Inuvik, N.W.T. considers new sports facility for 2018 AWG bid
The Town of Inuvik is considering building a permanent sports facility that could hold thousands of athletes as part of its possible bid to host the 2018 Arctic Winter Games.
"We could have a permanent structure, and we could have a soccer pitch, football, you name it," said the town's mayor Floyd Roland. "It would be a very large facility for concerts, for things of that nature."
It would be made out of prefabricated materials and resemble a tented dome.
Inuvik's Arctic Winter Games bid committee presented the idea during this week's town council meeting. It's the Northwest Territories turn to host the games in 2018 and Inuvik and looking at submitting a joint big with Fort McPherson, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk.
The Town of Hay River is planning on submitting a separate bid for the games, in conjunction with Fort Smith.
Kelly Penner, who works for the Town of Inuvik, says originally she thought Inuvik fell short because it didn't have a venue big enough for the opening and closing ceremony.
But Penner says even without a new sports facility, there's an option. The gym shared by the East Three elementary and secondary schools meets the minimum 3,000 person requirement for the Arctic Winter Games opening and closing ceremonies.
"I've had some people look at me with raised eyebrows on that," Penner told town council. "But I have been in the half-gym with all the school kids in there and even with 500 people in there, it’s not anywhere near half-full. I actually believe those numbers are possible."
Facility would 'give us a legacy': mayor
If Inuvik hosts the games, the town's mayor says it would need a second venue that would serve as a cafeteria for athletes and officials.
Roland said building a new sports facility would free-up the school's gym to be the dining hall.
Alternatively, the mayor and town staffers say a temporary structure could be built instead of a permanent sporting arena or cafeteria. However, Roland says if the town spent a bit more if could have a permanent facility.
"That gives us a legacy for the community afterwards, aside from some sprucing up of our facilities that we have right now," Roland said.
Although the town has a bid committee, it hasn't officially decided whether it will bid to host the games.
Town council will vote on that before the bid deadline, Nov. 28. Council also says it needs to have a community meeting to present the final bid package to residents.
Officials from the Arctic Winter Games have told the town they are expecting to visit Inuvik Jan. 27-28 to inspect its facilities before flying to Hay River.
If the town decides not to build a permanent venue for the international event, it estimates the budget for the games will be $7.5 million.
