HAY RIVER - Roy Courtoreille grew up in Hay River's West Channel and wants to see its history preserved.

Roy Courtoreille, president of the West Channel Fishermen's Heritage Committee, stands in front of the vessel Kaye-Tee, an old fish freighter now sitting on dry land. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"I think it's important not to forget where you come from and your heritage," he said.

So for the past decade, Courtoreille has been president of the West Channel Fishermen's Heritage Committee, which was founded in 1989.

"As a volunteer, I was pretty well involved right from the start," he said.

The committee, which is an informal group, began with a fish fry to mark the 40th anniversary of West Channel as a fishing community.

"It tries to keep the fishermen's culture going," Courtoreille explained.

The committee is now best known as operator of Fisherman's Wharf, a weekly open market in Old Town during the tourism season.

Over the years, it has also collected some old fishing equipment and stored it in the Fishermen's Heritage Centre, which once was a fire hall in West Channel and may someday become a museum dedicated to the fishing industry.

"The original plan was to set up some type of a museum," Courtoreille said. "That's still in the background. We haven't really wandered too far away from it."

The committee would have to lease or buy the old fire hall from the Town of Hay River to set up the museum, but currently doesn't have the funds for such a project.

"I'm always hopeful," Courtoreille said. "I'd love to see something like that."

The committee is interested in obtaining more old fishing equipment and Courtoreille would like people to donate such items for a future museum.

"Don't throw it away," he said. "They can give me a call and I'll go and get it."

In the past, the committee has also helped print 'West Channel Memories', a book by former teacher Irma Miron. It also owns a big tent and picnic tables which it rents out for special occasions, such as high school graduations.

Courtoreille's parents – his father was a fisherman – came from northern Alberta and were among the original residents of West Channel in 1949.

Courtoreille, who lived in West Channel until he was 18, said it holds a very important place in his life and will always be home to him.

"That's why I'd like to see as much of it preserved as we can," he said.

Courtoreille himself did very little fishing.

"I fished with my father a bit when I was very young," he recalled. As an adult, he has had a number of jobs, including working on the railway and in mines, and for the past 20 years as a correctional officer. Courtoreille, 52, said he hopes the younger generation will also become interested in preserving the history of West Channel, adding some of his nieces and nephews are starting to take an interest, and he hopes it will grow from there.