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Housing Corp. to fund Nanisivik study

How much would it cost to move community’s 30 houses to Arctic Bay?

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Nunavut Housing Corporation is studying the cost of moving Nanisivik’s colourful, dome-shaped houses to Arctic Bay.

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(FILE PHOTO)

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DENISE RIDEOUT

Nunavut Housing Corporation wants to find out how much it will cost to move the 30 dome-shaped houses that line the streets of Nanisivik to nearby Arctic Bay.

The colourful houses will be left empty as the zinc and lead mine shuts down and mine workers pack up their belongings and leave town.

Residents of Arctic Bay, 30 kilometres from Nanisivik, don’t want to see those houses demolished.

Since last fall when the mine’s owner, CanZinco Ltd., announced it would be shutting down the 26-year-old facility, Arctic Bay residents have been pleading for Nanisivik’s infrastructure, including houses, buildings, vehicles and equipment, to be moved to their community.

Now, the Nunavut government is taking its first step in trying to save the houses from demolition. Last month, the housing corporation put out a request for proposals calling for a feasibility study to see how much it will cost to relocate the 30 houses.

Arctic Bay, a community of 650 people, is eager to get the extra housing units. "It would be a good thing," said Mayor Joanasie Akumalik.

Like all other Nunavut towns, Arctic Bay is plagued by a lack of housing and overcrowded living conditions, he said.

Akumalik sees the proposed study as a positive sign. "To me, I’ve interpreted it that the government has already decided to do that [move the houses]," he said.

But government officials are warning the mayor not to get too excited. "They kept saying, ‘It’s just a feasibility study,’" Akumalik added.

The GN has formed a working group to coordinate all three levels of government during the mine closure. The working group is behind the call for a feasibility study.

"One of the aspects of the evaluations we wanted done was to get the costs of moving the houses over, if any of the houses can be moved over at a reasonable price, and provide that sort of information to the government," said Florian Lemphers, the working group’s project coordinator.

The group, which was created in November 2001 to work with CanZinco and different government departments on the closure, was given many responsibilities.

"One of them is to look at ways that the community of Arctic Bay can really benefit from the fact that the mine is closing down," Lemphers explained.

He said the goal of the study is to put an exact dollar figure on the relocation of the houses.

"In terms of how many [houses] may be actually moved, that will depend on the outcome of the study," Lemphers said.

Though Arctic Bay anxiously awaits the study’s findings, the community has already received furniture from the town site.

"We’ve got some furniture from Nanisivik. I think it was from the housing," Akumalik said. It’s a mixture of tables, beds, chairs, sofas, fridges, stoves, washers, dryers and other household items.

"Everybody wants that," he said.

On Sept. 26, the hamlet held a ballot draw to distribute the furniture. About 250 residents gathered in the local garage for the chance to win the much-needed items.

While the mayor is pleased people were able to get their hands on the furniture, he now has bigger issues on his mind.

Though the 26-year-old mine shut down last week, Akumalik is worried the government still hasn’t come up with another use for the mine site. If no alternative use is found, the site may be buried.

He has suggested the site be turned into a trades training centre. But he’s still waiting for a response.

"I’m just frustrated with the government because they can’t decide an alternative use for the mine site. It’s frustrating," Akumalik said, letting out a sigh.

But Lemphers said the working group hasn’t forgotten about the issue. "There’s further work that needs to be done on alternative uses. We’re looking at the options."

Akumalik is doubtful: "Maybe when it’s election time they’ll start making some movement on it."

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