The minister responsible made no commitment to including a replacement for Naujaat’s community hall in the government’s five-year capital plan. Since the hall burned down Oct. 8, youth that relied on it as a safe place to gather have been forced to look elsewhere, and organizers of community events hosted here have had to find new venues.
Aivilik MLA Solomon Malliki questioned David Joanasie, minister of Community and Government Services, on opening day of the new legislative assembly sitting Oct. 26.
“I am confident that the minister will agree with me when I say that the community hall was essential to the community,” said Malliki, asking if Joanasie could confirm funding to replace the Naujaat community hall would be included in the department’s five-year plan.
“I appreciate where the member is coming from, and as noted, there have been some different fires that our territory has faced, but we do try to proceed with what’s available to us, and given our capital plans we’ll be presenting today, those have been under development for quite some time. And the capital planning process and adding a new project at this stage is not… I can’t commit that it will be within our five-year capital plan at this time,” said Joanasie through interpretation.
Malliki also asked for an update on the fire marshal’s investigation into the cause of the fire.
Joanasie said his department has not yet received a copy of that report.