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Terry Halifax
Northern News Services
At last Wednesday's town council meeting, local business owner and former town councillor Denny Lennie asked that the town step in to halt the development of the housing project.
Lennie said the seniors' complex was approved without any public input and he wanted council to put the brakes on development until public input is heard.
"The only way this could be stopped now, is by you members of council," Lennie said.
He sat on council for two terms and said that the elders housing was never intended to take over Happy Valley Campground.
He sees tourism as a priority and thinks the in-town campground is a valuable asset to the community.
"The GNWT spent $800,000 on that park and that will be thrown away because this is taking up most of that campground and it will close -- there is no doubt in my mind," he said.
Coun. Denny Rogers agreed with Lennie and feels a different site should be considered.
"I said before that we made a mistake with this," Rogers said. "It's crazy -- there are lots of other places to put housing."
Deputy Mayor Arlene Hansen said what was originally planned was a care facility, but that plan has been changed to just housing.
"This is not an elder's facility, it is a sixplex," Hansen said.
"I did vote for the motion, but that's not what was presented; what was presented, was an elder's facility."
Mayor Peter Clarkson said the land was rezoned to parkland or community use and under that classification an elder's facility could be built. But council is now concerned that the building can only be classified as housing, which is in violation of the zoning.
"The initial version was a 12-unit seniors complex," Clarkson said. "We were sacrificing the campground for a 12-unit seniors facility and common area, but if all you're doing is putting in a sixplex, then that's something else."
Coun. George Doolittle said council was sold on the initial presentation that the project was to be much more than housing.
"The emotional aspect of this was that it was supposed to be a care facility and that's what we got hooked on," Doolittle said. "It's not that now."
Town manager Jerry Veltman recommended that the town not approve the building permit until a public meeting was held for more input.
"Council has the right to approve or disapprove a building permit," Veltman said.
Coun. Vince Sharpe made the motion not to approve the building permit until a public meeting was held on the campground and received unanimous support.
Campground to be phased out
Minister Responsible for the Housing Corporation Roger Allen said the initial plan for the campground was for 12 units, but that was scaled-back.
"As demand grows, we will systematically add on to the units as we need demand grows," Allen said.
He said the project is driven by the seniors and funded by the housing corporation, but he said the plan was approved by the seniors society.
Allen said the materials will not be ordered for the sixplex until there is certain approval that the project will go ahead.
"We will continue to support the notion and encourage the seniors and the town to come together on a suitable arrangement," Allen said.
President of the Inuvik Seniors' Society, Bertha Allen, said she was unaware of the changes and plans to continue to lobby for the sixplex to be built.
"Well, it looks like we have another battle on our hands," Allen said. "I'll have to put my battle hat back on."
"I just dread that because it takes so much out of you."
The public meeting on the seniors' housing will take place July 22 at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
