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Iqaluit, NU
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Iqaluit (; , ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ in Inuktitut syllabics), formerly Frobisher Bay, is the territorial capital and the largest community of Canada's youngest territory, Nunavut. As of the 2006 census the population was 6,184, an increase of 18.1% from the 2001 census; it has the lowest population of any capital city in Canada. Iqaluit was selected to serve as the new territory's capital in a territory-wide referendum, in which it was chosen over Rankin Inlet. Inhabitants of Iqaluit are called Iqalummiut (singular: Iqalummiuq).
HistoryBegun in 1942 as an American airbase, Iqaluit's first permanent inhabitant was Nakasuk, an Inuk guide who helped American planners to choose the site. One of Iqaluit's elementary schools is named after Nakasuk. Long regarded as a campsite and fishing spot by the Inuit, the place chosen had traditionally been named Iqaluit - "many fish" in Inuktitut - but Canadian and American authorities baptised it Frobisher Bay, after the official name of the body of water it abuts.
HistoryBegun in 1942 as an American airbase, Iqaluit's first permanent inhabitant was Nakasuk, an Inuk guide who helped American planners to choose the site. One of Iqaluit's elementary schools is named after Nakasuk. Long regarded as a campsite and fishing spot by the Inuit, the place chosen had traditionally been named Iqaluit - "many fish" in Inuktitut - but Canadian and American authorities baptised it Frobisher Bay, after the official name of the body of water it abuts.
The Hudson's Bay Company moved its south Baffin operations to the neighbouring valley of Niaqunngut, officially called Apex, in 1949 to take advantage of the airfield. The population of Frobisher Bay increased rapidly during the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line (DEW line, a system of radar stations, see NORAD) in the mid-1950s. Hundreds of construction workers, military personnel and administrative staff moved into the community, and several hundred Inuit followed to take advantage of the access to medical care and jobs the base provided. Of the town's 1,200 residents, 489 were reported to be Inuit in 1957. After 1959, the Canadian government established permanent services at Frobisher Bay, including full-time doctors, a school and social services. The Inuit population grew rapidly in response, as the government encouraged Inuit to settle permanently in communities with government services.
The American military left Iqaluit in 1963, as ICBMs diminished the strategic value of the DEW line and Arctic airbases, but Frobisher Bay remained the government's administrative and logistical centre for much of the eastern Arctic. In 1964, the first elections were held for a community council, and in 1979 for the first mayor. The founding of the Gordon Robertson Educational Centre (now Inukshuk high school) in the early-1970s at Iqaluit confirmed the government's commitment to the community as an administrative centre. At the time of its founding, it was the sole high school operating in more than a seventh of Canadian territory.
On January 1, 1987, the name of this municipality was officially changed from "Frobisher Bay" to "Iqaluit" - aligning official usage with the name that the Inuit population had always used. In December 1995, it was selected in a referendum to be the future capital of Nunavut and on April 19, 2001 it was officially recognized as a city.
Timeline 1576 - Englishman Martin Frobisher sails into Frobisher Bay believing he has found the route to China 1861 - Charles Francis Hall, an American, camps at the Sylvia Grinnell River and explores the waters of Koojesse Inlet, which he names after his Inuit guide 1942 - U.S. Army Air Corps selects Iqaluit’s current location as the site of a major air base 1949 - The HBC moves its trading post from Ward Inlet to Apex 1955 - Frobisher Bay becomes the centre for U.S. Canada Dew Line construction operations 1958 - Telephone exchange service established by Bell Canada 1963 - US military move out of Iqaluit 1964 - First community council formed; population of Frobisher Bay is 900 1970 - Frobisher Bay officially recognized as a Settlement 1974 - Settlement of Frobisher Bay gains village status 1976 - Inuit present the Nunavut proposal to the Federal government 1979 - First mayor elected 1980 - Frobisher Bay designated as a town 1982 - Government of Canada agrees in principle to the creation of Nunavut 1987 - Frobisher Bay officially becomes Iqaluit, reverting to its original Inuktitut name meaning "place of many fish" 1993 - The Nunavut Land Claim Agreement is signed in Iqaluit 1995 - Nunavut residents select Iqaluit as capital of the new territory April 1, 1999 - The Territory of Nunavut officially comes into being April 19, 2001 - Iqaluit receives its Order of Official status as a cityGeographyIqaluit is located in the Everett Mountains rising from Koojesse Inlet, an inlet of Frobisher Bay, on the south-east part of Baffin Island. It is well to the east of Nunavut's mainland, and northeast of Hudson Bay.
Communities- Apex
About 5 km south-east from Iqaluit's centre is the community of Apex, or in Inuktitut known as Niaqunngut. It is located on a small peninsula separating Koojesse Inlet from Tarr Inlet. Historically Apex was the place where most Inuit lived when Iqaluit was a military site and off-limits to anyone not working at the base. Located here are the women's shelter, a church, a primary school, and a bed-and-breakfast.
ClimateIqaluit has a typically arctic climate, with very cold winters and short summers that are too cool to permit the growth of trees. Average monthly temperatures are below freezing for eight months of the year.. Iqaluit's precipitation averages just over 400 millimetres annually, much wetter than many other localities in the Canadian Arctic islands, with the summer being the wettest season.
Architecture and attractionsMuch of Iqaluit's architecture is functional - designed to minimize material costs, while retaining heat and withstanding the climate. Early architecture runs from the 1950s military barracks of the original DEW line installation, through the 1970s white hyper-modernist fibreglass block of the Nakasuk elementary school, to the lines of the steel-reinforced concrete high-rise complex on the hill above it. The newer buildings are more colourful and diverse, and closer to the norms of southern architecture, but largely unremarkable.
The principal exception is the Nunavut Legislative Assembly Building, which is remarkable for its colourful interior, adorned with some of the very best in Inuit art.
Another distinctive building was St. Jude's Anglican Cathedral which was a white building shaped like an igloo. Originally built by the parishioners, the altar was shaped like a traditional Inuit sled, and the cross composed of two crossed narwhal tusks. An incident of arson severely affected the Cathedral structure and interior on 5 November 2005, and it was finally demolished on June 1, 2006. Fundraising is in hand for rebuilding the Cathedral. On a ridge overlooking the city is the distinctive blue and white Inuksuk High School. The school is made up of four square sections joined together that give a clover leaf shape when viewed from the air.
The city is also the location of the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum, which houses a large collection of Inuit and Arctic objects.
Just west of Iqaluit is the Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park Reserve. This park is characterised by the valley of the Sylvia Grinnell River. A small visitor's centre with viewing platform is located on top of a hill overlooking scenic falls in the river.
Nearby on an island near the Peterhead inlet, is the Qaummaarviit Territorial Historic Park. It is a site with a long Inuit history and numerous artifacts have been recovered, including the remains of 11 semi-buried sod houses.
A little farther, across Frobisher Bay, are the Katannilik Territorial Park and the Soper Heritage River Park.
Media- Radio
AM 1230 - CFFB, CBC Radio One FM 88.3 - CBM-FM-3, CBC Radio Two FM 93.3 - CIQA-FM, weather, marine info FM 99.9 - CKIQ-FM, adult contemporary FM 107.3 - CFRT-FM, community radio (French)- Television
Channel 8 - CFFB, CBC North Channel 10 - CH4161, APTN Channel 12 - CH2260, SRCExternal links City of Iqualit - Official website Iqaluit webcam via CBC North
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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