by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 12/97) - Former alderman John Dalton thinks the city is doing the right thing building a skateboard park, but in the wrong place.

"A facility that far out at the end of town won't begin to address the problem of skateboards in the city," Dalton told city council Monday.

Ald. Vi Beck noted that the proposed location, near St. Joseph's school, was chosen after "extensive consultation with Yellowknife skate boarders."

Dalton countered, "You had parents there who wanted it best suited to their children, so they wouldn't have to go too far."

Beck added that 70 per cent of Yellowknife's population resides in the Frame Lake South area, where the city intends to build the $80,000 park.

Dalton said that's a shortsighted view.

"We have to look at the balance and spread of where this city can go," he said. Dalton pointed out that 350 homes are planned for the Niven Lake subdivision, located across the highway from the legislative assembly.

Tin Can Hill, the only other large parcel of land the city has reserved for development, is also kilometres from Frame Lake South.

Dalton suggested a number of other locations for the park, namely the Tommy Forrest ball park and empty land surrounding the community arena and curling club.

Director of community services Max Hall said the park is slated to be completed this fall.

But Dalton is not the only one to express concerns about the location of the park.

Urbco, which owns a condominium complex adjacent to the park, had concerns that noise from the park would make the condominiums a less desirable place to live.

But earlier this month Urbco withdrew an appeal it filed against the development permit for the park. A representative of Urbco was scheduled to make a presentation at Monday's meeting of council but cancelled.