MITTIMATALIK/POND INLET - This time next year, skaters in Pond Inlet will be able to celebrate skating on a new full-sized ice surface.

The new arena in Pond Inlet is about halfway done after construction began this past summer. - photo courtesy of Niko Inuarak

Construction on the new arena began earlier this summer once the supplies rolled off the sea lift. The foundation was drilled into the ground near the end of July.

Recreation co-ordinator Niko Inuarak said everything is going ahead as planned and he's one of the more excited people to see the project get off the ground.

"Finally, finally, finally!" he exclaimed. "We've been waiting for this for such a long time and it's finally happening. Lots of people have been waiting for this for as long as I can remember."

The federal and territorial governments each pitched in funds to get the project off the ground. The GN's contribution was approximately $1 million, while the feds pumped in $3 million. The new arena is replacing the current arena, which is undersized and getting old.

The hamlet worked on trying to expand the arena two years ago by four feet, two feet along each side of the building, to help out with the complaints of the ice surface being too small.

Inuarak said it did make a difference, but the community still wanted more.

"The arena is about 20 years old," he said.. "It's too small and it's too cold. It's pretty much any negative thing you could think of to describe the place, but everyone still played there."

Pond Inlet was the original test bunny community for a pilot program where the federal government looked to see if arenas could exist in the high Arctic. It's been proven they can exist and now Inuarak said they're moving into the modern age.

"The old arena was 150 feet long," he said. "This one's going to be a standard National Hockey League arena, 200 feet by 85 feet."

Those who play hockey are looking forward to the new arena as well.

Thirteen-year-old Kunnuk Kiguktaq said it's going to make her a better hockey player.

"It's going to be fun to play on," she said.

The arena is being built onto the side of the community hall, meaning a brand new sports-type complex will come out of this once everything is done. The surface of the rink will be concrete, meaning no more having to wait for the sand in the arena to freeze, which is what had to happen in the old complex. There are pipes built under the surface that will act as a freezing agent, allowing the ice to stay frozen longer into the year.

Inuarak said the new floor will allow for a little more activity in the non-ice season.

"We can have anything now," he said. "We've been talking about having turf put on the floor for indoor soccer, but that's still a long way away. We're just happy to have the new arena."

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