Inuvik

 

(ĭn'ūvĭk) , town (1991 pop. 3,206), Northwest Territories, Canada, on the east channel of the Mackenzie River. It was built (1954–62) as a new townsite for Aklavik and was the first model town in the Canadian Arctic. Inuvik has an airport.

Inuvik, (place of man), is a town in the Northwest Territories of Canada and is the administrative centre for the Inuvik Region.

The population as of the 2006 Census was 3,484^[1], but the last two census counts show wide fluctuations due to economic conditions: 2,894 in 2001 and 3,296 in 1996.

History

Inuvik was conceived in 1953 as a replacement administrative centre for the hamlet of Aklavik on the west of the Mackenzie Delta, as the latter was prone to flooding and had no room for expansion. Initially called "New Aklavik", it was renamed to Inuvik (meaning "Place of Man" in Inuvialuktun) in 1958 because of the confusion surrounding the Aklavik/New Aklavik split.

Inuvik achieved village status in 1967 and became a full town in 1970 with an elected mayor and council. In 1979, with the completion of the Dempster Highway, Inuvik became a part of Canada's highway system, and simultaneously the most northerly town to which one could drive in the summer months (an ice road through the Mackenzie River delta connects the town to Tuktoyaktuk, on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, in the winter).

Between 1971 and 1990, the town's economy was supported by the local Canadian Forces Station (a naval station that maintained part of the DEW Line) and by petrochemical companies exploring the Mackenzie Valley and the Beaufort Sea for petroleum. This all collapsed in 1990 for a variety of reasons including disappearing government subsidies, local resistance to petroleum exploration, and low international oil prices.

Geography

Location 

East Channel of the Mackenzie Delta, approximately 100 km from the Arctic Ocean and approximately 200 km north of the Arctic Circle.

Coordinates 

68 degrees 19 minutes north latitude, 133 degrees 29 minutes west longitude. (Sources vary slightly on coordinates.)

Unusual Features 

Due to its location, this town experiences an average of 56 days of continuous sunlight every summer and 30 days of polar night every winter.

Access is via the Dempster Highway for the majority of the year. The highway is closed during the time of freeze-up (roughly late-October to mid-December), for ice to form and allow ice bridges, and thaw (roughly mid-May to mid-June) to allow the ferry to run. At these times, there is air access only. When the Mackenzie River flows there is a commercial barge service from Hay River, on the Great Slave Lake, to the communities and the whole of the western arctic, including the north coast of Alaska.

One distinct feature of Inuvik are the "utilidors" -- above-ground utility conduits carrying water and sewer -- which are covered by corrugated steel. They run throughout town connecting most buildings, and as a result there are many small bridges and underpasses. Permafrost disallows the burying of such pipes in the ground.

Another feature is an Inukshuk placed outside the Mackenzie Hotel, which was rebuilt in 2006.

Demographics

Population

3,484 in 2006

Breakdown

Inuvialuit (Uummarmiut), 36.8%; First Nations, 15.4%; Métis, 4.9%; other Aboriginal, 2.1%; non-native, 40.8%^[2]

Tourism

Famous Attractions

Inuvik's Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church, often called Igloo Church, is a famous landmark in the region. It is the most-photographed building in the town.

Annual Events of Note

The Great Northern Arts Festival has been held annually for 10 days in the middle of July since 1989. The Festival hosts artists from across the Circumpolar World with additional artists occasionally coming from as far away as the Orkney Islands, the Yucatan, and Australia. Local visitors and world travellers alike attend this annual event each year; many returning as repeat guests and volunteers.

Inuvik celebrates Muskrat Jamboree each year in late March or early April. Most events are held on the Mackenzie River. Several community groups operate concessions in tents, preparing hot soup, bannock, coffee and tea and other warm refreshments. Inuvik's 50th anniversary homecoming is planned for the week of July 11-21, 2008.

Facilities

A new hospital opened early 2003, providing service to an area extending from Sachs Harbour on Banks Island, to Ulukhaktok on Victoria Island, and from Paulatuk into the Sahtu region including Norman Wells, Tulit'a, Deline, Fort Good Hope, and Colville Lake.

Another facility, called the Inuvik Family Centre, was recently completed, at a cost of 8.5 million dollars in construction.

It contains a very modern pool, gym, squash court, hot tub, sauna, steam room, space for community meetings and a very twisting 2-storey waterslide.

Popular drinking establishments include The Mad Trapper (named after Albert Johnson "Mad Trapper of Rat River") and Frosty's. There is also "Shivers", which is part of the new Mackenzie hotel.

The town is served by a community newspaper called The Inuvik Drum.

See also

• Inuvik (Mike Zubko) Airport
• Inuvik/Shell Lake Water Aerodrome

References

1. ^ Canada 2006 Census
2. ^ Canada 2001 Census

External links

• Town of Inuvik Web Site
• Inuvik Youth Centre Website
• Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre - official names

Subdivisions of Northwest Territories
Census divisions	Fort Smith · Inuvik
Regions	Dehcho · Inuvik · North Slave · Sahtu · South Slave
Communities	Behchoko · Inuvik · Fort Simpson · Fort Smith · Hay River · Norman Wells · Yellowknife
Parks	Aulavik · Nahanni · Pingo · Tuktut Nogait · Wood Buffalo

Coordinates: 68°21′42″N, 133°43′50″W

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