KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET
Police have charged three youths with arson-related charges following a fire that destroyed Peter Pitseolak School on Sept. 8.

The youths, identified as between the ages of 13 and 16, are charged with arson with damage to property and arson with disregard for human life.

"A criminal investigation was initiated and it was determined the fire was deliberately set," stated an RCMP news release.

Meanwhile, the community is working hard to cope with the reality of such a great loss, the immediate challenges and challenges to come.

"It has a large impact," said senior administrative officer Ed Devereaux. "The community is dealing with it. There is grieving going on for some people in regards to the school because they worked so hard to get things in there.

"There was art, dedicated rooms to certain individuals in the community. It's more like a community hall. We do have a community hall, but the school was used for a lot of different things. Just Friday night there was a graduation night."

However, the biggest issue is, as Devereaux said, "the displacement of all those students."

There were approximately 170 high school students enrolled at the school.

"It's a huge task on the parents that are involved, and the community at large, to be honest, and the teachers," Devereaux said.

"It's a big loss. The minister (of education) has been here, and the superintendent for this area. They've had public meetings. They're trying to get a plan together. The biggest immediate concern is trying to get everybody back to school."

As early as Sept. 7, the Monday after the fire, the Department of Education released information about a contingency plan. Classes, stated department officials, would continue as regularly scheduled at Sam Pudlat school on Tuesday and Wednesday, while there would be no classes for Peter Pitseolak students. A split-shift schedule would then be implemented starting on Thursday (Sept. 10) at Sam Pudlat School. The plan was for elementary students to receive schooling from 8 a.m. to 12:10 p.m., while high school students would be in class from 1 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.

"They had meetings last night (Sept. 9) to talk about that, with the parents and the community at large. It was a town hall format, come up and ask your questions, to keep everybody informed," said Devereaux.

"They know that's not something (split-shift) that's sustainable or wanted. So it's very short term. The hamlet is trying to help out the best we can by showing the minister and that group different spaces in the community that might be appropriate for holding classes. They want to get in any of these places that are appropriate."

Devereaux says there are spaces that could serve as classrooms.

"They definitely showed an interest in some of the buildings so they'll act upon that, I hope, fairly quickly."

Recalling the fire, Devereaux says "it was a huge fire."

"There were a lot of guys fighting. At any one time there might have been 16 to 20 firemen and different people trying to help put out the fire. We only had one fire truck. It had two hoses coming out. Two hoses on a huge building like that on fire is … it's just basically defensive mode. Trying to make sure the other buildings in the surrounding area … the fire doesn't jump onto them."

Residents including John Corkett praised the fire department for its efforts.

A news release from the territorial government's Department of Community and Government Services stated neighbouring houses as well as the local health centre were evacuated. Health centre patients were temporarily moved into Sam Pudlat School. Patients and residents were later returned to the health centre and their homes.

"They did a fantastic job. It went on from 12 midnight to five in the afternoon," said Devereaux about the firefighters.

On Sept. 10, RCMP Sgt. Yvonne Niego stated that the investigation into the fire continues.

"The scene/forensic evidence part of the investigation is done and the scene handed over to the GN Department of Community and Government Services. Police tape remains around the perimeter just to caution individuals who may attempt to cross it. There still may be hot spots under the rubble, even though there is no smouldering occurring," stated Niego by e-mail.

Two youths to appear in court

Two youths are scheduled to appear in Cape Dorset court on Nov. 23. The third youth was remanded to Iqaluit and he is scheduled for the next available youth court date.

Asked how the community was responding to the fact that a deliberate act by youth started the catastrophic fire that destroyed a vital community building, Devereaux said, "The community is trying to deal with it. It's a small community. Just 1,400 people. Always tough. The community is dealing with it as best it can, trying to move through it. As you can imagine, it's not easy when something like this happens."

The SAO noted that leadership has been stepping up.

"At meetings, certain people tried to get other people to be strong. There's a lot of leadership being shown by the MLA (David Joanasie) and the mayor (Palaya Qiatsuk). Leaders are trying to be smart about trying to learn from it as best they can and try to get through it in the right way." SIDEBAR:

New school may take five years

Peter Pitseolak School in Cape Dorset is the fourth Nunavut school to be destroyed by fire since 1997 and it could take five years for it to be replaced, said a spokesperson for the territorial government's Department of Community and Government Services.

The first loss occurred in Pangnirtung in 1997. One year later, Cambridge Bay lost Kiilinik High School to fire. Joamie Ilinniarvik School in Iqaluit burned down in 2003.

Hilary Casey, communications officer for the Government of Nunavut's Department of Community and Government Services, said it take an average of five years to rebuild a school from scratch.

When a school building has been completely destroyed, the process includes a complete design involving community consultations and decisions on what other infrastructure besides classrooms would be incorporated into the new building.

The catastrophic events of Sept. 6, which saw the Cape Dorset school destroyed, will not affect plans for a new Cape Dorset power plant or new house builds, which were in the planning process prior to the fire.

"These other projects are part of a separate process and are not affected," said Casey.

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