Fire destroys Igloolik arena, Artcirq circus program also sustains losses

Updated Feb. 12 at 4:45 p.m. ET

Wednesday was “a very sad day” for Igloolik residents after an early morning fire destroyed the community’s arena as well as the home of the Artcirq circus program.

The fire was reported at about 2 a.m. and in an interview shortly after 9 a.m., Igloolik chief administrative officer George Qaunaq told Nunatsiaq News the arena would have to be demolished so firefighters could finally extinguish the blaze.

In a Facebook message at about 4:30 p.m., he said: “It’s just smoke now and the arena is totalled.”

Ten members of the hamlet’s fire department were involved in the initial response, Nunavut’s Community and Government Services Department spokesperson Greg Belanger said in an emailed statement around 5 p.m. He said the fire was “still burning, but under control.”

Two members of the fire department went to the health centre for treatment of smoke inhalation.

Belanger said that by 6:30 a.m., it was already evident the fire would cause what the GN called “a total asset loss.”

The Nunavut Fire Marshal’s Office is supporting the RCMP in the investigation of the fire, Belanger said.

An RCMP spokesperson could not be reached for comment by Nunatsiaq News on Wednesday.

Anthony Qrunnut, a high school student in Igloolik and occasional contributor to Nunatsiaq News, said he believes the fire may have originated in the BlackBox Studio at the arena, which is home to the Artcirq circus program.

“The arena was a great place for skating and during the summer a great turf for playing soccer,” said Qrunnut.

“The BlackBox was my favourite place to go when I felt lonely and hang out with my friends. I have lots of great memories about the BlackBox, we had many shows there and had lots of fun having people jam there.”

Qrunnut is a member of Artcirq and said “we just came back from a trip and we brought a bag from the BlackBox, including the famous polar bear costume, and I’m just glad that I did not bring the bag there before the fire occurred.”

As well as the circus program, the arena hosts sport events including hockey games in the community of about 2,000 residents.

“It’s a very sad day for all of us,” Artcirq’s co-founder Guillaume Saladin said in a phone call with Nunatsiaq News from Montreal.

Kipsigak Arena in Igloolik is shown in a file photo from September 2023. (File photo by Madalyn Howitt)

“All the young people, all the musicians and the artists that were spending time there.”

In 2009, Saladin helped build the BlackBox, the collective’s only space.
Hundreds of children in Igloolik took part in Artcirq over the years, with something happening at the BlackBox every day of the week, he said.

“Just yesterday, a music band was jamming there,” he said, adding that they will need to find an “improvise a solution” to rebuild a new BlackBox.

Wednesday morning, winds from the north blowing at about 30 km/h spread smoke to a large area of the community, including near the local health centre which needed to close due to the deteriorated air quality.

At about 2:20 p.m., Qulliq Energy Corp. announced a power outage affecting part of the community would be needed so it could shut down power to equipment affected by the blaze. The shutdown was expected to last for about a half hour.

Qaunaq encouraged people to get away from the smoke and stay with their relatives if they can.

“A lot of people are in the line of smoke,” he said, adding most of the hamlet’s employees were working on stopping the fire.

“If you don’t have a place to go right now, I am keeping the community hall open for anyone who needs a place.”

Note: This story was updated with new information on the fire, on the Artcirq program and from the Department of Community and Government Services.