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TTHEK'EHDELI/JEAN MARIE RIVER - A new arbour will soon be rising in Jean Marie River.

The arbour is just one aspect of the preparations that the community has started in advance of hosting the Deh Cho for a week this summer. Jean Marie River was chosen as the site for this year's Dehcho First Nations' annual assembly that will be held from June 22 to 26.

Fred Norwegian, the acting band manager for Jean Marie River, is confident the community is equal to the task of hosting this year's Dehcho First Nations' annual assembly. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Residents are excited about the opportunity, said Chief Isadore Simon of the Jean Marie River First Nation.

The community's offer to host the assembly had been declined a few times before it was approved under the leadership of the former chief Stan Sanguez. Simon repeated the request when he became chief last August.

"We thought it was a convenient place," said Simon to explain why the community wants to host the assembly.

Simon said that Jean Marie River checked with the leadership in Kakisa, the community that normally hosts the assembly, as well as with all the other Deh Cho chiefs to ensure everyone was all right with the request. No one objected, he said.

With the assembly only a month and a half away, band staff have already held two planning sessions to brainstorm and develop a list of things that have to be done, said Fred Norwegian, the acting band manager.

High on the list is the construction of an arbour, an important part of the assembly that Jean Marie River doesn't have. Jim Antoine, who was contracted to build the structure, is expected to start the arbour in early May, Norwegian said.

The arbour will be located on the ball diamond, which the community doesn't use, he said. An area will be cleared near the arbour as a campground for the delegates.

"The committee wants people in one area for security reasons," Norwegian said.

Band staff are also addressing the issues of where to get portable water tanks and toilets and how security will be provided. During the assembly alcohol and illegal substances will be prohibited in a 25-km circle surrounding the community.

At the end of the month Norwegian and Allan Browning, the new recreation co-ordinator, will travel to Kakisa to get some pointers.

Another priority is determining how to feed all of the delegates. Based on numbers from Kakisa the kitchen will have to feed between 400 to 500 people a day, Norwegian said. Jean Marie River will be encouraging delegates to bring their own dishes so the use of Styrofoam can be avoided.

Hosting the assembly will require a lot from the community, but the band staff and residents will succeed, he said.

"It's a big task but I'm quite confident we'll do it," said Norwegian.

The band manager is looking forward to the delegates' arrival. He hopes that some people will chose to arrive by boat. Once they're a quarter of a mile from Jean Marie River, the guests could fire their rifles and someone in the community will fire back in response. Community members will then gather at the riverbank to greet them.

"It was done like that in my younger days," Norwegian said.