FORT SIMPSON - A well-known landmark in Fort Simpson is about to be demolished and replaced by a new structure.

The arbour on the Papal grounds is scheduled to be torn down within the next few weeks in preparation for the Dehcho Annual Assembly.

Fort Simpson was chosen to host the assembly this year. This is the first time that the assembly has been held outside of Kakisa since it began approximately 14 years ago, said Chief Keyna Norwegian of the Liidlii Kue First Nation.

The assembly will be held at the arbour from June 26 to 28. The current arbour, however, is structurally unsound, said Norwegian.

"It's pretty much ready to fall over," she said.

The arbour dates to 1984 when it was built for the first planned visit by Pope John Paul II. The structure was built in a hurry and now a number of the supporting poles are rotting at their base, she said.

The arbour will be demolished and as much lumber as possible will be salvaged. Construction of the new structure will begin immediately, she said.

The band had hoped to have between $100,000 to $120,000 to build a new arbour. With $30,000 from the Community Capacity Building Fund and donations from business that the band has joint ventures with, it has raised approximately $70,000. That is enough to begin work on the project, said Norwegian.

The new arbour will be a bit smaller than the current structure and will have a larger roof surface to make the structure more enclosed. The overall design will remain similar and will still involve large supporting beams, she said.

Located on Ehdaa, which means a point in the river or a point on an island, the arbour is at an historically significant spot, said Andy Norwegian, a Fort Simpson resident and a language specialist.

The area has been historically used as a gathering place for First Nations' people, he said.

The current arbour isn't the first one to be built on the site. Norwegian can remember an earlier arbour that existed in the mid 1970s.

The structure wasn't as elaborate and didn't have bleachers, but it was also used for gatherings, he said.

Prior to that arbour, Norwegian remembers travelling to Fort Simpson from Jean Marie River in the late 1950s and early 1960s to attend drum dance and Treaty Days that were held in the open in the same area.

During the Pope's visit in 1987, the current arbour was used for drum dances and feasts that were held leading up to and after the visit. The arbour was designed to be large because of the number of people expected for the visit, he said.

Staying true to the idea of the site as a gathering place, an area of the Papal grounds will be set aside for people to pitch tents during the assembly, said Chief Keyna Norwegian.

The Fort Simpson Territorial Park has also been booked for delegates. More than 300 attendees and their families are expected to attend the event.

Being able to host the assembly is something the Liidlii Kue First Nation has talked about for some time, said Norwegian.

"We're really excited," she said.