Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 08/02) - City councillors took just an hour to chop $125,830 from the $206,559 in special grant money requested by a dozen Yellowknife groups.

At the Tuesday public services committee meeting, councillors recommended completely cutting requested funds for the Nunavut and NWT Crimestoppers Association, the Yellowknife skating club, the John Howard Society and Kids First Child Development Centre.

"That's unfortunate," said Staff Sgt. Wiley Grimm, RCMP co-ordinator for Crimestoppers. "Maybe we can ask them again next year. I know their coffers are tight. We have to try, and that's all we did."

Only three groups stand to get the full funds requested: the Western Arctic Moving Picture (WAMP) Co-op, the Yellowknife Slo-pitch Association and the Yellowknife Ski Club. Most of the groups denied funding either didn't meet city criteria or were designing programs in areas funded by other levels of government.

Council has budgeted $100,000 for special grants. Groups that want part of that money can apply for a second round this fall. Applications are due by Sept. 30.

Debate on some of the issues was heated in the committee. When discussing the funding for WAMP -- which requested money to buy new equipment -- Coun. Alan Woytuik said, "To me it's sort of a hobby ... we don't go supporting everyone's hobbies."

Coun. Robert Hawkins replied, "You could call softball a hobby, or skating a hobby. I don't support that argument at all."

Later, Woytuik opposed additional funding for Folk on the Rocks, which wanted to purchase extra equipment. He said he was concerned that "they come to the trough every year."

Coun. Kevin O'Reilly, who supported the grant money, responded, "I guess I have a fundamentally different view of the world than Alan."

Decisions on special grants allocations are still subject to change. Council will debate the figures Monday.