Hamlets struggle with recreation spaces

In the legislative assembly last week, Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley used his daily member’s statement time to read some letters from students at Maani Ulayuk Illiniarvik School in Rankin Inlet: the need for more recreational facilities was clearly on their minds.

“I play for the Rankin Inlet girl’s soccer team and we only get one hour and 15 minutes to practice. We also get another hour and 15 minutes, which is shared with other teams. The gym is also closed during the summer, which really holds back an athlete’s potential to excel in whatever sport they are involved in,” wrote Laurie Tagoona, 15.

Victoria Itinnuar, 15, is unhappy the school’s gym is closed during the summer.

“During the summer, a lot of youth don’t have jobs because there simply aren’t enough jobs for all the youth in Rankin Inlet,” she wrote. “While the gym is closed during the summer, the kids without summer jobs don’t have very much to do. Also, there are outdoor events going on down south during the summer that some youth would very much like to join. But it would be hard to do that without any outdoor sports in Rankin Inlet. We would be much more successful to win if we have something to practice on outside.”

Meanwhile, Kugluktuk’s MLA Joe Allen Evyagotailak told the legislature about his community’s urgent need to keep its arena open, despite tight finances.

“This morning the hamlet announced that the arena complex may be open next season,” he said. “The increased municipal funding that was announced last week will go towards ice in the rinks, but it is not clear that it will be enough money to keep the arena open… I find it very sad that the 2010 Olympic logo will be an Inuksuk when hamlets in Nunavut are struggling to keep recreation facilities open.”

Evygotailak said closing recreation facilities can only harm youth in the community.

“There are young athletes in Kugluktuk who will not be able to practice their sport this winter if the arena complex is closed. This government has also expressed its commitment to elders… The elders also use the arena complex for their events.”

Evygotailak said Kugluktuk’s money problems are partially due to work on the arena floor.

“The hamlet of Kugluktuk paid a lot to complete the arena. If the arena is closed, the cost to the people of Kugluktuk will not be measured in dollars and cents.”

Peter Kilabuk, the GN’s minister for community and government services, promised that his staff and the hamlet’s staff are looking for ways to keep the arena open in Kugluktuk.