In dire need of daycare
Arctic Bay parents in process of creating society to access funding
Myles Dolphin
Northern News Services
Published Saturday, October 12, 2013
IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY
Efforts are underway in Arctic Bay to re-establish a much needed daycare in the community.
Residents in the small High Arctic hamlet of Arctic Bay are working together to establish a daycare for children in the community. Efforts are centred around establishing a society so requests for funding can be made. - NNSL file photo
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Resident Geela Arnauyumayuq said she's heard a lot of complaints from other residents about the lack of a daycare facility and wanted to do something about it.
The first step she had to make was get enough people together to create a committee and register as a society.
She's found eight people so far and plans on meeting with them in mid-October.
Arnauyumayuq said there used to be a daycare in the small High Arctic hamlet, but it closed a few years ago.
"It had some money problems," she said.
"If I wanted to open it up again I have to create a committee. We have to register as a society in order to apply for funding and this is urgent because there is a real need for a daycare here."
She said the lack of a daycare has a ripple effect throughout the community, preventing certain high school students from attending school because they're having a tough time finding a babysitter to take care of their children.
Another Arctic Bay resident, Ryan Guinness, sees that effect first hand as a teacher at Inuujaq School.
He said the problem forces a lot of good students to stay home.
"I really hope the community gets a daycare," he said.
"I have some very bright students who are getting close to graduating but can't get the required credits due to having to babysit. Lots of opportunities could open up for these young people if they graduate."
Guinness added his students are highly motivated and capable people who would contribute greatly to Arctic Bay and Nunavut's workforce if only they could overcome this obstacle.
The hamlet's economic development officer, Clare Kines, said his office is tasked with finding funding for the daycare but that can't happen until a working society has been created and a few other issues have been cleared up.
"Although we've tried in the past to seek funding from the Economic Development and Transportation department, they were clear they do not fund daycares," he said.
"They said that responsibility lies with the Department of Education. Some of those funds for early childhood education are already accessed here through the district education authority (DEA), and hopefully the DEA and hamlet can work together."
Arnauyumayuq said a few members of the group have completed their Early Childhood Education studies at Nunavut Arctic College, and another presently works with the Aboriginal Head Start program.
"We really need that daycare up and running," she said.
