Summer students and young employees of Nunavut Parks are performing a labour of love on the land.
"We all grew up together," says Evan Savikataaq, 20, the full-time maintenance officer "It's a great working environment. We all work together pretty well."
For many, this is not their first summer on the parks crew.
"I like to work outside," comments Zachery Carpenter, 21, a UBC student back home in the territory for the summer. "We get to do that a lot, and go boating."
"People enjoy the park," adds 19-year-old Kaj Sandbakken. "It's nice to see our work makes a difference to people."
"I worked [for the environmental technology program], and helped these guys out for one day," says Jack Allakariallak, 21, who's working at Nunavut Parks for a fourth year. "I don't like working in an office. This is the opposite of an office... it's just a fun job outdoors."
"We get to learn as well as teach in our community," adds 19-year-old Jasmine Evic-Lem.
"It just sounded like a good opportunity and really fun," says Eden Aglukark, 22, who is enrolled in a tree health program at Algonquin College in Ontario.
The group spends workdays SA国际影视传媒� which follow an 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule with some overtime and weekends SA国际影视传媒� opening, closing, maintaining and cleaning the parks and facilities. That also involves collecting about 20 bags of garbage per week.
"For the most part, people aren't accurate when they toss their trash," says Allakariallak.
One of their regular tasks involves clearing the remains of campfires after people burn pallets.
"It's pretty heartbreaking to see. There are signs everywhere asking people not to do that. It's not fun cleaning up char and nails," Allakariallak adds.
The group takes obvious pride in their work maintaining Iqaluit Kuunga (Sylvia Grinnell Park), as well as the other areas under their care. An average day consists of checking the garbage receptacles, cleaning and spraying down the washrooms, tearing down abandoned camps, reorganizing the fire pits and picnic tables and completing other projects and tasks. Recently, the team spent four days rebuilding the walking path at Sylvia Grinnell.
"We're a pretty self-sufficient place," says Savikataaq. "That's our boss's motto: if we can do it, we do it."
The team is also on hand to provide guidance to hikers and campers, of which there are about 400 weekly during the summer.
"We do our best to help them out, so we get a lot of positive feedback," comments Carpenter.
In the winter, Savikataaq, Allakariallak, and casual employee Aiden Williams, 19, also work to maintain a clear roadway, mostly used to access the water, a task they describe as a "struggle."
The year-round workers also perform "anything necessary for cabin maintenance" for the nine cabins between Iqaluit and Kimmirut, which are used extensively by hunters and hikers in both communities during the winter season, "as soon as the trail is usable." They also maintain the qarmait SA国际影视传媒� shelters originally built from whale jaws and ribs and covered in sealskins SA国际影视传媒� in Qaummaarviit Territorial Park.
"They have to go through us any time they do a hike," says Savikataaq.
