| These four-unit multi-coloured housing units were used as PMQs by the
Navy mainly for leading Seamen and below. The buildings were built on 'stilts'
to enable air circulation beneath the structure thus avoiding the unnecessarily
melting of the permafrost. Here you see the accumulation of snow
up to the building's base, but the stilts are visible on the aluminum 'utilidor'
(foreground, bottom) which supplied water and heat to all buildings in
the 'serviced' area of the town. It also carried waste water and sewage
away from the buildings for disposal. Petty Officers and above were
assigned individual houses, which were also constructed on 'stilts' and
connected to the 'utilidor'. This photo was taken in 1960, the year prior
to the RCN's move from Aklavik. (From the collection of D.S.K. Blackmore
submitted by Donna Loewen) |
