NNSL (Aug 29/97) - A desperate bid is afoot to get the proposed community centre and twin pad arena back on track.

"I want this to move forward," said Ter Hamer, spokesperson for Sports Plus Yk, a coalition of sports groups established earlier this year.

Hamer met with Yellowknife MLAs Charles Dent, Roy Erasmus and Seamus Henry on Tuesday to discuss the impasse on the siting of the proposed $10.5 million complex.

At the meeting Erasmus said he would help clarify the Yellowknives' position on the site.

"I've agreed to go to the band and get them to indicate what it is they want, as soon as possible," added the Yellowknife North MLA.

Erasmus spoke with Ndilo chief Darrell Beaulieu Wednesday night.

"They're putting something together," said Erasmus, adding the Yellowknives may scale back their request for a written guarantee the city will withdraw from lands it wants.

"They want the city to agree to something saying they support the one community concept," said Erasmus, referring to the Yellowknives' attempt to have Ndilo and Dettah regarded as one community. "That's what it's all about."

The band is also looking for the city to recognize a land swap is key to using the Twin Pine Hills site.

"They want to claim (Twin Pine Hill), but they agreed to let it go if the city supported their claim for alternate lands around the Yellowknife River," said Erasmus.

Clarification of the band's position will come in the form of a letter.

Hamer said he will deliver the letter to Mayor Dave Lovell. The mayor has agreed that if the letter is received by Friday a special meeting of council will be held noon Tuesday to discuss the issue, said Hamer.

"I feel that the consensus in this town is that something has to happen," said Hamer following the Tuesday meeting.

Residents gathered at a city council meeting in June expressed the opposite opinion.

Six people opposed almost every aspect of the project, including the cost, components and siting. Ray Pickett called upon council to hold a plebiscite to see if the public supported it.

Leslie Green criticized council for a lack of public consultation. She referred council to five key planning documents for the city, representing eight years of public input.

Each one called for Twin Pine Hill to remain undeveloped.

Hamer said if Twin Pine Hill proves to contentious, the city should look elsewhere.

"The user groups I represent have indicated to me we should move on the next best site for the twin arena, whatever the city perceives that to be," he said.

In that case, Hamer said he would hope that a site close to the high schools would be used for the teen centre component of the project.