Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (May 17/02) - The Inuvik Native Band have just started work on a new subdivision on Old Navy Road.

Chief James Firth of the Inuvik Native Band outlined details of a new subdivision at the band's mini-assembly held last Saturday. - Terry Halifax/NNSL photo

At a mini-assembly held last Saturday at the band's boardroom, beneficiaries learned the details of the housing plan.

Chief James Firth says with the high cost of housing in town, there has been good support for the new subdivision.

"A lot of people are showing interest in it," Firth said. "To buy a house in Inuvik, you're looking at $50,000 just to buy a lot."

He says the land offers a good gravel foundation and residents won't need to haul in fill or drive piles for a foundation.

The band has already received six applications and expect to see many more as the project takes off.

"We're looking at starting off with maybe 25 or 30 lots," Firth said. "Each lot will be two acres."

Water and sewer will be on trucked service.

"We have to work with the town to see if fire trucks can service us down there and (with) the power corp. and phone company to arrange services there as well," he said. "The telephone lines are there already."

The lots are being surveyed, but the band wants to discuss the development with the new residents before too much development is done.

"Once we get an idea of who wants to live there, we'll sit down with them and see how much development they want," he said. "Maybe they don't want street lights, maybe they want a place where they can hear the wolves howling."

Under the Gwich'in Final Agreement, the band received money to buy land in and around the town. The area was once Commissioner's land that was turned over to the town and sold to the band.

The land will be leased on a long-term basis, but residents will build and own their houses.

"We will lease the land to our beneficiaries, because we don't want to lose control of it," Firth said. "We'll charge them $50 a year for 25 or 30 years."

If the resident chooses to sell the house, the band gets first chance to buy it.

A good turn out

The board room was packed to standing room only for the assembly which Firth thought was very productive and also very well attended.

Issues surrounding self-government, elections, finances and the upcoming Gwich'in Gathering in Old Crow, Yukon were discussed.

"More and more people are getting interested and that's good," Firth said. "We have many things to do here and we need everyone's input."