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Free Press Wednesday February Dlttrlchos write Letter from Inuvik tells of change to bustling town The 10th news letter from the North West Territories has been sent out by the Rev Douglas Dittrich and his wife Jean telling of their work and life there Mrs Laura has lust returned to Acton after staying in with them due to her daughterin law difficulty In recovering from a broken hip The new baby daughter as well as Ruth Christina and Keith Jean broke her hip a year ago and is still suffering the effects of the fall Highlights of their long letter of general interest follow Doug ran for Town Council along with nine others Although having a longtime interest in politics he had never before tried for public office He topped the by one vote gained a 2year term on Council are eight councillors half of whom are elected each year The mayor Is also elected for two years In connection with his Council duties Doug attended a meeting of the W T Association of Municipalities at tort Simpson located at the forks of the Mackenzie and Rivers November As there is no minister at the church there right now Doug stayed to hold Sunday services Many people will be familiar with the Prudhoe Bay oil discovery on the north Alaska coast to the west of us Doug Joined a tour in March which flew over the tremendous facilities built there but which lie virtually idle awaiting a decision by the Government to allow a pipe line across the State There are several test facilities in operation for studying the feasibility of building pipelines in Arctic permafrost conditions They are financed by many of the major oil gas and pipeline companies On the Mackenzie River there arc three such establishments at Inuvik Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Research Ltd for oil at Norman Wells Gas Arctic Systems Study Group for gas and at the Sans rapids near Good Hope The Northwest Project Study Group also for gas At these sites various tests are being made utilizing the 48- inch diameter pipe proposed for carrying oil and gas to southern markets Bustling town Inuvik now has a somewhat different atmosphere from the place we came to in 1967 It is a growing bustling town of over people The traffic equipment and activity past our door we arc located on the main street is unbelievable at tunes The airport can be hectic in a two week period this month there were 300 flights in and out by giant Hercules aircraft supplying oil camps One petroleum company alone is spending million this winter to drill eleven test wells in the Mackenzie Delta In a few years Inuvik will be joined to southern Canada by road Work has begun south on a gravel road to link with the Dempster Highway coming north through the Yukon Doug travelled the completed portion of the Dempster In August when he took two weeks holiday and vis the Yukon Territory for the first time the most northwesterly Indian settlement in Canada Doug stayed with the Rev Ron Ferris far eight days He continued on by air to Dawson City and spent two days with the Rev Ken Snider who opened the mission in 1057 seeing some of the fascinating sights associated with the famous gold rush from Dawson he went out through beautiful mountainous country to Mile the end of came home with several awards drum dancers won over all other Eskimo donee groups for the top trophy A number of distinguished visitors came to this year although not as many as in Centennial Year 1970 In June Senators was here It was the and final public hearing of the Parliamentary Committee on the Constitution at which Doug made a representation Doug also talked with Robert Stanficld present construction on the large group of MPs and Dempster Highway This road l will eventually go another 200 miles north to Inuvik and then to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic coast Getting a ride by car from Dawson to there are many more roads In the Yukon leader of the Opposition when than the Doug spent lie was here in July Others Labor Day weekend In the Yukon visiting Included David capital There was also a side trip Lewis leader of the and to Carcross in the extreme south General Sharp the Chief of the of the Yukon a beautiful and Defence Staff historic location Doug visited the Tourists now graveyard where Bishop was the first year that ling Ji the children went to the chapel at Stringer Hal the Anglican Hostel The school children In residence there are mainly Eskimo Indian or of mixed backgrounds year they put on a Nativity pageant with lessons and carols After the stockings were hung and the children In bed Jean accompanied Doug to the pin Communion service On Christmas afternoon wo returned to Stringer Hall for the traditional arrival of Santa and for a cup of tea On Christmas Day as on Sundays Doug has a service at 10 a m at the hospital chapel at It a In and J 15 p m in Eskimo at the church There was one service only on December 26 at 11 a members concentrate on dress Being well dressed and well groomed is the project for Club members this spring Training Schools for leaders will be conducted Feb and Feb at Hall by Mrs Dor eon Bannister County Home Economist Homemaking Clubs are open to all girls between 12 and years of A club may be organized by a local leader and an assistant for a minimum of four girls New clubs arc always welcome and further details may be obtained from the Home Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food Main St Milton During the course of the project members will discuss ways to achieve a welldressed well groomed appearance By planning and making an article of loungewcar for themselves they uishuh mis was year only on December 26 at 11 am will learn selection of fabrics a Bompas a pioneer missionary tourists many number have been and evening friends invited a iiji v patterns as well as clothing was buried along with some of noticeable and people to their home for a turkey h b vthe building a bright new look Staff techniques noticeable the original discoverers of the dropped in to Ihe