Choosing the outdoors over the big city
Glen Vienneau
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Nov 27/00) - Even though she's only 16, Erika Wallbridge already knows her heart belongs to the North.
"Yellowknife is one of those places that just gets instilled in your heart," said the Grade 11 St. Patrick high school student.
Her appreciation dates back to childhood, when her family -- mother Nicole, father Garth -- escaped the big city life of Montreal and returned to Yellowknife -- for the summer.
The Wallbridges left Yellowknife for a few years when Erika was a child so her father could complete a law degree at McGill University in Montreal.
"You have to be an outdoor person to enjoy it here, because I don't think there's much to offer if you don't like going outside," said Erika.
One of her earliest Northern memories is of a family camping trip to Walmsley Lake, located near the East Arm, when she was five years old.
"We went on this long hike and ended up seeing this little patch of trees, which is totally weird in the barrens because there were no trees anywhere."
Most summers were spent at the family camp at Pontoon Lake where Erika spent a lot of time with her friend Kelly Cumming.
"Once you live here, it's really hard to just kind of move away. Some people really don't like it here at all, but I think once you like it here you can't just sort of like it here, you really do or you don't."
The Wallbridges moved back to Yellowknife permanently when Erika was in Grade 1.
Vegetarian who loves to fish
Going fishing is one passion she shares with her mother and her brother Ross, now 12.
At times, Erika would cast her fishing line without a hook, with only a led weight -- a testament to her joy of fishing. But she has reeled in an occasional catch.
"I don't (usually) eat the fish (she a vegetarian), but normally I have a little bit anyways, because you know, you caught the fish, so you have to a little taste."
Erika's life took a twist when she was in Grade 8 and her parents split up. She moved to Winnipeg with her mother and brother, while her father remained in Yellowknife.
Nine months later Erika, along with her mother and brother, moved to Montreal.
While she enjoyed Montreal as it offered many opportunities, especially in the arts, Erika likes what Yellowknife has to offer.
"I would just like it if the community (in Yellowknife) helped out more (with the arts)."
Lonely for the North
Erika missed her friends and the outdoors so much she moved back last year to live with her father.
Once back in Yellowknife, she pursued her favourite sport -- hockey.
"It (hockey) just gives me so much energy, I really love it," she said.
She also had enough motivation to attend 6 a.m. practices during the week to compete in the recent annual school Challenge Cup hockey tournament between St. Patrick and Sir John Franklin high schools.
She's not a "morning person" but when it came to hockey she had no problem getting out of bed.
Besides sports and arts, Erika is an avid reader and participates in school activities such as Students Against Drinking and Driving and the school's drama club, which heads to London, England, for a 10-day trip in March.
Erika says she would eventually like to pursue a teaching career but has also been considering running a small business -- doing set designs for plays.
And while she will always consider Yellowknife her home, she knows it's not for everyone.
"I think it says a lot about a someone, personally, if they live up here -- you have to have some kind of toughness in you. You've got to have a certain amount of optimism to live here; to make yourself happy."
