Yellowknife (Oct 17/03) - Once a storied student residence visited by prime ministers and governor generals, Akaitcho Hall stands empty and abandoned, waiting for the wrecker's ball.

Yellowknife No.1 superintendent Judith Knapp says the former residence will only be a haven for vandals and graffiti artists unless it is torn down. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

Its alumni include many of the North's leading politicians and prominent Northerners. Singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark was the hall's female student of the year in 1987.

When a special reunion was held in 2001, more than 350 former students came to Yellowknife to celebrate. The party wasn't held at the old residence. After closing in 1994, Akaitcho Hall fell into disrepair. Today, its only visitors are vandals and teenage partiers.

Judith Knapp, superintendent of Yellowknife Education District No.1, says they still receive numerous inquiries from people who want to put the building to good use.

But the former residence has fallen too far below current building code standards. Its water and heating pipes are draped with asbestos and all the windows are shuttered.

"I see the building now as getting more and more dangerous," says Knapp.

"I don't want people going in there and getting hurt. I went in this summer and there was broken glass fallen down. There was frozen water on the floor, and then it melted of course, and there was a little pond in there."

The building's deteriorating condition isn't her only concern. It's becoming a target for graffiti artists and other vandals, and she doesn't want to see that spread to the newly-renovated Sir John Franklin high school next door.

Graffiti artists running amok

"Graffiti artists last summer were just going wild in town getting into our schools in the evenings, painting up everything," says Knapp. "We just don't want Sir John to get damaged."

While the sprinkler system has been de-commissioned and break-ins are a recurring problem, the building is still structurally sound, says the Yellowknife Fire Department's deputy chief, Clem St. Croix.

He says the building is regularly used by the RCMP for training exercises.

"If it was being left unattended then we can say, 'OK, it's time to get rid of it,'" says St. Croix.

But as far as the fire department is concerned, the building doesn't pose any immediate risks to the public. It is regularly inspected by Yellowknife No.1 maintenance staff, he says.

Lack of money

Yellowknife No.1 had put aside $210,000 for the demolition of Akaitcho Hall, but that money went into the $14 million renovations at Sir John instead. Yellowknife No.1 board chair Roy Desjarlais doesn't think it would've been enough anyway to knock the building down.

"It's going to cost a lot more than that," he says.

He believes that the large amount of asbestos permeating the building will drive demolition and environmental and clean-up costs as high as $900,000.

Ownership of the site was supposed to be transferred from the territorial education department to Yellowknife No.1 in 1994 along with authority for Sir John, but the residence and Northern Arts and Cultural Centre have proved to be sticking points.

While Yellowknife No.1 administers the school, the property still belongs to the territorial government. Desjarlias says the district cannot afford to upgrade the arts centre and demolish Akaitcho Hall without money from the territorial government.

So far, he says, they're still waiting for an answer. "The whole situation is in limbo," says Desjarlais. "The new board will certainly have to look at that," says Desjarlais, noting that he doesn't think Akaitcho Hall will be demolished any time soon because it hasn't been a priority with the government.

"I don't think the territorial government is in a position to fund that. They have other priorities, they're already in debt."

Michele LeTourneau, a public affairs officer with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, says the Department plans to meet with the district over the next month to discuss transfer of title and demolition costs.

"ECE is aware of the eventual need to demolish Akaitcho but with all capital projects there is a process," says LeTourneau.

"But it has been identified as a need."

A good spot for a library

Many people still feel sentimental about the old building. But there are those who say Akaitcho Hall served its purpose and its time to move on. Others suggest it make an excellent site for a new library.

Margaret Begg, a former Inuvik resident who lived at Akaitcho Hall from 1971 to 1974, says if it's becoming a dangerous eyesore then maybe it's time to tear it down.

"It's probably not worth saving if it's not safe," says Begg.

"I would say take it down. I wouldn't have any bad feelings about that.

"I'm all for something new and wonderful to be put in that spot."