Fort Good Hope hasn't had an indoor hockey rink in close to a decade

Joe Grandjambe said he can still recall what it was like playing in Fort Good Hope's indoor rink when it was open.

Grandjambe, who has lived in the Northwest Territories community nearly all his life, said people would come from across the territory for hockey tournaments. He said the sport teaches youth about working as a team and being organized and disciplined.

He said said the rink closing almost a decade ago was "terrible" for the community.

“You’ve got nothing for the younger people to do anymore.”

The arena has been abandoned since it closed, according to Fort Good Hope Chief Shawn Grandjambe. He said the rink closed because of a fire code violation that requires a costly repair, and that his priority is to help get the place up and running again.

The chief said he wants the N.W.T. government to step up and help repair the building as soon as possible. In fact, he wants more than just a new rink for his community at this point.

“I wouldn’t mind for the community to have a sportsplex, like a multiplex,” he said.

He also imagined it could have a food stand inside, saying the whole project could create more jobs for the people in his community.

The chief said he’s not sure how much that project would cost. In the meantime, he said not having an indoor rink leaves youth with little to do.

Residents do have an outdoor rink to play on, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to access. In the second week of December, for example, he said it was too cold to go skating outside.

The chief said that's all the the more reason for youth to have access to indoor sports.

In an email to CBC News, the territory’s Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) said the rink is owned by the community.

“MACA provides annual capital funding to the community government that they can use to repair the arena. The use of the funds is the decision of the community government, and no prior approval is needed from MACA,” the department said.

According to the department, Fort Good Hope’s capital funding for 2025-2026 is $1,264,000.

Both Shawn and Joe Grandjambe say the territory needs to provide more funding and that the current allotment isn't enough for a new facility.

Shawn Grandjambe said funding should be earmarked for a proposed multiplex facility.