Rankin Inlet (Mar 10/04) - Residents of Rankin Inlet may finally have their recreational road to Diane Lake sometime next year.

Municipal planning engineer Bryan Purdy updated Rankin Inlet hamlet council on the progress of the recreational road to Apuqtunaaqtuq this past month. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Bryan Purdy, the municipal planning engineer for Community Government and Transportation, presented an update on the road project before hamlet council this past month.

The road's eventual destination will take it to the area known as Apuqtunaaqtuq (the southeast end of Diane Lake).

A branch trail may also be added that would lead to the mouth of the Diane River.

Purdy told council a debt of thanks was owed to elders Ollie Ittinuar and Tommy Tudalik, who offered their guidance and assistance in selecting the route for the road.

He said, for the sake of clarity, the pioneer project can best be described as a recreational road of a bit better quality than an ATV trail.

"As much as we'd like to tender the project early, it will probably be late in the season before we get the approvals needed," said Purdy.

"We're still aiming for completion in 2005, but it may take a bit longer -- depending on when we actually get started -- to be 100 per cent complete."

While estimates on the recreational road have been as high as $1 million, Purdy said it's much too early to affix a price tag to the project.

"We haven't even done the detailed design yet and we haven't put out a job before with such high environmental standards," says Purdy.

"So, the design engineering cost estimates aren't done yet.

"We're going to do the environmental approvals first and, although important, the cost of the project isn't the parameter that's rising to the top at this time."

Purdy said the main environmental process associated with the project is the proper spotting of a quarry burrow pit for the contractor to extract gravel.

He said with that accomplished, there will be no danger of the tundra being torn up by the search for gravel.

"We will ensure the contractor has a definite path to and from the burrow," says Purdy.

"Also, when it's all done, it will have to be landscaped so it's nice to look at."