The presence of the much-loved Mongolian yurt in Attawapiskat ended abruptly on April 1 when it was apparently set on fire and burned to the ground. Despite their best efforts, the local volunteer fire crew could not save the structure. The cause of the fire is unknown and an investigation is underway.

The authentic Monoglian yurt from the Occupy Toronto movement was a gift from OPSEU as part of a larger initiative to build connections with the remote northern community.

With our time in Attawapiskat drawing to a close, the yurt is assembled! It is time to unpack the rest of the sewing supplies and games, and welcome in the community... In short, it was time for a party!

A permanent source of heat still needs to be set up in the yurt. In the meantime, the fabric, sewing items, and art supplies are stored off-site until there is permanent heat set up.

We had a lot of help from youth, moving all the supplies into this temporary room.

It is early in the morning on Tuesday, February 14. Day 10 of our travel. I am lying on the bench at the train station in Moosonee. I feel totally exhausted.

The yurt-warming party was great, the kids played games, we served tea and cookies. There was a brief ceremony (no drum, they were away in Moosonee). There were over 40 people there.

We gave the keys to the Chief. A group of kids sat around the propane heater and told ghost stories.

Wonderful evening.

We got back to the motel, and shortly after learned that someone had broken into the yurt. Two kids were identified. Yves requested a chance to talk with them but they were not to be found.

Nearly a week after we left Gatineau and Toronto, we arrived in Attawapiskat. After a warm welcome to the community the night of our arrival, and the unloading and distribution of the supplies we carried with us, we set out on day six to meet with the community and discuss the yurt: where it should be built, and how the community will use it.

After a meeting with the Chief and Councillor, we set off to visit the high school.

Katie Weber and Andy Thompson visit the high school art class to discuss building and design.

Having stood in St. James Park as part of Occupy Toronto, travelled by transport truck, train and over an ice road, the Mongolian yurt is ready to be assembled in Attawapiskat.

After meetings with the community, the location for the yurt was decided upon, and we set upon the assembly of the yurt.

By the end of the first day of building, we had set up the base.

With the freezing temperatures, short days and the rush to set up the yurt, we called it "extreme yurt-building."

Yesterday, 55.5 kilometres from the community at 5 p.m. the groovy yurt truck met another snowbank. This one wasn't so easy to get towed out. When they say ice road, that is actually what it is.

We shovelled for two hours to clear the snow away. There were many attempts to pull it out with a truck and then a loader.

We enjoyed a great pasta dinner cooked by Yves while we waiting for larger equipment to show up. It was 3 a.m. before we were pulled out by a bulldozer.

We stayed in Moose Factory last night. It has ice road access from Moosonee in the winter, water taxi in the summer.

This morning, Yves and I walked the three kilometers to Moosonee, to meet the freight train. It was a little dicey around a large slushy area. Our feet remained dry.

Moose Factory was a point of entry for fur trade - we come across a heritage building.

Day 3 is a train day. The groovy yurt truck is loaded on a freight train bound for Moosonee. Steve Rider's truck will be sent on tomorrow's train.

Our foursome ate, enjoying our coffee and getting to know each other aboard the Polar Bear Express.

It's a bilingual country here: bilingualism means something different on the Polar Bear Express.

I am sitting high in the big rig. The last time I rode in something like this I was hitching a ride. That was a long long time ago... another life and another story.

The yurt is loaded on the truck.

We are heading to the Home Depot in North Bay to buy more supplies.

We have joined up with Steve Rider, owner of a mold remediation company called idicanada. Steve along with his helper Cory Robertson, will be driving their own truck up the winter road.

Groovy Yurt owner Yves Ballenegger arrived in Toronto this morning from Gatineau, Quebec.

Yves' 18-wheeler was loaded with sewing machines, art supplies, food, kitchen supplies, games and Lego blocks.

A large assortment of fabric, leather, buttons, notions and other sewing accessories donated from the Ryerson School of Fashion is also on board.

At the Rolston Home Building Centre, generous donations were used to purchase building supplies.