There's a war of sorts on Yellowknife city streets.

On one side are bands of well-intentioned citizens. The mission of these "litter busters" is to adopt a street or a park and make sure it's kept clean of trash.

They do it because they have pride in our city and want it to be safe and clean.

The other side is a shadowy group whose goal is to "have fun." They get their thrills by smashing windows and doing mindless damage.

They are vandals who have no pride in our city and who don't care about the hurt they cause.

The damage will be cleaned up, costs covered by insurance -- increasing rates for us all -- and people will become more bitter about today's youth.

These acts of vandalism will be remembered much longer than the good deeds done by the city's litter busters.

What a shame.

We appreciate Yellowknife city council's cautious reaction to the proposed senior citizens for the Bartam Trailer Park site.

Developer Mike Mrdjenovich's business instincts tell him a senior citizens complex offering value-added services would sell, especially in that location. Population projections suggest the number of Yellowknifers over the age of 65 will triple by 2014.

People now considering retirement may be enticed to stay and those who have already decided to retire in Yellowknife may have another attractive housing option.

If the demand isn't immediately there, Mrdjenovich figures it's a safe bet single professionals would take up any slack until the market grows sufficiently.

The only thing wrong with builder Mrdjenovich's vision is that he wants what is thought to be the last remaining undeveloped waterfront in the city.

As Mayor Dave Lovell recently pointed out, as a site for a marina, Bartam is not the best choice. But unfortunately, with the clean-up problems at the boat launch at Giant, Bartam at present is the only alternative.

It's been said before but it must be said again: the city has to open up more waterfront for development and the way must be cleared for private citizens with waterfront property to develop as they see fit.

Fish habitat and other environmental considerations should not be ignored but cannot be allowed to strangle the city's proper growth. This is a large country and people are animals, too, who must be allowed to live in freedom and enjoy their surroundings.

There is Tin Can Hill sitting idle and Con Mine harbour, another ideal site for a marina.

These lands should be looked at to ease the problem.

As it stands now, we have a developer with a worthy project that may be killed by a lack of action. Council has it in their power to get serious about a solution.

We have all seen images of the charred lungs of a lifelong smoker, the alcoholic's hardened liver, the habitual intravenous drug user whose veins have all collapsed from overuse.

Many feel the most effective way to deliver a message of prevention is to give people a visual slap in the face.

Last Wednesday's Yellowknifer, 'A night on the town' gave us a rare glimpse of a typical evening for Yk police and bylaw officers.

Unfortunately, the images taken that evening are not rare and are all-too typical.

The photograph of a woman passed out on cold cement steps seems to have struck a chord with Yellowknifers.

Some say it is disrespectful to the woman, who should have been receiving help instead of being photographed. Others say it is a powerful image, and something we see almost every day.

If the author had merely offered a description of what he saw that evening, would it have had the same effect on Yellowknifers? Of course not.

My summer in the Kivalliq region has been nothing less than spectacular.

It is an experience I will never forget. The weather has been fabulous since I arrived, the people have been incredibly friendly and helpful, and I had the wonderful opportunity to travel outside the community.

During the past six weeks, I've been given the chance to work and live in a different region of Nunavut and truly realize the expanse and diversity of our territory.

Over the summer I visited the amazing Marble Island, rented a Honda and spent a day on the land, enjoyed a sunny afternoon on the beach at Sandy Lake and, the best part of all, met hundreds of great people.

Thanks to those in Rankin and the outlying communities who were helpful with directions; asked me to their homes and offered fresh bannock; invited me to weekly parties; suggested news and feature story ideas; told me about boat and plane charters; and to everyone who subjected themselves to a little bit of celebrity by letting me take their pictures each and every week.

Special thanks

Work just won't be the same without those who made every day a little more interesting and a little bit funnier.

I want to say a special thank you to my friends Thomas Angoshadluk, for his daily efforts in trying to outsmart me (unsuccessfully, I might add). To Wendy Kappi for all of the posters she made and our daily chats at my office; to Gary Noolook for his interest in photography and daily visits; to Johnnie Naukatsik for his crazy jokes and contagious smile; and to Sarah Hodgkins, who came all the way from Fort Smith, NWT to visit me.

I want to thank Randy Miller, who was always friendly and helpful and went the extra mile to save my film and my job one frantic Friday morning.

A special thanks to shutterbug Noel Kaludjak, who never had a problem getting me a picture, or 10, from Coral Harbour and always by deadline.

By now I have returned to Iqaluit to continue working for the Nunavut edition of News\North, but I am happy to have had the opportunity to work and live in your region.

I will always remember my summer in the Kivalliq. Qujannamik.