Developers should work with Arctic weather – not against it

Let the brief storm on April 20 be a warning to all. Canada’s Arctic region can be one of the most inhospitable places on Earth.

Blizzards of that magnitude were common throughout the 1950s and 1960s and into the early 1970s. The gale force winds could last for two to three days or even longer, closing the community and burying everything under mountains of snow. It could take a few days to get the place functioning again.

Houses at that time were small and did not have the sophisticated amenities they have today. They were close to the airport and required only basic services. All government employees were supplied with food rations, which they kept in their living quarters.

We relied on cases and cases of Carnation milk, powdered eggs, canned bacon and butter. All foods were either canned or dried. Therefore, survival in a storm was easy. The Inuit in the Eskimo Village, as it was called, could withstand all conditions. Of course, they had been doing it for centuries.

Before the construction began of the so-called Butler Buildings about 1959, government engineers carried out extensive wind and snow drifting tests before any construction took place. Even with all their efforts, there were still areas that blew in, and people had to be dug out.

Weather patterns have changed. The community is spread out all over the place, many live far from the central core. It seems that community plans have no idea just how bad the weather can get. Tens of millions of dollars of homes are built in areas that are vulnerable to weather isolation and fire hazards. A good example is last week’s very violent storm when a valuable home was destroyed. The firefighters ran out of water.

During some of the major storms of the 1960s and 1970s, this community lost its recreation centre, curling rink and several other important facilities. The 150-foot-long Anglican Church hall was blown across the road, without any damage to the building.

The Tundra Valley development is one area that could prove to be a real catastrophe in the event of fire. One house fire could easily leap to neighbouring homes.

A good example of what could happen is the storm of February 1985, when winds of over 100 mph and temperatures around -40 C blew for 10 days. Many homes ran out of oil, water and food. A team of volunteers managed to get oil to some houses. If such a storm was to happen now, the effects could be devastating.

With such damage potential in mind, the town council during the late 1980s enacted a bylaw that required all areas slated for new development to have water and sewage services in situ before any construction was permitted.

As it turned out, the only development that was ever planned ahead of construction was the area near the graveyard. The road was built, sewage and water pipes installed, lots serviced, street lights installed before any homes were built.

Building in areas such as the Road to Nowhere is not safe or practicable. Houses perched on unstable pipes 20 feet in the air are susceptible to severe vibrating and wind damage. The recent storm made access to parts of that area impossible.

The recent development of major businesses in the West 40 area is another example of poor planning. The road that passes the end of the runway is the most vulnerable section in town. In past storms, it has taken up to three days just to cut through the drifts. Forty years ago when it was blocked, one could cross the runway to gain access. Those days are gone.

It is urgent that the local authorities give their utmost attention to the safety of residents when planning future developments. The cost of retrofitting the most vulnerable areas with piped services will be huge. Canada’s many mining towns have used an above-ground piped system. Nanisivik used the same system. This is a viable option and one that could work for the homes in Tundra Valley, for minimal cost.

One area that should be considered for future development is the hillside that runs from the power plant to the North 40 area. That area could be terraced into three or four tiers, which would allow for pleasant views and southern exposure. Due to its location, it is well-protected from high winds and, more importantly, noise from the airport. The hillside would provide building sites for hundreds of housing units.

This is the Arctic, a beautiful and yet dangerous place. We should never lose sight of its sometimes violent and unforgiving nature.

Bryan Pearson
Iqaluit