Enterprise (July 10/06) - Norm McCowan says his life is a matter of keeping things in balance.

The Enterprise resident has to juggle a full-time government job, co-ownership of Twin Falls Inn and family responsibilities.

"It's been an interesting struggle to manage government time, business time and family time," McCowan says.

However, he has done it successfully, without sacrificing time with his family. "Basically, family has to come first."

McCowan has been a land use inspector with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development since 1990. His work involves conducting environmental inspections of any activity on Crown land, such as oil and gas work in the Cameron Hills.

In fact, it was his travels with his government job that led to the purchase of the Enterprise motel, which was previously known as Ed's Place and had operated for more than 30 years.

When he was on the road, McCowan would often pass by the motel when it was closed for several years in the late 1990s. However, he noticed there was still traffic turning into the motel and gas bar, even though it was closed.

"I saw an opportunity based on that," he says, adding that there is no conflict between his government job and his business.

He and his wife, Susan 'Cody' McCowan, bought the motel in 1999 and it was re-opened on Jan. 1, 2000.

McCowan says his hunch about the motel turned out to be correct. "It's done very well for us."

McCowan, 37, was born in Hay River, but grew up in Fort Simpson.

He and his wife, and their 10-year-old daughter, live on-site at the 10-room Twin Falls Inn. His wife handles the day-to-day operation of the motel and he works there when he can. McCowan chuckles when asked about any other activities. "If there were 50 hours in a day, we'd have time for other things." While some people go to Florida for holidays, he notes, "My holidays consist of coming out here and working.

McCowan says he enjoys meeting people from all over the world who stay at the motel. "It's interesting the kind of people you meet," he says, noting among the more unusual was a German rock music star who stayed a half-dozen years ago.

McCowan says he also hears what people from different cultures think of the North. For example, one German traveller talked about the inability to drive anywhere in Germany without seeing other people, but sometimes driving for hours in the NWT and not seeing anyone.

"It makes me appreciate the North even more seeing their reactions when they come."