GNWT justice denies commitment on arena
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 21/01) - The City of Yellowknife never received the go ahead to build an arena at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre (YCC) site before the building's demolition, said a department of justice spokesperson.
Judy Langford, spokesperson for the department of justice, said the department made no commitments it would allow a new arena and the correctional facility to co-exist.
"It came up once or twice over the month of negotiations in a passing way but was not pursued," said Langford.
"In theory if the city calls we would have a meeting," said Langford, "in practical terms, we couldn't say whether anything could come out of it," said Langford.
The YCC site muddied the waters of the arena debate that has been raging since 1996.
In October the city received the site in a land swap with the department of justice and said it had the department's verbal commitment it could build an arena there with the jail in full operation.
Coun. Alan Woytuik spearheaded the drive to build on the YCC site.
He fought tooth and nail against plans to build a phased twin pad arena beside Sir John Franklin.
He said the YCC was the best option. Woytuik believed the twin pad arena beside the high school would trigger traffic problems and a headache for future councils.
But if council decided to build on the YCC site, the headaches might have hit sooner.
"I was proceeding with the idea it was feasible," said Woytuik when informed of the department's statement.
In January, council revisited the previous council's decision to build a phased twin pad arena beside Sir John Franklin high school because the YCC site was not a factor at the time and too juicy not to include in debate.
In the days leading up to last Monday's final decision to go with the original proposal, council split over whether to build a phased twin pad or a single pad beside the high school.
A debate ultimately rooted in site selection.
"It would have been nice to have cleared it up earlier, there wouldn't have been a debate," said Woytuik.
Councillor Robert Hawkins also championed the YCC cause.
He said he was surprised and disappointed there was no firm commitment.
"I was given assurances there was a verbal commitment," said Hawkins.
"We take what (administration) says as fact," said Hawkins.
City administration is sticking to their story.
They said the commitment was made.
"We received a verbal commitment," said acting senior administrative officer Tim Mercer who did not elaborate further.
City coun. Dave Ramsay said it was obvious to him the YCC site was not a sure thing.
He said councillors are to blame, not administration, for believing the site was readily available.
"It's a case of councillors trying to talk themselves into making the YCC site an option," he said.
