ARVIAT - The runway at the Arviat airport will soon be improved by a long overdue improvement to its surface.

Gravel is being crushed and stockpiled for the project, which will also see new lights installed.

Mayor Bob Leonard said the contract for the work was awarded to Arviat's Eskimo Point Lumber.

"I believe, at this point, they're at about the 20 per cent mark of stockpiling the gravel needed," said Leonard.

"They'll start that back up again in the spring, and then begin to resurface the strip with crushed gravel and replace the strip lighting.

"The contract is through the Nunavut government."

Leonard said he expects the project to be completed in 2010.

He said the work is long overdue and the people of Arviat are happy to see it finally commencing.

"This has been on the government's capital plan for years, but it kept getting bumped back time and time again.

"But it's something that needed to be done badly, because we're actually starting to see bare rocks on the runway."

Leonard said the issue of having Arviat's runway extended enough to accommodate jet aircraft is also still very much alive in the hamlet.

He said the issue will never be settled until the day jets start landing in the community.

"Getting jet service in Arviat was an issue during the territorial election campaign and it's not going anywhere until we get some decent answers.

"The people of Arviat have wanted this for a long time and we're going to keep working towards that goal.

"In fact, we've suggested to the territorial government that this would be a good time – with all this equipment in town anyway – to find the cash for the runway extension now.

"But we've heard absolutely nothing back on it."

Leonard said according to files kept at the Arviat Health Centre, the community's population has now exceeded 2,800.

He said Arviat is continuing to grow and it's time the rest of Nunavut appreciated just how big the community really is.

"For some reason, Arviat remains this big secret and everyone continues to think it's just this tiny little community.

"Arviat has been ignored for decades.

"We have to make our case strong enough for people to realize our situation.

"It's time for everyone to wake up and realize this community is growing very rapidly and our infrastructure is not keeping up."