Turfed! Sanikiluaq celebrates opening of 2 new sports fields

Youth in Sanikiluaq are learning how to run bases in the right direction for the first time, now that the community’s two turf fields — one for baseball, one for soccer — are open to the public.

Students in Sanikiluaq were hired to install the community’s brand new turf fields this summer. (Photo courtesy of Ron Ladd)

“No one has shown them that you have to go to first, second and third,” said the Belcher Islands hamlet’s senior administ

Students in Sanikiluaq were hired to install the community’s brand new turf fields this summer. (Photo courtesy of Ron Ladd)

rative officer, Ron Ladd.

“It is cute sometimes that the children run backwards for whatever reason, so it’s kind of neat to watch them learn the rules of baseball.”

Just over 1,000 residents live in Sanikiluaq and many flocked to the new fields when they opened Aug. 31, Ladd said.

Getting the new turf installed in Sanikiluaq was one of the biggest goals Ladd envisioned when he moved to the community two and a half years ago.

He said he saw a lack of activities for the 600 children and youths who live there. And the demand for new amenities and activities was clear.

“The field’s been full since Thursday and Friday of last week,” Ladd said.

The cost of the project was approximately $1.4 million, and the hamlet was able to secure funding from Indigenous Services Canada and Nunavut’s Department of Community and Government Services.

Ladd expressed appreciation for the government support in funding the project. He also thanked the Kakivak Association for paying to hire 15 summer students to work on projects in the community, including the turf installation.

Looking ahead, Ladd said he hopes to establish some organized sports to take advantage of the new playing fields.

“The next stage is to get volunteerism here in the community and to start doing organized sport,” he said.

“All of the other partners that we’ve had we have to thank them for the funding and that it’s come to life, so I’m sure for the next 20, 30 years it will be well enjoyed.”

With some of the remaining unused materials, Ladd is looking to build a nine-hole mini-golf course next year.

Centaur Products Inc., a sports facility contractor that has provided turf for venues such as Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium, was hired to provide the materials.

Todd Coxx, who oversaw the project with Centaur, said the company has experience working in the North. However, Sanikiluaq is a unique community to build in.

The turf materials were transported last summer by sealift, but it was too late to lay it all out. Centaur had hoped to send workers to help with set-up earlier this summer, but aircraft issues delayed those plans.

Fortunately, they were able to get there at the end of the summer and get it done.

“I just hope it’s not only kids that play on it but adults as well get out and play with their kids,” Coxx said of the final product.

“The community is happy and I’d like to see, maybe, some kid come out of this, go to university or something like that and make a varsity team. That would just make my day.”