Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jan 22/99) - Design work for the proposed new Aurora College campus on the old Grollier Hall site is behind schedule but opening day is still expected to be September, 2000.

What could speed things up is if the work to demolish the former residential school is taken out of the public private partnership (P3) contract and completed before the developer contract is awarded.

"It would be wise to start the demolition and have it cleared before the developer got there because that would just speed things up, so we're working with the Healing Circle to get their nod," says John Berg, who is a regional project manager with Public Works and Services.

Grollier Hall Healing Circle member Lawrence Norbert commends the college for being "proactive" and seeking input from those with painful memories of the former school.

Though Norbert says there are mixed feelings within the circle, a general consensus exists that college construction will be a good thing because it furthers learning.

"We would still not want to have the site forgotten for what it was. Despite what happened, some good came out of it and some people got their education and were able to move on."

When demolition goes ahead, some members of the Healing Circle would like to be involved "as part of their healing process and if some of their negative memories are destroyed, then I see good in that," Norbert says.

The proposed campus is at the end of its preliminary design phase conducted by Pin-Matthews Architects of Yellowknife.

The 2,880 square metre building will have seven classroom spaces, though two of those can be divided into smaller spaces according to designs shown at a public meeting earlier this month.

The current campus has four classrooms which is insufficient to meet all teaching needs. As such, some courses borrow space from the Aurora Research Institute and from Samuel Hearne school, according to new Aurora College campus director Brian Alford.

Openness is the theme of the proposed campus, which includes glass walls, windows that open in the classrooms and an airy feel to other spaces.

"I think this will be great for the college, great for the town and great for learning in this region," says Alford, who has been an instructor at the Inuvik campus for the past eight years in the recreation leaders program.

Dorm space will be built for 24 students and will be divided into four, six-person pods with shared kitchens and bathrooms.

Once Pin-Matthews finalizes its preliminary designs later this month, three short-listed potential developers (the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in Development Corporation, Ninety North Partners and Bellanca Developments Ltd.) can develop their proposals.

Berg estimates the deadline for proposals will be in early April and the successful proposal will be awarded after that.