New building bought and paid for
Inuvik Community Corporation celebrates successfully saving for structure
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 16, 2014
INUVIK
The Inuvik Community Corporation is pretty pleased about its new home, and with good reason.
Duane Smith, the chair of the Inuvik Community Corporation, left, and Peggy Day received this gift from Nellie Cournoyea, the chairperson of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, on Oct. 10 during the grand opening of the new Inuvik Community Corporation building on Mackenzie Road. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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The organization celebrated the grand opening of its new building beside the Inuvik Centennial Library on Oct. 10 with a luncheon and entertainment featuring the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers.
The building was 10 years in the making, said corporation chairperson Duane Smith.
That's how long it took to save up the money needed to pay for the $1.5-million building.
Smith said the corporation had made a commitment to pay for the building outright, rather than taking the standard mortgage and/or grant route.
The building also houses the Inuvik Hunters and Trappers Committee.
Both organizations had previously been located at the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation headquarters across the road.
Like several other tenants of that building, the community corporation and hunters and trappers had spent most of the last year at temporary accommodations following a 2013 fire.
Space was growing cramped in the main regional corporation building, Smith said, and there was a need for a new building featuring a venue for cultural performances.
The grand opening was marked with performances by the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers and tours of the building, which will have some space available for cultural performances, such as by the group.
Nellie Cournoyea, the chairperson of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, was on hand to mark the occasion.
She smiled as she remarked on the discipline needed to wait for the money to be saved to construct the building, on property formerly occupied by the old Inuvik Youth Centre.
"That's the kind of leadership we have with Duane, who's worked really hard to make sure the money was being saved so we could have a beautiful building like this. When Inuvialuit get money, we like to spend it right away," Cournoyea said. "Duane had a way of putting aside money. On behalf of all Inuvialuit, we'd like to congratulate him on this. I know it's going to be a great place to come to and a great place to have events."
Cournoyea presented Smith with an Inuvialuit-inspired tapestry-like wall hanging with traditional scenes depicting traditional activities that drew pleased murmurs from the audience.
"It's very beautiful, and we'll make sure it hangs on display for everyone to see on a regular basis," Smith said.
The community corporation helps to control and administer development activity approved by the Inuvialuit Land Administration or Inuvialuit Regional Corporation under the terms of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.
It's the governing organization for the Hunters and Trappers Committee, and disperses money from the parent regional corporation for community purposes and community-oriented projects.
