Originally built in 1930 at a cost of $10,000, St. Luke’s Mission Hospital provided healthcare to the Inuit of Baffin Island until 1972, when it was replaced by government-run nursing station. It then served as the home of the Arthur Turner Training School, training several generations of Arctic clergy between 1972 and when the buildings were finally declared beyond repair in 2007. Expanded several times over the years, the wing built by the federal government in the late 50s/ early 60s is believed to be full of asbestos and therefore requiring specialized equipment and a trained crew to remove the building; thus it has sat all these years. Though the hospital was a joint venture between the diocese and the federal government, changes to which federal department took responsibility for northern infrastructure and Inuit healthcare over the decades means no department was stepping up to assist with the remediation.

Thanks be to God, there is an asbestos-certified crew coming to angnirtung in October to remediate some other problem buildings. Jack Hicks, the new Senior Administrative Officer in Pangnirtung, has worked closely with the local Vestry to arrange for the demolition of the old buildings! This will now become a great opportunity to re-develop this property for the benefit of the local community.