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RADILIH KOE'/FORT GOOD HOPE - Over the last eight years, Junior McNeely has been doing his part to help build Fort Good Hope.

McNeely, 40, owns a contracting company and a bed and breakfast in the community with his wife, Trisha.

Junior McNeely, co-owner of Tee Jay Bed and Breakfast, stands beside a window overlooking the Mackenzie River in one of the B and B's rooms. McNeely has lived in Fort Good Hope his entire life and enjoys the freedom and open space afforded to him in the community. - photo courtesy of Junior McNeely

"It's been good," said McNeely. "We have our own contracting company and we bought that bed and breakfast about three years into what we are doing."

As owner of the bed and breakfast, McNeely said if people are interested in getting out to see the community, he acts as tour guide.

"Some people, they come here and if they are interested I'll bring them to the church," he said.

"If it's the summer time, I bring them out to the river and show them the Ramparts."

For people who wish to be left alone, he said he does just that.

A room at the bed and breakfast overlooks the Mackenzie River and visitors tell McNeely that they want that room whenever they return.

"It's getting to be a pretty well known place," he said.

The contracting company owns and operates heavy equipment, doing work year round in Fort Good Hope.

"In the summer time, I do some house building," he said.

They have put up seven government housing projects over the years.

The company employs five or six employees year round and at certain times in the year, as many as 16.

McNeely decided to start the company eight years ago, when business activity picked up in the region.

"I just seen a good opportunity there and decided to jump on it," he said.

"Oil companies were coming into this country so it was a good time to take advantage of the economics."

McNeely has lived in Fort Good Hope his entire life and has raised three children - aged 15, 13 and 11 - there.

"I've got a fairly large family here," he said.

"Probably about 50 per cent of Fort Good Hope is my family," he kidded.

McNeely enjoys the freedoms the community provides.

"If I want to do something, I don't have to spend much money," he said.

He can easily go to the park, and like other Canadians, finds all he is only really concerned about the money he has been spending to buy gas.

"I don't have to worry about running into people. There's a lot of space," he said.

"It's home."