Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Apr 10/00) - Even the most slippery of problems can be overcome.

Nunavut's Minister responsible for Sports, Jack Anawak, says there may be a way to finally get artificial ice surfaces in three Nunavut communities.

Only Iqaluit currently has artificial ice.

Rankin Inlet, Sanikiluaq and Cambridge Bay are hoping a cheaper model of ice surface may provide the solution to the artificial ice problem.

Instead of costly cement floors, the new proposals call for sand-based floors which lower cost estimates to $300,000 from the previous $1 million each.

"We have to start responding to the global warming issue," says Anawak.

"When you look at Rankin Inlet, for example, they used to be on the ice there in October. Now it's December if they're lucky and it's gone in April."

Anawak says the Nunavut Government is looking closely at the situation mainly because of the intense interest in hockey across the territory.

He says as soon as proposals are submitted from the three communities, his department will assess them before bringing them before cabinet and the legislative assembly.

"We're looking at the formative years when it comes to our youth. We want to give our kids the same opportunity as southern kids to pursue a career in hockey.

"Because of the cost involved, we can't put artificial ice in all 25 Nunavut communities.

"However, we would like to have the support of the outlying communities in this.

"We hope they look at it as the beginning of a process which will become a future priority along with health, education and culture."

Anawak says if the proposals are solid and meet with government approval, hockey players in all three communities could be on the ice a lot earlier next season.

"I must stress at this point it's still an experimental idea.

"But, depending on the complexities of the proposals, if it's feasible to do something within this fiscal year, we would." would."