by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 29/98) - The prominent landmark the previous council had hoped to dynamite to make way for a new arena is safe for the time being.

City council Monday night unanimously voted down a rezoning of Twin Pine Hill first proposed a year ago.

The vote came after a scathing presentation by resident Leslie Green.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but the people have said over and over again they don't want development on Twin Pine Hill," an exasperated Green told council.

The proposal to rezone the land, located between Franklin Avenue and School Draw Avenue, from an Open Space designation to a Parks and Recreation zone to allow the twin arena to be built there had cleared two votes by the previous council.

Referring to the city's major planning documents, residents statements and consultant's reports, Green asked, "What is it about these written words you don't understand?"

Old Town resident Nick Lawson noted the city's rezoning, "would effectively establish the site as a default site for the (arena)."

He noted if the property was rezoned, the city would have no choice but to approve development permits that comply with the zoning requirements.

No one supported the zoning change. Some, like Ald. Kevin O'Reilly suggested the hill be rezoned from the current Open Space designation to an Environmental Reserve to ensure it remains undeveloped.

But later in the meeting when time came to vote on a third and final reading of the bylaw, some aldermen said judgment should be reserved.

"If we don't have it identified for a specific use, I'm afraid (the NWT Department of Municipal and Community Affairs) will leave it for someone else," said Bob Brooks.

Brooks was referring to the Yellowknives Dene. The band derailed plans to build the arena there by pointing out they had identified the property in their outstanding land claim.

Ald. Peggy Near said she shared Brooks' concern, but added, "I did not now, nor did I during the election, want to see a parking lot or building go on this property."

O'Reilly argued there was nothing to be gained by delaying judgment on the issue. He questioned the argument that changing zoning would increase the city's claim on the land.

"If we change it to Parks and Recreation we open it up for development," said O'Reilly. "If people are concerned about that, we shouldn't table it, we should defeat it at this point."

After Brooks' motion to table the rezoning was defeated 4-3, all aldermen voted against the motion to rezone.