Kathleen Lippa
Northern News Services

Pelly Bay (Sep 01/03) - Youth in Kugaaruk as young as eight years old have been sniffing gas and getting into more trouble since their youth centre closed down last month, youth centre workers say.

"There's not a whole lot you can do in a small community," Vince Ningark, youth centre worker said last week. "It kept them out of trouble."

The hamlet council decided last month to turn the two-year old centre, which also served elders, into a two-bedroom house to address the community's housing crisis.

Centre staff said the hamlet council acted too quickly and without consulating them.

"If the hamlet let us know, maybe we could have had a meeting," said centre volunteer Jesse Apsaktaun, 19.

"But they didn't let anybody know. That's what I don't like."

Mayor of Kugaaruk, Canute Krejunark, is aware youth in the community have been gas sniffing since the centre closed.

"It's been like that before," he said. "The community is screwing up," he added.

He also knows centre staff are upset, but the housing crisis demanded action, he said.

"There are families waiting 10 years to get a house," he said.

Up to 11 families have been found living under one roof in his community, he said.

The renovated house will be used as an emergency shelter for families with no where to turn, the mayor said.

Before it closed last month, the youth and elders centre was open 4 p.m.-11 p.m. daily.

The mayor said it wasn't used much, or very well cared for.

But the workers say 10-25 youths were there each evening, watching satellite TV, playing board games, and using the computer.

The centre did suffer from vandalism over the years, staff say.

But the spot was generally treated with respect by the people who used it.

"The kids had lots of fun there," said Apsaktaun who remembers growing up without a youth centre in Kugaaruk.

"It's a very good thing to have," he said.

So far there is no word on a new centre.

"I don't know where to go now," said Apsaktaun who wants to continue working with youth. "Maybe we'll stay outside in the cold weather," he said.