The Inuvik Community Greenhouse will celebrate its 20th year of incorporation by focusing on building community.
The 2018 annual general meeting of the Community Garden Society of Inuvik was held April 21. "In 2018, the focus is going to be community, community, community," said Ray Solotki, the greenhouse's executive director. "That's really what we want to make sure everyone knows – we have space for everyone, we have opportunities for everyone, and we really want to represent everyone that we possibly can in the greenhouse."
Samantha McKay/NNSL photo
Solotki said one way this will be achieved is through a celebratory community feast.
"We'd like to celebrate our 20th year, and we'd like to do it in a respectful way that shows the people of Inuvik that we understand where we've come from, but also where we'd like to go," she said. "That direction is to have anyone who lives in Inuvik to feel that they have a place in the greenhouse. Whatever the history of the building is, it's the future that we want to focus on."
Another way the greenhouse will foster inclusivity this year is through a newer, more secure and accessible door. The building's current door currently freezes shut and is difficult to open. She said last summer there were a number of break-ins due to its unreliability.
Solotki is hoping to switch the greenhouse to a key card system similar to the one used at the Midnight Sun Complex's gym.
"We're hoping that this will increase security as well as make us more accessible," she said.
An Arctic food conference is also in the works, which will aim to make high Arctic, remote community agriculture – especially in greenhouse format – more accessible to remote Northern communities.
Though the conference is still in planning stages, Solotki hopes it will help remote communities figure out how to make fresh produce more accessible.
Another long-term goal for the greenhouse's community accessibility effort is to create an off-site, year-round food production facility.
The facility would aim to provide local fresh produce in Inuvik year round.
"It will open up employment opportunities," she said. "It's a long-term project and it'll hopefully bring major changes to the North."