Cape Dorset (Sep 25/06) - Cape Dorset opened its brand new youth centre on Sept. 16.

What the overflow crowd of 300 didn't see was the mountain of paperwork that went into making the centre a reality.

In the past year, recreation director Cheryl Constantineau has sent off 38 proposals for funding. She had 22 approved, 14 denied, and two are still pending.

Youth centre funding $143,340 - GN Culture, Language, Elders and Youth $62,872.58 - GN Education and Training $10,000 - GN Education and Training (Sustainable funding) $72,000 - Cape Dorset Hamlet (in-kind services) $12,000 - GN Education and Training (Sustainable Funding for Computers) $15,000 - Cape Dorset Hamlet (for pool, foosball and shuffleboard tables) $70,000 - National Crime Prevention Funding (two-year, full-time position) $3,400 - GN Education, Training and Development (Sustainable funding; part-time position) $18,878 - Building Healthier Communities $2,850 - GN Education and Training (Sustainable funding) Source: Cape Dorset Recreation

Funding for the youth centre came from three different Government of Nunavut departments, national crime prevention funding, and from the hamlet itself.

Constantineau wants to share the work she has done with other recreation directors around the territory.

"There is no reason to re-invent the wheel. I'd love to give a copy to anyone who wants one of my proposals," said Constantineau.

The biggest problem for most hamlets is a lack of facilities. Buildings are expensive and hard to come by.

In Cape Dorset, they simply took a seldom-used curling rink and converted it into a youth centre.

One unplanned spinoff is that no one will ever break a window at the youth centre. Since it was a curling club, there are no windows.

Inside, there are plenty of things for the youth to do. Two pool tables, two shuffleboard tables, a foosball table, eight Internet-connected computers, and a big-screen television fill the structure.

Youth who attended the grand opening said they want to take advantage of the new facility.

"The pool tables are good, we will use them. I like the foosball too, it is easier than pool," said 13-year-old Tommy Sala.

"I'll use the computers for the Internet, and for MSN (chatting online). Everybody here uses it, it's fun," said Lisa Ottokie.

Ottokie may spend her time chatting with other people, but she and others won't be able to surf the Internet for anything bad.

Adaptive software - which tracks banned sites and monitors Internet use - is a part of the network.

A quick look at the screens showed a lot of Hotmail, MySpace and MSN being used during the opening. One Internet user was spotted pricing Inuit carvings on E-Bay.

"It means a lot. The kids have nowhere inside to go," said Cape Dorset Mayor Fred Schell.

"This will be open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is great for the community and I was really pleased with the turnout (for the opening)," said Schell.

Nunavut Commissioner Ann Hanson, South Baffin MLA and Minister for Housing Oleyuk Akesuk and Culture, Language, Elders and Youth Minister Louis Tapardjuk were all on hand for the ribbon cutting.

"We haven't had a pool table for ages in our community. It will benefit towards the young people," said Akesuk.

Akesuk gave credit to Constantineau, even through the recreation director took great pains to stay out of the limelight.

She wouldn't even join the mayor in accepting a plaque from the GN for the centre, preferring to let others get the credit.

"I've seen a lot of documents coming out of the municipality, especially with Cheryl Constantineau. She keeps pressuring me and the minister of CLEY to come up with money. She's doing a great job," said Akesuk.

Tapardjuk was overheard telling one visitor at the opening that he wished there was a facility like this one in every Nunavut community.

While the ribbon cutting was the official opening, Hanson and Schell held an unofficial opening of their own.

The two played off in the first pool game in the youth centre. Schell destroyed the commissioner.

The crowd was cheering for Hanson, and let out a loud yell of warning when she lined up the eight ball way too early.

"He was very good. No, I couldn't beat him," Tommy Sala said of the mayor's pool playing skills.