SANIKILUAQ - The Government of Nunavut is proposing to put a new territorial park in Sanikiluaq and is looking to the community for help and guidance during the development process.

"It's something new for us and hopefully everything will work out but we still have a long way to go," said Lucassie Arragutainaq, manager of the Sanikiluaq Hunter and Trappers Association.

Nunavut Parks and Special Places, under the Department of Environment, is currently doing feasibility studies to assess the proposed park's potential and development options.

Director of parks David Monteith said the current work is a result of a commitment made by a minister in the Nunavut legislative assembly in 2000.

"The government at the time wanted to make sure that those non-decentralized communities had an opportunity to receive benefits from our parks program," he said.

Previous tourism studies since the 1980s also suggested Sanikiluaq could benefit from having a territorial park.

Located in the Belcher Islands, off the north coast of Quebec, the community of 750 people boasts many cultural and natural attributes as Monteith calls them.

With the community's unique location, it is home to polar bears, Canada geese and seals.

"They have reindeer that were moved and transplanted there and it is one of the few places in Nunavut where reindeer can be seen," Monteith said.

Add to this the fact they are on long strips of land separated by large lakes containing char and white fish.

Then there are the cultural aspects Monteith lists including carvings, basket making and the old down producing business.

"We are very unique, we're on the island, which part of the islands do you pick - it's difficult," Arragutainaq said.

That is why he, along with representatives from the hamlet, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and other residents sit on an advisory board to offer suggestions and feedback along the way.

QIA owns most of the land being proposed to be included in the park.

Work began with the community on the project in September 2010 and another visit was done in January.

Monteith said they are looking at doing a coastal zone inventory and are going to be doing some fieldtrips for mapping and to identify archeological sites. The next trip will be this spring.

He said $75,000 has been budgeted in the 2010-2011 capital plan for the studies done by Aarluk Consulting.

Once this process is done in two to three years' time, Monteith said the recommendations will go to the government who will give further instructions.

Arragutainaq said he is sure the impact of having a territorial park in the community would be positive and would help the economy.

Monteith said Sanikiluaq would be an excellent place for activities such as kayaking, hiking or boating.

"We're hoping for a tourism boost," Arragutainaq said.

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