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NewFortSmithBBoffershomeawayfromhome13TuesdayFebruary42013ByMEAGANWOHLBERGAnewinnhasopeneditsdoorstowearytravelerswantingtocozyupforthenightinFortSmithpromis-ingalltheamenitiesofonesownhome.Entrepreneurialinn-keeperJanieHobartsaidshewantshernewbedandbreakfastInnTriallairetoserveasafull-onhomeawayfromhomeforvisitorscomingtothecommunitywhethertheybebusinesstravelersortouristswantingtospendtheweekend.Iwantittohavethatwarmwelcomingfeelsheshared.Ithinkwiththen-ishesweputinImhopingthatwhenpeoplecometoFortSmiththeyllfeellikeitslikebeinginahouse-somebodyshome.Theweeinnlocatedinwhatisrememberedastheolddentalclinicat55Por-tageAve.boastsarustichip-roofedcottagestylear-chitecturewhiletheinte-riordesignmixesacleanpolishednishaccentedbyuniqueprimarilyantiquepiecesthatareasinterna-tionalasitsnamemanyofwhichwerepickeduponHobartstravels.ThewallsofTriallairewhichmeanstravelerinGaeliccomingfromHo-bartsfeudingfamilyheri-tageofIrishandScottishfeatureaglitteringsarifromIndiaunnishedturn-of-the-centurywoodenfurni-tureastampedtinveneerinthekitchenandwainscotingthatharkensbacktoanoldtrainstation.Butthetruecentrepieceoftheestablishment-andtheinspirationbehindtheentiredesign-arethean-tiqueironlightxturesthathanginthediningroomwhichHobartpurchasedfromRestorationHardwarelongbeforesheboughtthebuilding.Everybodycommentsonthelightsshesaid.ApartfromtheregularbedandbreakfastserviceHobartoffersafullystockedkitchenandalltheamenitiesevenslippersandintendstooffereveningmeals-acrockpotofsomethingwarm-fortiredtravelerswhorequestit.Shedalsoliketoseetheplaceturnintoahubofcul-tureofferingavenueforcookingorcraftingcourseswithaplaceforout-of-townparticipantstospendthenight.Allofushavetraveledandthesearethethingswewishwehadinotherplacesshesaid.Hobartsaidherdreamofhavingabedandbreakfastwasanoldone.ItssomethingthatIal-wayswantedtodoandonceIretiredthenIcouldshesaidwithalaugh.ButaspresidentofthelocalChamberofCommerceHo-bartsaidshesalsoawareoftheshortageofrentalunitsintownaswellasguestspaceduringlargegatherings.ApartfromthetwobedroomBBplusahide-a-bedtheupstairsoftheinnisafullyservicedapartmenttogoalongwithherfourotherrentalunitsintown.Shealsomadethecon-sciousdecisiontosupportasmanylocalbusinessesaspossiblepurchasingmostoftheconstructionmateri-alsappliancesanddecorintownandemployingsome35localjourneymenappren-ticesandlabourersfromstarttonish.ThemostnotableofthoseHobartsaidhasbeenGen-evieveCotwhodidalloftheinteriornishingonthebuilding.Gendidsuchamazingworkonthewoodworkitssopretty.AnditswhatIwantedHobartsaid.Itwasmuchlongerthanex-pectedbutGensawmyvisionnoteverybodyseesit.ThisiswhatIwaslook-ingfor.Becausetheclinic-to-inntransformationrequiredacompletegutjobHobartsaideverythingfromthewallstotheheatedoorsplumbingandelectricalwereinstalledbylocalcontractors.WhileHobartjokedthatCotwasmarvellousinputtingupwithallofhercrazyideasCotsaidsheenjoyedthechallengeofputtingtogethersomethingunique.Itsfuntodocoolstufftogetoutoftheboxwhenyoustartbuildingtogetoutofwhateverybodydoesandputincoolbacksplashesandshelvesandcastironbrack-etsandfunkylightsCotsaid.Itsdifferent.AgrandopeningisplannedforFeb.13.TobookastayattheInnTriallairecall867-872-0931PhotoMeaganWohlbergByMARIACHURCHLinWardspendsherwin-tershardatworkinOntariobutcomesummerwhensheandherhusbandonceagaintraveluptoNormanWellstolaunchtheircanoesanddiptheirpaddlesintooneoftheSahtuspristineriverslifesgoodagain.Thatswhatsamazingaboutcanoetripsishowsim-plethingsareonceyoureontheriver.ItsmorelikewhatwethinklifeshouldbethanwhatlifeisWardsharedwithTheJournal.Alltheresponsibilitiesfalloffyourshouldersandthereyouarejustouttherehavingagreattime.ItsthatsenseofoutdoorserenitythatWardco-ownerandoperatorofCanoeNorthAdventureswantsallhercli-entstondduringtheir10-15daytripsononeofthesevenNWTriversthetourcom-panyguides.Wardandherbusinesspart-nerandhusbandAlPaceruntheircanoeadventurecom-panyoutofalodgenearNor-manWellsandhavebeenop-eratingformorethan20years.Thehistorybehindthecompanydatesbacktothe1970swhenPacerstgotatasteofArcticcanoeingonatripdowntheCoppermineRiverinnorthernNWTandwhatisnowNunavut.HewasanOntariopad-dlerbutthatjustlaunchedhimintopaddlingintheNorthandthatkindofdraggedmeintoittooWardexplained.TravelingandpaddlinginvariousArcticcommunitieseventuallybroughtthecou-pletoNormanWellswheretheydecidedthelandscapeandcanoeingopportunitieswereunmatched.NormanWellsisuniqueintheworldforwhatitof-fersinwildernesscanoetrippingthevarietyofriv-ersthenumberofriversthebeautyofthemandtheremotebutaccessiblewil-dernessWardsaid.Thecanoeingcouplecouldonlywardofffriendsde-mandingattendanceontheirArcticadventuretripsforsolongshesaid.CanoeNorthAdventureswasinevitablybornwithahomebaseinNormanWells.Wardsaiditsremotelo-cationmeansthecompanycaneasilyoffer10-15daytripscoveringhundredsofmilesdowntheriverincompletebreathtakingwilderness.Whileitstartedoffsmallandstrugglingthecompanyhasgrownsignicantlyoverthelastseveralyearsdueinparttotheburgeoningap-pealofadventuretourism.ConvincingsouthernerstoadventuretotheNorthisbecominglessandlessdif-cultWardsaid.TherearealotofpeoplenowreallytryingtomarkettheNorthandtheNorth-westTerritoriesshesaid.Thereshugeadventureuphereandpeoplearestartingtocome.Since2009thecompanyhastripleditsbusinessandaddedtheexpertiseofWardandPacessonTaylorPace.Betweenthethreeofthemthecompanyran10tripsforapproximately120clientslastyear.In2012CanoeNorthAd-venturesKeeleRivertourwasnamedaCanadianSig-natureExperiencebytheCanadianTourismCom-missionjoiningtheranksoftheCalgaryStampedeWhistlerBlackcombandtheCNTower.CompanywinsFrozenGlobeWardstrayedfromherusualwinter-summertravelroutineandmadethetriptotheNWTlastweektoreceivenotonebuttwogiantballsofglassalsoknownastheFrozenGlobeawards.TheawardsaregivenoutannuallybyUpHereBusi-nessMagazinetotheNWTstopbusinesses.Standingoutamidstaplethoraofcontend-ersCanoeNorthAdven-turestookhometwotitlesTopNWTEntrepreneurandOverallTopNorthernEntrepreneur.Icamebackwithtwoeight-poundglassglobesinmysuitcaseWardex-claimedwithalaugh.Withsomanyamazingcompaniesinthenomina-tionsincludingYellowknifesMyBackyardToursPolarEggsinHayRiverandAu-roraVillageinYellowknifeWardsaidshewasshockedbythenominationnevermindactuallyreceivingtheaward.Itsahugehonourtowinitshesaid.WardcreditedthebusinesscomraderyintheSahtuwiththecompanyssuccess.Peoplearesowelcomingandsohelpful.WewenttoNormanWellsbecausetheriversaresobeautifulbutalsobecauseofthesupportthatwegotwhenwewentthereshesaid.CanoeingentrepreneursfindblissonSahturiversCanoeNorthAdventureswinsFrozenGlobebusinessawardsIndustrySmallBusinessPhotoKenPowellIndustrySmallBusinessJanieHobartownerandoperatorofFortSmithsnewestbedandbreakfastwantstravelerstofeelathomeatInnTriallaire.FromleftTaylorPaceAlPaceandLinWardspendeverysummerleadingcanoetoursforCanoeNorthAdventures.