Big job, some payoffs for small businesses, artists during Arctic Winter Games

Despite limited sporting facilities, a small pool of volunteers and a three hour drive between the two towns, the communities of Hay River and Fort Smith, N.W.T., successfully hosted the Arctic Winter Games this March — redefining how and where the international sporting and cultural event can be hosted.

It's something the games' International Committee president Jens Brinch told CBC his committee is experimenting with — allowing smaller northern communities to support about 2,000 athletes and officials.

In the past, the bids were awarded to larger cities like Fairbanks, Alaska, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Nuuk, Greenland.

Business owners in Hay River and Fort Smith said the games were a welcome financial boost, even if the numbers fell short of expectations.

Laurie Young owns the Rusty Raven Gallery and café in Fort Smith.

Young said she saw an increase in sales, but it wasn't as busy as she thought it would be.

Maybe we needed to prove to ourselves. And we did.- Jane Groenewegen

"I'm sure there are many things that could have been done differently within our community that might have helped out the small businesses and artists. But that is in hindsight," said Young. 

"It was a huge undertaking for our small towns and we've all learned so much. We will be ready for anything next time."

Michel Labine, also of Fort Smith, is a Métis stained glass artist and drum maker. Despite a slow start, he made $8,500 during the games.

Labine said he and other artists relied on word of mouth and their own social media to bring people in — not the advertising he said they were promised up until a few weeks before the games.

"I did well. I welcome the games but I think more should have been done to promote the non [athletic] portions," Labine said.

• Métis artist Michel Labine turns snowshoes and drums into stained glass

In Hay River, the bowling alley Lizard's Lounge and Lanes offered extended hours, and it paid off.

"It was worth it for sure. The lanes were full most of the time," said manger Tracy Cross Gauthier, whose customers were mainly athletes.

Like most businesses that did well, Lizard's was an easy walking distance to the venues and dorms.

Cross Gauthier said profits were so good she offered free bowling one day to say thank you to her visiting "regulars," like the group from Nunavut.

She said watching people experience the cosmic glow bowling for the first time was priceless.

"The look on people's faces and their smiles. That was a highlight," Cross Gauthier said.

Polar Egg, a local Hay River egg farm, saw a spike in commercial sales in both communities.

"Instead of 83,000 eggs in a week, we sold 126,000. So a decent bump because normally it is quiet during spring break," said manager Caitlind Dobbs.

Modest increases 'better than nothing'

But there were exceptions.

An employee at a popular convenience store known for fast food described the modest increases in sales as "better than nothing."

Several people in both towns said they thought news of limited accommodations kept would-be spectators away.

The president of the Arctic Winter Games host society, Greg Rowe, recognized some business owners may have been disappointed.

"From an economic standpoint, I don't know if there was the real boom that we expected," said Rowe.

Thirty minutes up the road in Enterprise, Winnie Cadieux had no complaints.

Word of mouth and social media brought people to her highway gift shop specializing in traditional Indigenous crafts.

Cadieux said the sale of moose hide slippers, purses and beaded card holders "boomed."

"It might not sound like very much but I probably sold $4,000 over the week. That's almost what I make in one month in the summertime," Cadieux said.

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For many longtime South Slave residents, it's not just money but the exposure the games generated.

"One of the legacies is that [we] can host a large event and do it well, which maybe we needed to prove to ourselves. And we did," said Jane Groenewegen, a business owner in Hay River and former MLA.

"It took a lot of volunteers and a lot of co-ordination but I think it went extremely well."

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