Inuvik

Inuvik is like an onion. There's a whole lot more to it than is visible initially. I keep peeling back the layers. It was built in the mid-1950's as a administrative centre meant to replace Aklavik, an aboriginal community subject to flooding on the east side of the Mackenzie delta. It was officially named Inuvik, meaning, 'Place of Man' in Inuvialuktan, in 1958. This year marks the 50th anniversary of incorporation and there's a homecoming celebration planned this summer to coincide with the Great Northern Festival from July 11-20, 2008 (For more info check out http://www.gnaf.org ).  I'll be here for one heck of a party!

With the completion of the Dempster Highway in 1979, Inuvik became the most northerly town to which one could drive in the summer. During the winter, an ice road through the Mackenzie River delta connects the town to Tuktoyaktuk, on the coast of the Beaufort Sea. I'll be on the ice road to Tuk in April! The ice road provides good cross-country skiing, too. However, there are some great community ski trails maintained by the 'Top of the World' ski club.

Inuvik is well above the Arctic Circle at about 68° N. It's hard to believe from looking at a map, but we're also 10 degrees farther west here at 133° W than Victoria, BC. The town is very functional in appearance due to the system of utilidors - an above-ground system of utility conduits carrying water and sewage - that connects most buildings. So, it's not pedestrian friendly at all. Route finding entails following 'short-cuts' where you have to crawl over or under the utilidors between buildings. Permafrost, a subsurface layer of frozen soil does not permit the burial of these pipes in the ground. Many buildings, especially the older ones are also aerial and built on pilings.

Inuvik's population is about 3500. Row houses are probably the most fuel efficient housing option. The 'Blueberry Patch' is the student housing for Aurora College, while the 'Smartie Box' houses are painted fun colours. There are single detached homes, too, but I'd hate to pay those heating bills!