Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Fort Liard (Oct 29/01) - A new swimming pool is a fitting project for a community in the tropics, the tropics of the Northwest Territories, that is.

A family-run company, Treeline Construction has been building the North for over 30 years.

"We did the Whale Cove nursing station. We've worked in Arviat. We quit working in Nunavut in 1986 and since then have focused working in the west," said Nelson Madsen, co-owner of Treeline Construction.

The total cost of the swimming pool will be about $350,000 with Treeline's portion at about $200,000.

At a peak the company could employ about 20 people. The Fort Liard pool project took three tradesmen as well as five Liard residents.

"We bend over backwards to hire in the North - keep every thing in the North," said Madsen.

The co-ordination involved in building a pool is a new adventure for the company.

"We've had to address ventilation issues," said Madsen who said he wants to make sure the job is done first class.

The concrete work involved special skills. There were 2.5-foot deep footings with a metal building on top. The metal frame and siding is yet to go up. "We wanted to get the cement work done before it got too cold to pour concrete," said Madsen.

One of the biggest challenges the company has faced lately is finding skilled tradespeople. The diamond and the oil and gas boom has left a shortage of workers.

"We give someone a fair price to do a job and we just try and do a good job," said Madsen.