Yellowknife Community Foundation Awards First Grant from Barbara Bromley Fund for Seniors and Elders

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10 October 2017

The Yellowknife Community Foundation is excited to announce the award of its first grant from the Barbara Bromley Fund for Seniors and Elders. The Yellowknife Seniors Society will be receiving a grant of nearly $3,000 to assist with improvements to the Ed Baker Centre sound system and for computer equipment.

Barb Bromley was a woman committed to making Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories a better place to live. She passed away in 2015. Barb was a nurse whose personal commitment to the north helped define the term community builder. As a senior’s advocate, community volunteer, business owner and family member she built a legacy of more than 50 years of helping improve the lives of others.

“One of her many passions was working on behalf of seniors” said Barb’s daughter Maxine Avery. Son Bob Bromley agrees, noting “this is a wonderful way to add to her legacy, and I know she would be all over this if she was here today.”

Yellowknife Community Foundation President Bronwyn Watters said “Barb was a committed supporter of the Foundation for many years. As a board member, donor and volunteer she was always there to help us achieve our charitable goals in and around Yellowknife.”

The Barbara Bromley Fund for Seniors and Elders was established to support issues related to seniors and elders such as housing, nursing and long-term care, hard of hearing, Alzheimer’s or similar dementias, and mobility. The Yellowknife Community Foundation is currently looking for grant applications to the fund for 2017 and future years. In 2018, a special one-time scholarship of $3,000 will also be offered to students pursuing studies that help improve the lives of seniors.

The Yellowknife Community Foundation was formed in 1993 to provide interested individuals and organizations with a means of supporting projects in our community for the enduring future. The Foundation is not singularly dedicated to any specific area of support. It embodies a simple concept – that people working together can make a difference for all.

For further information contact:
Ian Legaree, Yellowknife Community Foundation
Phone: 445 6000 / Email: ian.legaree@gmail.com

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Impact Story - Skate North -...

The Yellowknife Small Grants Program offers micro-grants of up to $1,000 for individual residents of Yellowknife, Ndilǫ, and Dettah to bring the community together and help make it better. The first ever batch of grants was awarded in Fall 2025 to eight community members, including Forrest Doctor for his ongoing project, Skate North.

The initiative aims to make skateboarding more accessible to youth by providing safe skate spaces, equipment, and mentorship.

” I want to encourage youth to commit to their passions, take initiative, and create positive change. For me, that means creating a safe space for learners, something I didn’t have when I first started. This project is about keeping skateboarding alive in the NWT and giving our youth the support and opportunities they deserve.” – excerpt from Forrest’s proposal

Forrest used the grant to purchase helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards to give away to up-and-coming skaters. Through free prize draws, in-person outreach, and open calls on social media, Forrest was able to get gear directly into the hands of youth who need it the most.

Forrest Doctor giving away gear at the miniramp in Ndilǫ. The ramp was constructed in Spring 2026 as part of a Skate North wordworking workshop, delivered in partnership with the YKDFN Dechı̨ta Nàowo Training Center.

Matt Wolff from Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB.
The skate shop is an ardent supporter and partner to the Skate North project.

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The results of this direct access model were both immediate and unexpected. Two things stand out especially. First, Forrest noticed that new skaters were able to instantly start with confidence. Having proper safety gear in place meant they were free to try things as many times as they wanted. That ability to iterate safely creates a level of early learning and progression that is invaluable.

Second, the degree of engagement from youth, families, and the larger community was uplifting. Skate North has now grown through additional volunteers, sponsors, and partners, including local schools. It shows that there is a strong demand for skateboarding and action sports overall. Now an olympic sport, the old cultural stigmas attached to skating have faded away. All that remains is a desire to get out there and rip.

Forrest partnered with Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB to acquire the gear at a discounted rate. Shop rep Matt Wolff had this to say on the impact of skating and initiatives like Skate North:

“Especially in smaller communities, skateboarding can be a huge outlet for youth, not only physically, but to express themselves artistically as well. It also brings a real sense of community for people. I grew up in a small town in the middle of Alberta, and the people I skateboarded with I still have friendships with to this day.”

We can’t wait to see a new generation of skaters come up and grow the local scene in the North. Keep rolling.