#ValueofTourismNWT: Tulita's Tim Tomczynski

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Blog Entries

February 18, 2020

In Tulita, families stroll the 8km of groomed trail between the Mackenzie River and Bear River Campgrounds; they sit down to enjoy meals together under covered gazebos and hold sharing circles within a campground teepee.  

“One of the results of the parks is that they’re bringing families together and getting them active,” says Tim Tomczynski, Tulita’s Economic Development Officer. “With the gazebos, fire pits and BBQs, families are coming down and eating together and spending time outdoors together.”

It’s one of the unanticipated perks of the development of Mackenzie River and Bear River Campgrounds, which opened in 2017 and 2019 respectively. Originally, the infrastructure was built for tourists, often those paddling the Mackenzie River or taking part in guided excursions by one of the Sahtu’s tour operators. While hundreds of tourists have enjoyed the amenities, locals are also happy to use the infrastructure to keep healthy and family-focused.

From picnic tables, tent pads, heated Macpherson tents, a cookhouse and a beach volleyball area, there is something for every community member to enjoy. In fact, the healthy foods program has often used the outdoor spaces. Courses have been offered on food preservation, vacuum-sealing meat, berry picking, jam-making and brewing labrador tea.

The enthusiasm has snowballed.

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“We have many irons in the fire,” Tomczynski says. “We started a video club for youth where they interview elders about traditions and growing up. We want to create a video library that tourists can look at when they come in.”

Tomczynski speaks with enthusiasm as he details plans for completing a band stand that will be used for jam sessions, and his hopes to build a rustic cabin that can be used as an interpretive centre but he cautions that they’re growing slowly, making sure they don’t bite off more than they can chew.

The community hosted their first-ever tourism conference in 2018 and they’ve been working hard to build a sustainable home-grown tourism industry.

“We have some great ambassadors in our community. If we know when a group of visitors is coming we’ll set up a drum dance, host a feast, and invite our local artists to come out and host demonstrations so visitors can leave with something authentic and handmade,” Tomczynski explains.

As he walks the stretch of trail between parks he listens to gyrfalcons soaring overhead. It’s secluded and peaceful and he enjoys uninterrupted views of Bear Rock. The air is crisp and bright orange and yellow leaves fall along the trail. From Tomczynski’s view, it looks like he’s walking up a yellow brick road. While it may not be the Emerald City that the path leads to, one thing is for certain: great things lies ahead.  

We know that the tourism industry creates jobs and a healthier economy, but what about the not-so-obvious benefits? #ValueOfTourismNWT is a blog series highlighting the ways the tourism industry contributes to our communities that can often be overlooked.

From tourism facilities and services that locals can also enjoy, to cultural preservation and community wellness, there are countless ways the territory’s growing tourism industry benefits locals. Follow the blog series to learn more.