Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 29/99) - It's just a concept --there is no plan at this point to build a road to resources.

That was a message that has been emphasized by consultants and GNWT officials since the government decided to spend $1.3 million to investigate the 40-year-old idea of building a road to the resource-rich Barren Lands, and it was a message repeated Wednesday night.

"At this point there is no road, there is no road planned to be built at any time," said transportation department official Leslie Green.

In spite of the emphasis, it seemed few of the 35 people who attended the public meeting were convinced.

"Why now?" asked environmentalist Chris O'Brien of the decision to spend over a million dollars on the studies. "What caused the minister of transportation to get a bee in his bonnet about this now? Something like this just doesn't come out of the blue."

Both Green and Masood Hassan, director of transportation planning, assured O'Brien there was no hidden agenda. The purpose of the studies, they said, was to provide information required to make an informed decision on whether or not to proceed with the road.

For something that may or may not happen, the road has drawn a lot of attention, most notably the competition between Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife to become the departure point for it.

Wednesday night, Yellowknife mayor Dave Lovell said wherever it starts from, the road better start moving soon or the west will lose out to a plan to open the Barren Lands from a road to Contwoyto Lake from a deep sea port in Bathurst Inlet.

"If there's a road from the north coming south, that could really upset things, not only for Yellowknife and the western territory, but for Alberta," said Lovell. "We really need to start planning now."

If the Kitikmeot Corporation and Nuna Logistics succeed, said Hassan, that plan could be a reality within five years.

Most of those who spoke at the meeting expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the road and the need to focus on sustainable development instead of mining.

"If you build a road, it is not wilderness any longer," said Leslie Wakelyn. "That can't be mitigated. It's black and white."

"If we build an all-weather road are we going to become one big gas station on the way to somewhere else?" said Suzette Montreuil.

But mining engineer Dave Nickerson emphasized those concerns are not foremost on the minds of most Yellowknifers.

"If after adjourning this meeting you went to the Gold Range, you'd find something completely different," said Nickerson. "People there think this road is the best thing since sliced bread."

The meeting was part of a study on the type of environmental concerns that would have to be addressed if the road were to proceed. Similar meetings will be held in other communities.

Green said a routing study has identified four potential routes, from Yellowknife and Rae, for the road.

A needs/feasibility study is due to be completed by the middle of next month.

Before that study is made public, said Green, it will be reviewed by an advisory committee composed of representatives of business, environmental and aboriginal groups.