Maria Canton
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 11/99) - A committee of four from the Yellowknife Senior's Society has come together to form the Senior's Heritage Project and are in the midst of gathering mountains of stories, photos, tales and legends for what will be the second volume of an illustrated history of Yellowknife.

The project, inspired by the International Year of the Older Persons, has the committee sending letters to Yellowknife and Northern reunions in Edmonton, Alta., Victoria and Kelowna, B.C.

They are also canvasing locally in search of anecdotal tales that define and encapsulate the history of Yellowknife.

"They can be stories about how people felt when they got here or about what was unique," says Barb Bromley, who spearheaded the idea for the book.

"We've already received many responses, including one from a couple in England and one from a girl in Texas."

Nov. 1, 1999, has already been established as the information cut-off date in order to keep things moving along.

"We're hoping to have it published in the millennium," Bromley said.

"But there is so much between now and then."

Besides the material compiled by the committee, Bromley says Susan Jackson, editor of volume one of An Illustrated History of Yellowknife, is willing to share the volumes of data that she didn't have room to use in her book.

"She has a roomful of photos, stories and information that she didn't have room for," she says.

"I'm sure we'll have enough stuff for five books, but we're only going to do this one for now."

Jackson, who was visiting Yellowknife from her home on the West Coast last week, said she is thrilled about the new book getting under way.

"It's wonderful to see them working on the second volume," she said.

"I have a lot left over from the first volume and I'd like to help out in any way that I can."

Volume two won't necessarily continue from where volume one left off, but will complement, add to and elaborate on the existing material, says Bromley.

"It is such a big project to spearhead," she says.

"But with everyone's help, I have no doubt that we'll finish it."