."

Arctic Tire has four trucks to rent out on a monthly basis and a fifth vehicle, a minivan.