Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

INUVIK
Two groups in Inuvik – Arctic Paws and the Children First Society – are trying to help the community by applying for Aviva funding.

Lexi Gilmour wants a closer look at further plans in East 3 on Monday. - Danielle Sachs/NNSL photo

Arctic Paws is trying to gain as many votes as possible toward getting $150,000 to establish a mobile veterinary lab, while the Children First Society is looking for $50,000 for playground equipment.

The two local groups aren't competing against each other, because they are in different funding categories.

"You have three chances to make it to the top 10," said Arctic Paws director Angela McInnes.

Voting is now complete for the first round. Arctic Paws finished with around 650 supporters and close to 2,500 votes.

It wasn't enough to move the non-profit into the top 10, but McInnes said that's actually a good thing.

"Out of 300 entries we made the top 30," said McInnis. "We unfortunately couldn't compete with the bigger projects, but it got them out of the way for the next round."

It's tough competing with some of the other projects, especially the ones based in Ontario and Quebec that have a much larger population base to draw from, said McInnis.

Round two of voting starts Monday. The Children First Society will be joining in and already children of Inuvik are starting the preliminary blueprints for what they want to see in their playground.

Slides, trampolines, teeter-totters and rainbows all featured prominently in the colourful sketches made by children in the Inuvik Child Development Centre, currently housed in East 3.

Lexi Gilmour wants a slide, Natalie Nasogaluak wants a really long slide and Savannah Lehoux has added monkey bars to the wish list.

McInnis was inspired to enter the competition after the Children First Society entered last year and since the NWT SPCA won in 2010 to build a new animal shelter.

"It's hard. Some of the criticism has been that people are more important than animals," said McInnis. "Arctic Paws isn't just about animals, it's about community. We're doing this for people so you don't have to be scared about getting bitten by a stray dog."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.