Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Aklavik (Oct 13/00) - The job of one resident here is to help everyone else have fun.

Dean McLeod has been recreation co-ordinator for the Hamlet of Aklavik since graduating from the Recreation Leaders Program at Aurora College in 1996.

"I plan all the recreation for the community," McLeod said. "Their special events, all their recreational programs and services. I'm in charge of the Sittichinli Recreational Complex. I'm in charge of the John Arey Youth Drop-in Centre."

McLeod also plans events for the community pool when it's open and said he does a lot of fund-raising for the recreation committee.

"We always get a lot of people out for our special events and activities. The community really likes stuff like that, I mean they all come out. Volunteers are always there," McLeod said.

"Right now we're just starting up hockey."

McLeod is also busy planning a series of Halloween dances.

"Just planning out special events for the community and working with the youth, that's what I like best of all," McLeod revealed.

"It's really important for the youth to have recreation for them to take part in," he said. "You try to provide many different things or opportunities for them."

McLeod said the youth centre gives young people a place "just to come out and have a place to go at night, play pool."

He said attendance varies depending on what day and what time of day.

"Our youth centre goes up and down, some nights it'll be just packed, and then other nights it'll be really quiet."

This line of work came naturally for McLeod, who was very involved in soccer while growing up, and in 1986 was a member of the 14 and under boys team from Aklavik, which competed in Whitehorse at the Arctic Winter Games. McLeod started out as assistant recreation co-ordinator for two years, after which he went to Inuvik to take the two-year Recreation Leaders Program.