INUVIK
It might not entirely look like it, but things are about to get a lot greener in Inuvik.

Brad Driscoll, left, Rosalie Driscoll and Kristen Callaghan spent some time clearing the snow away from the entrance of the Inuvik Community Greenhouse April 19 as it prepares to open its season. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

The Inuvik Community Greenhouse is getting set to open its doors to what will hopefully be another successful season.

There are big plans afoot at the greenhouse, said board vice-president Kristen Callaghan.

"Our new co-ordinator starts this week, and we're preparing for our plants to come (to the greenhouse)," she said. "We have well over 10,000 plants coming."

"May 10 is our annual general meeting, when we actually open the greenhouse for the season and our members start growing in their plots."

The power and utilities will be turned back on this week, Callaghan said, and the upstairs commercial greenhouse will be warmed up to prepare for the arrival of the plants. It's a process the greenhouse – a converted hockey rink – goes through every year.

That includes, hopefully, the replacement of the transparent sunroof, which is suffering greatly from age and weathering. It's been on the building since it opened around 1998, Callaghan said, and the climate and weathering changes have been significant.

"It's not a terribly old roof," she said.

Last year, some significant damage was done to the deteriorating roof in a mid-summer wind storm that ripped a number of panels off. A few more have been damaged over the winter, Callaghan said.

"We're looking forward to getting the roof replaced," she said. "But I think we'll be able to have a fine growing season this year."

"We're still fundraising to pay for the labour to pay for the installation," she said. "We'd love to have it happen this year, but until we have raised the money it's not going to happen."

Callaghan, who was at the greenhouse April 19 to help dig out snow from around the entrances, said the board purchased the replacement panels last year, but now needs to fundraise to help pay the estimated $100,000 cost of the installation.

"We have a company interested in doing the work," Callaghan said as she toured prospective new members Brad and Rosalie Driscoll through the greenhouse. "They'd like to do it in mid-summer, but we'd kind of prefer to have it done at the end of the

growing season."

Callaghan said most of the existing members of the greenhouse are returning, and there are likely to be a limited number of spots for new members. There is a waiting list of about 20 people, she said, but it's fairly certain most people on that list will find plots assigned to them.

Members pay an annual fee and are expected to perform 15 hours of volunteer service as well.

"The later you ask us the harder it is to fit everyone in," she said.

Most of the people gardening at the greenhouse are interested in improving their food security and reducing costs, as well as providing fresh quality food through their own efforts.

"There is such a sense of satisfaction in growing your own food. In having done that for yourself," she said.

"And not to mention the fact that you've saved yourself some money. I think anybody who does it anywhere around the world has that satisfaction."

"And then there's the community aspect to growing food beside your neighbour," Callaghan continued. "It can be a real social place as well, and a chance to meet people you might not otherwise."