Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Cambridge Bay (Jan 02/06) - If the hall is the centre of a community, Cambridge Bay has been a donut since May 2005, when the Luke Novoligak community hall was heavily damaged by arson.

"The hall was used daily and nightly. It is a major asset," said outgoing Mayor Terry McCallum.

The fire was started by an eight-year-old and a nine-year-old, who were too young to prosecute, most likely by "playing with matches," said fire chief Peter Laube.

Cambridge Bay is ready to close that wound and move forward. Work on the community hall is almost finished, and residents are fundraising to make the new hall better than the last.

Insurance covered all but a small deductible, so the hall was easy to return to normal.

"Compared to the rest of it, (the deductible) is minuscule. It's around $5,000," said hamlet SAO Mark Calliou.

What will be new are the additions being made. They are hoping for $98,157 in donations to cover new items for the hall.

The kitchen is due for a major overhaul, and a sound system and video projector will make for a theatre in the community.

Doors will hopefully open in the third week of January, and the money is starting to come in for the improvements. "It is in the early stages. We are confident we can do it," said McCallum.