church Some Yukon gold He returned home by direct flight from Doug has been Invited to preach at the Cathedral in Whiteharse on March as he may be there during the 2nd Arctic Winter came on air charters and others on the new Mackenzie River cruise p the Norwcta Stamp collecting has brought Doug many correspondents around the world over the years He is entrance to the Acton Community Centre Photo Games to assist with some of the of the American Society special events and native cultural displays Unhappy trip When Doug and Jean were In for the Ball Doug preached at Holy Trinity Church which brought back memories of the first time he had worshipped there in the summer of 1953 nearly years before While in In March on Church business he accompanied the Steve Collins of the Canadian Bible Society to Fort a large community of Dogrib Indians about miles west of Yellowknifc An unhappy trip was one in March to Fort McPherson for the burial of a young daughter of the minister there killed when she was attacked by a team of husky dogs Inuvik continues to be a centre for many Interesting events In April the annual Top of the World cross country ski meet was held Some of the Inuvik skiers will be going to japan in February to compete in Ihe winter Olympic Games This year the cultural scene was brightened with three touring groups appearing including Canadian Opera Company Such gatherings at the Canadian Northern Science the University of Canada North proposed centre of high learning also took place The 2nd annual Northern Games which is a weekend of traditional native games dancing crafts skills and displays took much of Doug s tune in July as he is still the secretary This gettogether of northern people from as far away as Point Barrow Alaska in the above zero instead of the 30 to below we often experience at the end of December New Construction Inuvik growth is reflected in all the new construction started this year water and sewer extensions to most of the areas were completed a dairy and a drug store were opened the million a huge success Top drum dancers The weekend following Northern Games Doug and Jean accompanied an Inuvik contingent which included the Delta Drummers and Dancers and the Inuvik Games Team lo the World Eskimo Olympics at Fairbanks Alaska a city of It was our trip to Alaska We were billeted at the finished a tenroom addition to the secondary school is under way a new Forestry building is up from our house a 36- umt apartment building is near in completion more units of row housing are under construction and early in a senior citizens home is to be built Scattered around the whole community are over trailer homes brought in to supply University of Alaska situated in immediate housing for the many spot just outside the city Jean was on crutches but still managed to see something of and attend the Olympic events which brought together Eskimo and Indian part from all over Alaska Inuvik team did well and Suggest question period for press a trial basis Ma sales suggested the proposal be referred back to committee I quite sure we said Members of Acton council were all guests of the Fergus town fathers for their Monday night meeting Both committees of Acton council will be asked to consider a proposal made by Councillors Marks and Norm Elliott that a minute portion of regular council meetings be defeat it right here reserved for members of press radio and television to ask questions The question session would be part of the enquiries period Marks and Elliott got the idea after attending a meeting of Fergus council as guests Monday night w grosbeaks at one time in his bird who t questioned an article at one time or another Marks told his colleagues If any of our statements sound ambiguous they could be cleared up in a question period Belter information Elliott felt questions could serve lo better inform other members of council on some matters Councillor Earl Ma sales reminded the two members of the press are enlightened to a degree in that they axe given copies of committee meeting minutes Marks replied that in Fergus the press are now being allowed to attend committee meetings on new residents here mainly because of the oil exploration Doug still has Thought for Today six mornings a week on alternate weeks on radio The Sunday School is a community one with teaching on a denominational basis was the year of the Jesus Movement the Jesus Revolution or the Jesus People however you may wish to describe it This six of these young people to Inuvik two are the others Canadian and made their witness particularly to the local people to their Faith Their zeal and friendliness was a positive influence In the town Two of the girls remained here and been continuing their Christian work Christmas time On Eve in the Wiliiim Passport Industrial Portraits PHONE 8532269 CHANGE OF ADDRESS Mitchs Roofing NOW RR I MOFFAT 8549894 at Polar Philatelists The editor of this Society magazine Bernard Coyne of Paso Texas arrived on the Norwcta on September 10 find visited with us for a weekend July was the of the official of by former Prime Minister Hie Hon John Die fen baker As the small area around the monument in the Town square marking this was rather neglected Doug took it upon himself to landscape it despite the hordes of mosquitoes with rocks topsail and flowers The weather In June and early July was beautiful and we again started a little flower garden beside the house But August was a bad month for weather and most of the plants were just beginning to reach their peak when the frost came in September We brought some of them inside to complement the we grow under lights all year round The snow came early this year and by midOctober we had inches Even the old timers did not remember as much snow so early The Christmas season however is one of the mildest on record with Conference and meetings about the temperatures a little below or v CLASSIFIED IS FOR IF YOU BUY SELL TRADE HIRE OR RENT IS THE NUMBER TO CAU FOR WANT ADS DISPLAY 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