IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY - After more than 20 years without a community hall in town, residents of Arctic Bay will finally have one.

"The gym is being used 24/7 by the school and in the evening by the public," said the community's administrator Joelie Qamanirq.

Qamanirq said the community has been without a hall since the early 1980s at least. When the mine at Nanisivik was open, residents had access to recreation facilities there, but they were closed after the mine shut down.

Arctic Bay's rapidly growing population means that the Inuujaq School gym is far too small to accommodate the numbers who attend community feasts and other public events.

The new structure will be able to hold most of the community at one time, and will have a kitchen for Christmas and New Year's dinners, Qamanirq said.

It will also have a removable divider in the main hall chamber so the building can be used for two different community events at the same time.

Other features of the new building include a weight and exercise room.

"My recreation co-ordinator is in the process of ordering weights and stuff for the new building," said Qamanirq.

Construction for the new building began in Autumn 2008 and started again in May after the winter break. The structure is expected to be finished this September.

Qullik Construction, based in Iqaluit, is handling the work but Qamanirq said many members of the community had been hired to work with Qullik's journeyman tradesmen, learning as they worked.