Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 23/01) - After being in a new location for nearly a year, Nunasi Corporation's director of marketing, Christopher Hunt was tired of explaining that the company was located across the street from a well-known restaurant.

Christopher Hunt, director of marketing for Nunasi Corporation, stands with the giant balloon polar bear that stands atop the Nunasi Building in Yellowknife. - Thorunn Howatt/NNSL photo

So during an episode of Internet surfing Hunt chanced upon a Web site for custom balloons and decided an inflatable might be the answer to his problems.

"I used to have to explain to customers that our new location was across the street from Boston Pizza but now people can say 'Boston Pizza is located across from the great big polar bear,'" said Hunt.

The bear came at a $10,000 price tag and stands about eight and a half metres high and 10 metres long.

It is white with the Arctic Spirit Sportswear logo on its side.

"I only finalized the order about a month ago," said Hunt.

Edmonton's Windship Aviation installed the bear on the roof-top location last Tuesday.

"It can be moved. It only takes about half an hour to knock down and put back up," said Hunt.

The bear is made of a water-proof vinyl material and has lights in it so it glows at night.

It is inflated with air blown in by a one-horsepower fan unit that blows air into its hind leg.

Nunasi is a birthright development corporation owned by the Inuit of Nunavut.