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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Surrounded by hundreds of building blueprints strewed across his desk, Joe Leonardis Sr., 66, sat back in his chair to reflect on his 42 years as a Yellowknifer and admits that it was a simpler place to be back then.

Longtime Yellowknifer Joe Leonardis Sr. reflects on his plumbing empire and his 42 years in Yellowknife. - Sara Wilson/NNSL photo

Still at the helm and with no plans to retire from his plumbing and heating empire - JSL Mechanical off Kam Lake Road - Leonardis describes old Yellowknife with a matter-of-fact demeanour.

"It was a lot more fun, let's put it that way," he said with a wry smile.

Leonardis's journey to the North began in 1965 when Joe and his wife Sheila moved from northern Saskatchewan where Joe was working as a plumber to take a position in Fort Franklin, today's Deline.

The then newlyweds moved all over the North, with stints in Inuvik, Cambridge Bay, Fort Smith and Fort Simpson following the work. But after the birth of their eldest child, the couple decided to settle in Yellowknife in 1969.

After spending one season with no work, a friend suggested that Leonardis help out with the plumbing in a home that was being built and "that was it, it (JSL) just happened."

With the help of his wife, the couple has turned the small company into the force that it is today.

The first major job for Leonardis and JSL Mechanical was the RCMP building.

Since then the company has helped complete major projects such as the Fieldhouse and the Gallery Building.

The key to its success, according to Leonardis, is loving what you do and hard work

"In the territories, it's like the Olympic gold, if you can survive that many years," he said. "It's a cruel place to do business in. The territories don't follow the economy of market swings, they seem to follow political decisions. You can be a thriving business one day and one decision downtown and the next day you're out of business just like that."

In addition to building up one of Yellowknife's longest running businesses, Leonardis also took up the call of promoting the trades to those wanting a different option than the traditional education choices.

The Italian-born, Edmonton-raised veteran plumber has sat on the GNWT's apprenticeship trades and occupations certification board since 1999 and takes great pride in promoting the trades.

"I've always promoted it because it's done me very, very well and I still think other than getting a PhD or becoming a doctor, a trades certificate is still better than work experience at McDonald's," he said. "Let's face it these days, you could be working in Fort McMurray and be making $50 an hour, which is pretty close to the doctors."

The father of five and his wife have searched all over B.C. and Alberta looking for the perfect place to retire, but admit that there is no better place than Yellowknife to call home.

While admittedly not an outdoors man, Leonardis enjoys working, and as long as he's healthy, that's what he plans to do.

"My older brother could be on the golf course seven days a week. I tried it and thought, chasing around that stupid little ball, what the hell are you doing? It's crazy. My son will be out for hours catching fish. Just go buy one at the supermarket, you're wasting your time," he said laughing.

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