City support pushes Iqaluit to be Nunavut’s most active community
ParticipACTION title rings true for Iqaluit artist Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory
Performance artist and Iqaluit resident Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory says that training at the Iqaluit Aquatic Centre’s gym helps her concentrate on better loving herself and having more patience for herself. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
From fitness sessions at the Iqaluit aquatic centre to laps in the community pool, Iqaluit’s Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory says she makes the most out of the city’s options to get active.
The performance artist has also been working since October on strength training and cardio at the city’s fitness centre.
“It’s been crucial to the healing process I’ve been on since I was quite sick a couple years ago,” Bathory said.
“Having to relearn my body after surgery and really focus on physical strength and mobility with a team like the City of Iqaluit recreation around me has been instrumental.”
Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory works out at the Iqaluit Aquatic Centre’s gym facility as her personal trainer Alazar Letta looks on. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Support like this has earned Iqaluit recognition as Nunavut’s most active community in ParticipAction’s 2024 Most Active Community challenge.
ParticipAction is a national non-profit that supports and encourages Canadians to get active. Every year, it holds a contest to judge the most active community in Canada and also recognizes the most active community in each province and territory.
It announced Iqaluit as the winner of Nunavut’s most active community challenge. This is the third win Iqaluit has taken in the challenge. Among Canadian cities, Hay River, NWT won the national title and the $100,00o prize that goes with it.
Support like this has earned the City of Iqaluit’s recreation department recognition as Nunavut’s most active community in the 2024 ParticipAction community challenge.
ParticipAction is a national non-profit that supports and encourages Canadians to get active. It announced Iqaluit as the winner of the challenge on Tuesday. This is the third win Iqaluit has taken in the challenge.
The title comes with a $15,000 prize to support local physical activities and sport initiatives.
“Last year, we invested the money on activities like youth and elders’ fitness, and fitness for individuals with special needs,” said Alazar Letta, the City of Iqaluit’s recreation services manager and fitness co-ordinator.
The money was also used to maintain and upgrade gym equipment.
“This year, we’re focusing on programs for underprivileged youth, such as free pool sessions,” Letta said.
The city’s inclusive physical activities are tailored to all age groups. These include summer camps for children, weekly fitness instructor visits at the Elders Qammaq, and soccer tournaments and gym-based activities for youth.
Bathory has seen the effect this money has on the community. She said it brings different groups into the gym, like people in assisted living, who work out with personal trainers.
Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory takes on the five-kilometre route for the 2024 Jimmy Kilabuk Run in Iqaluit earlier in July. (Photo by Alazar Letta)
“They are the people who make me feel safe and welcome in the gym,” she said.
“We’re always hi-fiving and complimenting each other.”
ParticipAction also credited the city for hosting the Jimmy Kilabuk run as it encouraged “inclusivity and community spirit while promoting physical health.”
The run is led by the Jimmy Kilabuk Foundation which provides pool passes and funding for Inuit children and families on income assistance. This allows them to participate in the aquatic centre’s swimming lessons, aquatic leadership programs, and swim teams.
Bathory ran the five-kilometre route during this summer’s run, which was on June 29. She describes the experience as an achievement, running alongside other Inuit mothers.
“Doing something outdoors that’s good for you and uses the power of your own body is a great feeling,” she said.
“There are so many similar activities on the horizon, and I look forward to them all.”
Go Laakuluk! Inspiration for everyone to get more active! Awesome!
I think it’s great how Nunatsiaq fawns over certain people, again and again.
Iqaluit wins nunavuts most active community? Should we be surprised? Little-to-no infrastructure in other communities while iqaluit has it all. Good luck finding a personal trainer in Repulse Bay.
I think that one dude that basically lives at the gym, makes TikTok videos, and is often seen sledge hammering tractor tires around town single handily makes Nunavut the most active community in Nunavut.
Of course Iqaluit is the most active community in Nunavut because they have all the resources and equipments leaving out other Nunavut communities. Self centred Iqaluit
There’s absolutely no way that Iqaluit is Nunavut’s most active community. Most active in paying for gym memberships or going to Nunavut’s only swimming pool? Yeah, positively. Most active in boasting online and posting pictures from that time they went outside? Yeah, likely. Most active in recreational exercise? Probably, sure.
But actually most active overall? Not a chance. You’ve got communities of people who have significant portions of the population living most of their life outside. The narwhal hunters of Pond, the walrus hunters of Sanirajak, the fishermen of Kugaaruk, and so on. There are so many people in the smaller communities of Nunavut that are still living very active, very outdoor subsistence lifestyles that I’m sure do not get captured in this Participaction challenge. Hell, I didn’t even know this was going on until it was over.
But sure, Iqaluit. Take your $15,000. I’m sure you feel like it’s deserved.
You can’t expect information to come to you. Look for the source yourself if you’re interested in applying for this, shouldn’t the recreation coordinators in the local hamlets be more involved? In networking and learning to find places to apply for funds or community challenges they can participate in. It’s not something that just happens, people are actively involved in making this happen, it can happen to other places too, just need to put in the work in applying and getting the work done. Have you asked your local hamlet why this isn’t being done in your home town?
Meanwhile in Resolute, the mayor and municipal council is turning our baseball field into a garage space while completely ignoring the surveyed designated industrial area.