Qikiqtani Inuit plot the future of Iqaluit’s Inuit land

Right now it’s a large vacant lot on Federal Road, stretching from the trailer park to the municipal garage. In a few years, this swath of land could be home to a subdivision, a hotel and conference centre, heritage museum and visual arts centre.

“If you were to stand at the Four Corners and look down towards Northmart and kinda look down that street that might be kinda what you see the other way,” Bernie MacIsaac, the director of lands for the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, told City Council at a planning at development meeting earlier this week.

The Qikiqtani Inuit Association and Qikiqtaaluk Corporation have already produced some conceptual designs for a heritage museum and performing arts centre, but first they need to finalize a general use plan. That will outline which blocks of land will be used for commercial and residential purposes.

This week, they took those plans to city council and the public for discussion.

About a dozen people attended a meeting on Wednesday night to talk about the plans, including Iqaluit resident Laakkuluk Williamson-Bathory.

She’s like to see an Inuktitut daycare included, citing the long waiting list at the current one, Tumikulluit.

“There are Inuit families who speak Inuktitut and their children have that language as their mother tongue,” she said. “But there are also Inuit families who don't speak Inuktitut but would like to learn and those are different kinds of learners. And there are also non-Inuit who would like to learn Inuktitut from scratch.”

Newkinga Nakashook was also at the meeting.

“Hopefully they open the arts and culture for the next generation of kids,” he said.

One consultant says the plans are still flexible.

A general use plan is expected to be submitted to the City of Iqaluit by the end of March.