Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
When Carrie Young read a recent edition of Tales from The Dump in Yellowknifer, she couldn't help but be inspired by columnist Walt Humphries' lament on the decline of the once popular McNiven Beach.

Alice Winkler, 5, and Aenea Rawat, 3, show that there is nothing to be afraid of at McNiven Beach, as they point to a small leach. The girls were enjoying the water as part of "take back the beach" on Monday afternoon, which was organized by Carrie Young to encourage residents of Yellowknife to use this once popular resource. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo

After reading the article, Young, who lives right beside Frame Lake in Northland Trailer Park, decided she was going to head Humphries's advice and "take back the beach."

"I just want more people to come here and have the stigma removed, because it's not true," said Young who extended an open invitation to families across Yellowknife to join them for a swim at the beach on Canada Day.

"We're hoping to wrangle some people together and take back the beach."

Around a dozen people showed up to swim throughout the day, including city councillor Rebecca Alty and her mother Vivian Hansen. Alty says she has fond memories of swimming at the beach as a child.

"My babysitters used to bring me here all the time," said Alty who remembers when the beach used to be free of grass and covered in sand. "It's a nice beach and it's really good for people who don't have cars."

In preparation for Monday's event, Young's husband, Marc Winkler, waded into the lake with snorkels to collect any hazardous material that might be under the water. They were surprised at how little garbage they found, although they did fill three-quarters of a bag with old dog toys, one broken bottle and a few rusty pipes.

Although Humphries gave her the push she needed to raise awareness about the beach, Young said she started swimming there a few years ago. On most sunny weekends during the summer, she can be found enjoying a picnic at Frame Lake with her husband, and her two daughters, Penny and Alice.

Before taking the plunge, Winkler spoke with the health officer at the Department of Health and Social Services to inquire if there was anything wrong with the water. The health officer told him that the lake water had only been tested for arsenic, and the levels were deemed safe. Winkler was also told the department had no reason to believe it should test for any other chemicals or bacteria.

Duane Fleming, chief environmental health officer, said no bacteriological tests had been done on the lake. However, he said there is no reason to believe the water was unsafe for swimming.

Young pointed out that fresh water shrimp and baby clams can be found at the edge of the water.

"Molluscs are a sign that the water is healthy," she said.

Even if the lake is not polluted, some people are still turned off by the idea of swimming in water that contains leeches. Young pulled out a couple of larger ones they found at the edge of the water and showed them to some of the kids to prove that they were nothing to worry about.

"There are leeches here, but there are leeches in every lake," said Alty, who pointed out that leeches used to be valued for their medicinal qualities.

Drew Williams came by the beach on Monday to check out the event. He said he moved to Yellowknife in 1980, just after McNiven Beach began to decline. Although he never saw the beach in its prime, he remembers hearing stories of float planes landing amidst throngs of swimmers.

"It was a social gathering spot. It was where all the families went with their kids and where all the teenagers went to hang out," said Williams.

Young maintains that the beach should once again become a celebrated public beach and hopes her event will help draw positive attention to the beach. "Who doesn't want a beach that's walking distance from their house?"

Alty could not say if there was a chance the city could do some improvements at the beach in the near future. However her advice to anyone who wants to use the beach is, "if people want to go for a swim, they should do it."

Young added that it would be a shame to see such a wonderful resource go to waste, especially considering whom the beach is named after.

"After all it is called McNiven Beach."

Jock McNiven was the first mayor of Yellowknife, the first appointed member of the legislative assembly of the NWT who resided in the NWT, a mine engineer and mine manager.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.