By: Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT – A new Nunavut Inuit Heritage Centre in Iqaluit would bring home some of the territory’s artifacts, and offer new space for the community to gather for performances and cultural activities.

Annette Kurtzmann of Dorte Mandrup Architects presented her company’s plans for the new centre at a community meeting Tuesday night at the Franco-Centre, attended by about 20 people.

The Inuit Heritage Trust awarded the contract to the Denmark-based architectural firm last year.

While outlining some of its key features, Kurtzmann said the centre is the “most exciting project” she has been a part of.

From the outside, the building will be built into an Iqaluit hillside, with a roof people can walk on and large windows.

The exterior design is meant to reflect a respect for nature, Kurtzmann said.

Architects and the Nunavut Inuit Heritage Trust are primarily eyeing a location near Upper Plateau, behind the Aqsarniit hotel for the building. They are also considering an alternate hillside location off the Road to Apex, near the Arctic Winter Games Arena.

Initial plans for the inside of the museum present amenities such as a theatre, museum and gallery spaces, a cafe, workshops, space for traditional food preparation, office space and storage for historic artifacts.

The members of the public at the meeting asked questions and raised some concerns about the centre. Some of the issues included water and electricity servicing, programming, as well as how the potential Plateau location may be impacted by ongoing developments.

Some other significant developments in the area include three eight-storey highrises planned by TBG Construction and a new Qikiqtani Inuit Association-led subdivision.

Speaking to Nunatsiaq News, Kurtzmann said the designs presented are only the first phase of the project.

A new Nunavut Inuit Heritage Centre would be built on an Iqaluit hillside. 

This week, her team is touring the proposed sites, visiting local organizations and businesses, and meeting with Inuit organizations, Nunavut government officials and city planning staff.

“We need to gather a lot of information when we’re here this week,” she said.

“The next phase, you kind of shape the building even more, and go into really placing it and start to look at more of the structural and technical parts of the building.”

William Beveridge, executive director of the Nunavut Inuit Heritage Trust, said he anticipates the building will cost more than $100 million and be completed within the next five to seven years.

He said the new centre will serve as an important venue reflecting the history of all of Nunavut’s communities, where people can learn about Inuit history and cultural practices.

Another important part of the building: it will be home to more than 140,000 Inuit artifacts which are currently housed in facilities down south, such as the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Canadian Museum of Nature.

“Having the collection return to Nunavut, we can use it to teach with, to learn where and how Inuit survived in one of the harshest countries, one of the harshest lands in the world,” Beveridge said.

“We’ve lost a lot of elders over time, and the role of true elders is shrinking and we need to build this heritage centre to help repatriate our culture.”