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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The bench is back. Almost two years since a wooden bench went missing from the garden area in front of Adam Dental Clinic on Franklin Avenue, Art Young from the Harley Owners Group, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts, returned the bench to its rightful place.

Dr. Hassan Adam of Adam Dental Clinic enjoys a moment of rest during his busy Wednesday on a bench that was returned to the clinic before Christmas, almost two years after it went missing. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

Dr. Hassan Adam said the bench mysteriously disappeared after renovations and landscape work was done on their property a couple of years ago. Arctic Farmer Landscaping did the work, and when finished, donated two wooden benches to the clinic for the front entranceway.

"They finished the job and donated two nice benches for the area so people could sit and enjoy the flowers and a coffee," he said.

It wasn't long after the benches were donated that one disappeared.

"It was during the same winter of the renovations that the bench went missing," Adam said.

"We asked around to see if anyone knew where it was. We put an ad in the paper and offered a reward for anyone who could help us find the bench, but we never heard anything.

"I just assumed it was gone and stolen and we would never see it again."

Adam was shocked to see the bench back in its place, to the right of the entrance to the clinic, just before this past Christmas.

"Nobody knew where it came from," he said. "It just appeared one day."

The bench was found at the home of Young's granddaughter. Someone who had rented a room from her left the bench behind after leaving town.

"It was one of those things we'd been talking about over the years," said Young. "I don't know what you'd call it - dumb luck maybe."

Young said he always remembered the bench was missing because of how much it bothered him and the rest of the Harley Owners Group and the NWT Rider's Association.

"Dr. Adam is such a nice guy and everyone in town took it hard that someone would steal from him," he said.

"We aren't just a bunch of people on motorbikes. We take care of our community."

"He'd always remembered the bench was gone," Adam said. "Somehow he was able to notice that it was the one that went missing.

"It was very nice of him to return the bench. It was returned in a way that they didn't want any recognition for it or reward. The fact they remembered after two years was so nice."

Adam said after 29 years of being here, the people in this city never fail to amaze him.

"The people here are so nice," he said.

"I think back to when we moved here and knew we didn't want to leave. It was the people that made this place for us."

Adam said Young and his Harley group won't have to worry about paying for coffee this summer - it's on him.