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14TuesdaySeptember172013ByRENEFRANCOEURAhandfulofInuvikyoung-sterscuttheribbonlastMon-dayaspoliticiansstoodbyofciallyopeningthehighly-anticipatedChildrensFirstCentreInuviksnewstateoftheartchildcarefacility.ThedreamoftheChildrensFirstCentrehasalwaysbeenabouthavingapurpose-builtfacilityforthekidsMelindaGillisChildrensFirstSocietyboardchairsaidinarecentpressrelease.Whatbetterwaytohighlightthatthanhav-ingthekidsopenthecentre.Thevibrant6.5-millioncentrewasalongtimecom-ing-taking10yearsofplan-ningfundraisingandcon-struction.CoyConstructionnallywrappedworkupinearlyAugustafterasoggyJulyslowedtheprocessanddelayedtheofcialopening.ItwasagreatdaywithareallygoodturnoutwithcommunitymembersleadersandeldersPatriciaDavisonthecentresexecutivedirec-tortoldTheJournal.Therearecurrently80childrenen-rolled...Wevebeenrunningforaboutthreeweeksnow.Davisonsaidthecentrere-ceiveditslicensingfor104spotslastMondayandthatsomeagegroupsarealreadyfullwithwaitinglistsbeginning.TheChildrensFirstCentrecelebratesofcialopeningnumberofspotsisnearlydou-blethechildcarecapacitythatpreviouslyexistedinthesmalltownofabout3500locatedjustabovetheArcticCircle.OneofthemajorissuesinInuvikandsomethingothercommunitiesstrugglewithisspaceforearlychildhoodpro-grams.CertainlyinInuviktheprogrammovedfromonebuild-ingthatwasabouttobetorndowntoanother.TherewasalotofmovementaroundandthebuildingstheywereinwerenotnecessarilybigandconducivetoearlychildhoodsoitwasastruggleDavisonsaid.Waitinglistswerealsoaconcerninthecommunity.Davisonsaidshedtalkedwithparentswhodbeenwaitingforearlychildhoodcareforyears.Wevehadlotsofcom-mentsfromparentsthattheyneedthiscaretobeabletoworkorgobacktoschoolshesaid.Thisisabeautifulfacilitythathasopenedupmorespacesandwedonthavetoworryabouthavingtomoveoutbe-causesomeoneelseneedsthebuildingorthatitneedstobetorndown.Wereveryfortu-natethisway.Withover13000square-feetofspacethecentreincludesprogramsforchildrenfromsixmonthsto12years-oldincludinghalf-dayfull-dayandafter-schoolcare.InattendancefortheribboncuttingwasMayorFloydRo-landMinisterofEducationCultureandEmploymentJacksonLaffertyregionaldi-rectoroftheCanadianNorth-ernEconomicDevelopmentAgencyCanNorKevinLewisandNellieCournoyeachairandCEOoftheInuvi-aluitRegionalCorp.Everyonethatcameoutandsupportedusattheof-cialopeningandsupportedusallalong-IcantthankthemenoughDavisonsaid.Wereallypulledtogetherasacommunitytomakethishappen.Whilethecentrecontinuespushingforwardwithitsfund-raisingthecampaignhasbeenwidelysuccessfulDavisonsaid.TheTownofInuvikdonated2.3millionprovidingthefoundationtomovetheprojectoutofthedesignphase.CanNorputforth500000tomakeacommercial-gradekitchenpos-sibleandthegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesextendedahelpinghandworth1.1mil-lionforconstruction.Localbusinessesandindi-vidualswithinthecommunityboostedfundsfurtheraddingover1.7million.NorthwindIndustrieswasoneofthelarg-estlocalcontributorsdonatingover300000worthofmate-rialandlabourtotheproject.TheChildrensFirstCen-treisaboutInuviksfutureRolandsaidinapressre-lease.Councilbothpastandpresentsawthatthisfacil-itywouldhelpbuildastrongcommunityandgiveourkidsaleg-upatthebeginningoftheireducationcareers.Thecentrethoughcom-pletewillcontinuetoworkonlandscapingaroundthecran-berryandorangestructure.ThekidslovethemudpitoutsidebuttheparentsnotsomuchDavisonsaidwithalaugh.Werenishingoffthetoppingssotospeakrightnow.EducationEarlyChildhoodNorthernersEldersPhotoTerryHalifaxLefttorightInuvikMayorFloydRolandEducationMinisterJacksonLaffertyandChildrensFirstSocietychairMelindaGillisgatherwithsocietyboardmembersandabunchofInuvikchildrentocuttheribbonandofciallyopenthenewChildrensFirstCentrelastMonday.ByMARIACHURCHTheAkaitchoTerritoryGovernmentacknowledgedaSmithsLandingFirstNationelderlastweekforalifetimeofcontributiontothecom-munitywiththetitleofElderoftheYear.At89yearsoldJohnDe-negohasalifetimeofknowl-edgethathesbeensharingwithhiscommunityforyears.JohnnevermarriedorhadchildrenthereforehealwayshelpedpeopletomakelifeeasierandprovidedassistancetolargefamilieswidowsandeldersLorraineMacDonaldbandmanagerforSmithsLandingFirstNationtoldTheJournalinanemail.Bornin1924inFortFitzger-aldAlta.Denegolivedatra-ditionallifestylebothhuntingandshingtomakealiving.Inthelate1960shemovedtoFortSmithandhascalledithomesince.DenegospeaksfluentChipewyanashisprimarylanguage.NowretiredandlivingattheNorthernLightsSpecialCarehomeinFortSmithDenegosoptimismandcommitmenttoshar-ingtraditionalknowledgehasnotgoneunnoticedbyhisband.AkaitchogovernmenthonoursElderoftheYearJohnstillgetsaroundtownwithhiswheelchairandcontinuestobehappyandeasygoingandnevercom-plainsabouthisailmentsMacDonaldsaid.PhotocourtesyofSuzanneSihikalSmithsLandingFirstNationcouncillorAgnesCheeziepresents89year-oldJohnDenegoofFortSmithwiththeElderoftheYearawardrecognizingalifetimeofcontributions.