Iqaluit (Dec 13/04) - All Merven Gruben wants for Christmas this year is a whole lot of gravel for Tuktoyaktuk. The deputy mayor says lack of access to gravel is the biggest hurdle the hamlet faces right now.

"We have absolutely no gravel and winter is the only time we can get at materials," Gruben explained.

"We have to make a road out to get this material (gravel) every year and on average, it costs us about $200,000 just to make a road to our closest gravel source."

That source, called 177, is located 20km southeast of Tuk, along the route of the proposed all-weather road between Tuk and Inuvik.

For years, Gruben has been lobbying for a permanent road for access to the gravel source as well as a direct link to Inuvik.

Having a permanent road would cost about $15 million, but would solve some of Tuk's problems, Gruben said.

"Along with getting this road out to the gravel source, we then could expand our community, which is slowly washing away into the ocean.

"Right now we have no roads to go anywhere or gravel to make lots to expand our community."

Presently, roads are at or below tundra-level.

Gruben said the community has been told by MACA that there is no funding available.

Every chance he gets, Gruben says he is pushing the issue and meeting with officials to discuss it.

"I've even met with the federal Minister of Transportation. We're not going to forget about it."

Mayor Billie Archie said roads in the community are "substandard."

In terms of standard width, a lot of them do not meet requirements, he said.

"Liability is also an issue. We are in a situation we don't want to be in as a municipal government. We are susceptible to being sued for anything that goes on in terms of public safety," Archie said.

Dust-control is also a major issue, he added.

SAO Eugene Storr said a study of the roads during the first half of the year will determine condition and costs of repair.

"We haven't been able to do any work other than maintain them for the past 10 years," Storr said. In the recent three-year infrastructure acquisition plan released by the territorial government, Aklavik was allotted a total of $200,000 for road erosion protection.

The need for a new water treatment plant is also looming over the hamlet, he said.

"We have one, but they keep upgrading it," Storr said.

"We've had concerns with H-pylori and cancers that have happened in the past and we want to figure out whether it comes from our water system or diet."

In the tiny community of Tsiigehtchic, sub-chief John Norbert says his hamlet is in dire need of social infrastructure.

"We really need a full-time nurse," Norbert said of one major concern.

While there is a health centre, it is only staffed by a nurse at freeze-up and spring break-up, he said.

"In the meantime, we deal with other communities like McPherson for help and sometimes that's not fast enough," Norbert said.

"We also need RCMP really badly," he noted.

Again, he said, the hamlet must rely on Fort McPherson for assistance.

Norbert also said alcohol and drugs, including crack, are a growing problem and as a result, an alcohol/drug counsellor and mental health worker are needed.

"We really need help here in all sorts of ways with family problems and drugs and alcohol.

"In the new year, we are going to start dealing with those problems. It's getting worse every year."