QIKIQTARJUAQ/BROUGHTON ISLAND
An east coast Baffin Island community is getting a boost for a cultural display.

The Gathering House in Qikitarjuak is adding an interpretative and cultural display. The project got a boost last week when more than $250,000 was invested in it with the hopes of boosting tourism in the area. - photo courtesy of Arthur Nicomedes

The plan is to host it in Qikiqtarjuaq's Gathering House -- completed in March of last year where a tourism co-ordinator is to take root.

A news release states that the cultural display will provide important information for tourists in the region about the community and surrounding area, including Auyuyyuq National Park.

In all, the project received more than a quarter of a million dollars to help in the construction of an interpretative and cultural display.

The Government of Nunavut has contributed the lion's share of the funding at $143,350.

The hamlet itself has kicked in $50,037. It has also received $143,350 from the Canadian Northern Development Agency (CanNor) as well as $50,037 from Kakivak Association. That association's website describes it as a community and economic development organization serving Inuit by providing business, employment and training services to enhance the strengths of communities in the Baffin region.

The funding was announced Feb. 2 by Leona Aglukaq, the minister responsible for CanNor.

"Nunavut's unique culture, geography and language have always made it a spectacular tourist destination, " stated Aglukaq in a news release. "Our investment in the new cultural display at the Gathering House shows our government's continued commitment to support the development of the territory's tourism sector and will assist Qikiqtarjuaq in becoming an important tourist destination in the North."

Qikiqtarjuaq is the nearest community to the world renowned Auyuittuq National Park and tourism has been identified as a sector with significant potential in the hamlet's economic development plan.

"The Hamlet of Qikiqtarjuaq has dreamed about having a tourism focal point in the heart of the community," stated Mayor Mary Killiktee in a news release. "This year, we are seeing this dream become a reality with the completion of the Gathering House and being able to showcase our heritage through cultural display. We look forward to the next steps of being able to welcome even more visitors to our beautiful community and giving them a first-class tourist experience.

The display is already under construction and is expected to be up and running early 2016.