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INUVIK
A chunk of Inuvik history is heading south with a heavy load of regrets.

This week, the Centennial Library is displaying the contents of a time capsule, shown here by Candace Seddon, created by the Inuvik Girl Guides in 1985. The capsule will be sent to Alberta later where it can be preserved due to a lack of facilities in Inuvik. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Candace Seddon, a leader with the Girl Guides of Canada program, involving Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders, is exhibiting the contents of a time capsule created in 1985.

It is a memorable occasion because the capsule will be shown one last time in Inuvik this week, at the Centennial Library. After that, the capsule and its contents will be sent to Alberta where the Girl Guides of Canada will preserve it for posterity.

"We opened it in 2010 for the 100th anniversary of Girl Guides," Seddon said. "Since that time, it has been in storage in Inuvik, but it is now on its way to the Alberta/NWT Girl Guides archives in Edmonton for posterity."

Seddon said the collection includes "many photos, notes from the girls, some of who are still residents in Inuvik today, and other memorabilia both from Inuvik and from Girl Guides at that time."

The capsule had been stored at the town office for the last three years, she said, but there is no place to store it permanently or to exhibit it properly to the public.

"At the time, it was the 75th anniversary of girl guiding. We opened it then at a regular meeting and there was all kinds of interesting stuff in it. Afterwards, we found there was no place in town where it could be displayed or stored or shared," she said.

Seddon said she contacted the Girl Guides archives for Alberta and the NWT and asked about donating the capsule.

"I'll be taking it down to them so they can store it properly and keep it for posterity," she said. "But when I looked thought it again after three years, I felt bothered to be taking it from Inuvik without giving the community a chance to look at it and enjoy it again."

Among the more remarkable material in the time capsule, she said, are two photo albums. Many of the photos show some of the older buildings in Inuvik that are now long gone, such as the original library.

Seddon said she's unsure of how many of the Guides and Brownies who contributed to the time capsule are still here in town, but she could think of more than a handful with only a few seconds of thought.

"I have no idea of how many in total would still be here," she said. "Maybe we should put a guest book out."

Another interesting item is a 1985 tourist guide. Seddon had browsed through it and commented on how different it is than the current one.

She searched for a location where the time capsule could be stored locally and came up empty. She said the Girl Guides don't have any kind of permanent location.

"There's not really any place where it would be safe and could be enjoyed by everybody," Seddon said.

The capsule will be on display at the library until Aug. 3 during regular hours, 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

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