Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Feb 10/99) - The fate of Rankin Inlet's Kataujaq Day Care could very well depend on the outcome of a hamlet meeting to be held Tuesday, Feb. 16, after the GNWT made the decision to unload the building.

The day care has asked parents and staff to write letters of support for the service, which has been in its present location since 1985 and is run by the non-profit Kataujaq Society. The day care is now at the mercy of the hamlet, which could decide to employ the structure for office space.

Evelyn Thordarson, executive director of the Kataujaq Society, said the day care employs six full-time staff and five casuals. Of the 11 positions, nine are aboriginal, including an assistant manager trainee funded through Kivalliq Partners. The facility also has a special needs program with three children enroled and has a waiting list for 17 children to get into day care.

"If they decide to turn this into office space, they're going to be putting a lot of good people out of work," said Thordarson. "And, where are all the parents going to put their children?

"We've been on a charity lease with the GNWT and we understood it was the GNWT's intent to turn the building over to the hamlet of Rankin Inlet with the hope that it be used by our society as a day care."

Thordarson said the society is prepared to take full ownership of the building and make any necessary repairs. However, if the hamlet were to offer a lease on the building, the society would have to take a long look at what it contained.

"We'd have to figure out who's going to be paying for what, if they were going to pay for the renovations and how long a lease we were looking at," said Thordarson.

"We want to expand that day care for other programs, but are they going to be willing to expand the building for us? We're not saying no we wouldn't lease the building, but let's be realistic. How much is it going to cost us?"

The hamlet's senior administration officer, Robert Janes, said the Department of Public Works and Services wants to dispose of the unit and a process now kicks in which gives the hamlet first consideration on the building.

"We haven't met to decide if we even want to acquire it. However, I think if the hamlet were to take it, it would probably take it for office space, but that could be 10, 15 years down the road.

"The day care is a social program which we really don't have anything to do with. There's a point where you look at it and, if you're going to be totally objective, you have to say the building is OK right now for day care, but is it appropriate for the future?

"Why wouldn't Kataujaq realistically sit down and say the needs are going to be for X-number of kids in the year 2001-2002, maybe we should start looking at funding for a new facility or look at other options. That needs to be done."

Janes said had this been any other building, no one would have batted an eye, but, because it's the day care, people tend to get emotional.

"On the 16th, it's quite conceivable it might go to another committee for further study, such as the administration, management or finance committee. They'd make a recommendation back to council which would then make its decision or, who knows, council may say, nah, we're not really interested' right at the meeting and that will be the end of it."

As for needed repairs to the building, Keewatin fire marshal Tim Hinds says there is only one item of pressing concern.

"If it's to remain a day care, there has to be a second exit added on the second floor as a fire escape," said Hinds. "If the hamlet takes it and does renovations, it would have to be brought up to code -- some carpentry work and small renovations, but quite extensive.

"However, the fire escape is a life issue if it's to continue as a day care and would have to be addressed quickly. The rest can't be ignored, but are lower on the priority list."

Shaun Maley, MACA regional superintendent, said he is working on three scenarios to present to hamlet council concerning the building.

"One is for the day care to be turned over to a third party and then, in turn, turned over to the day care or some arrangements made for the day care to use it," said Maley. "It could still work out the government turns the building over to the hamlet and council retains ownership, but lets the day care can use it for the next 50 years.

"The third option is that we don't turn it over at all and it goes to the Nunavut government as a GNWT asset and it decides on its future."

Maley said he has spoken to Janes about office space concerns and told him he will identify those needs in the capital plan which the new Nunavut legislative assembly will either approve or decide where to place. He said that bit of information will also go to council as part of its decision making process.

"You can imagine politically what council would have to deal with if it were to close the only day care in town," said Maley. "I don't think that's going to happen. On the other hand, it would be difficult for the hamlet not to retain ownership of the building as an asset, even if it was a free lease for the day care for the next 20 years."

Maley said a community the size of Rankin Inlet needs a day care and all sides should be able to work to ensure the day care will continue to stay in existence.

"Another consideration is that the GNWT has recently allowed non-tax based communities to borrow, at least as far as land development goes, and anything like the day care is an asset that can be listed on a balance sheet for collateral.

"If, in the future, the hamlet decided it wanted to do something else, it could use the value of that asset. It's in their best interest to keep it, but, obviously, they need to keep in mind the day care is also there to use it."

Thordarson said the hamlet should do what the GNWT had intended in the first place.

"To use it as office space doesn't make any sense to me, especially when it's putting so many people out of work and jeopardizing so many children. I understand there's not a lot of available office space, but just because there's another day care opening, which we support, that really means nothing if this one closes."