Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Arviat (Mar 06/02) - The opening of a new day care in Arviat this month will help ease a shortage of available space in the community.

About 40 children will be moving to the new day care when it's ready.

They have been spending their days at a portable classroom owned by Qitiqliq high school. But rising enrolment numbers at the high school forced it to reclaim the portable classroom for its own increasing needs.

The final tab on the day-care project is expected to top $500,000.

The hamlet's senior administrative officer, Darren Flynn, says funding for the day care came through the hamlet from Kivalliq Partners in Development, the federal government and $10,000 from the local Northern store.

Flynn says Arviat is a rapidly growing community and an ever-rising number of students are finding their way through the school system.

"The need for the new day-care centre was prompted by a growing student population at the high school. It's as simple as that," he says.

"Everyone appreciates the high school allowing use of its portable classroom, but it's more than understandable that it's now required to house students."

The day care is run by the Early Childhood Committee of the local District Education Authority.

The new building will be slightly bigger than the portable. Flynn calls it a "basic package," but adds that it will have a number of children's amenities and everything staff need to run a proper day care.

"The new building will do very nicely for the interim, but, as far as the long-term outlook goes, it will have to be looked at again as the community continues to grow," he says.

"Unfortunately, that's just the way it is when it comes to available space and funding in our hamlet right now. The same can be said for just about every Kivalliq hamlet, for that matter."