SANIKILUAQ - In response to a worsening shortage of space at Sanikiluaq's Nuiyak School, a new school is under construction in the community.

The early stages of construction of Qajaq Paatsaali High School in Sanikiluaq. The school is scheduled to be completed in December 2010. - photo courtesy of the Department of Community and Government Services

Qajaq Paatsaali High School is scheduled for completion in December 2010 and will take on older students currently studying at Nuiyak.

"The decision was based on the enrolment in Nuiyak School, which is now at 116 per cent capacity," said Barry Cornthwaite, manager of capital planning for the Department of Community and Government Services. On paper, Nuiyak School has room for 250 students. In the 2008/09 academic year there were 291 students.

Qajaq Paatsaali is being built next door to Nuiyak and will take in Grades 7-12. The new building has a capacity of 200 students.

Nuiyak school was last renovated in 1990 and is still in good shape, Cornthwaite said, but it's rapidly becoming too small for Sanikiluaq's young and growing population. Qajaq Paatsaali's 2,600-square metre building will have 12 classrooms including language, science and trades facilities, a library, kitchen and computer lab.

In addition, the school is getting a 520-square-metre gymnasium, which is much larger than usual for a community the size of Sanikiluaq. School gyms in Nunavut are frequently used for community events, recreation and even emergency shelters. Because of this, Cornthwaite said it has become standard practice in the territory to build new schools with large gyms.

The $17 million project is being done by Almiq Construction, which has already completed the foundation on the site.