Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 16/04) - There appears to be some confusion at City Hall over exactly who authorized a surveyor to slash a cutline through a wooded area next to the Niven Lake walking trail.

The survey line left dozens of trees cut and abandoned by the side of the trail, angering many residents who take regular walks along the route.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said someone at City Hall made the call to Sub-Arctic Surveys, but isn't certain whom.

"We don't know who contracted the survey; we do know who did the survey," said Van Tighem.

"I asked (Les Rocher, Homes North) and he said, no. I asked the city and they said, no. So, I asked the surveyor, and he said he had been speaking to a representative of the city," the mayor said.

Van Tighem said it appears the surveyor cut a few more trees down than were necessary.

"Somebody got a little too enthusiastic," said Van Tighem.

Rocher said he likes trees and nature spaces too, but the homes have to go somewhere.

"I'm going to do the best job that I can do," said Rocher. "But by the same token, we're dealing with requirements that were placed in by bylaws."

Residents began complaining about the slashed survey line on Tuesday, although no one seems to know exactly when it was cut.

Sub-Arctic Surveys president Bruce Hewlko confirmed City Hall requested the survey.

He said the survey line by Niven Lake is of the same standard that any other survey company would cut.

On Tuesday, City Hall issued a press release stating that they had entered a purchase agreement with Homes North for Phase VI of the Niven Lake Subdivision. The plan describes the development as 100 single-family lots -- one-third of them to be made available to the public by way of an open ballot draw.

The purchase price attached to the agreement with Homes North rings in at $996,649.

The press release also stated that a small section -- measuring about 12 metres -- of the Niven Lake Trail along the west shore will have to be moved to make way for the development.

No plans to move trail

Van Tighem said the city no longer plans to move the trail because three lots adjacent to the section in question will be smaller than anticipated, and the developer doesn't want to pay to have it moved.

"There was no motivation, there was no plan, and there was no real desire to move the trail," said Van Tighem.

"It's a lot easier to move a lot line that it is a trail."

When asked whether he was angered by the mixed signals emanating from staff at City Hall, Van Tighem downplayed the confusion, saying circumstances often change rapidly when development schemes are under way.

"It's like anything that happens prematurely," said Van Tighem.

"People make guesses, some people make assumptions, not everybody talks to each other. The first thing that I did (Wednesday) was talk to everybody involved."

Discovery of the slashed survey line drew dozens of angry residents to a city council meeting Tuesday night.

In likely one of the strangest occurrences ever to grace City Hall, council were party to a sing-a-long, led by local writer and naturalist, Jamie Bastedo, whose song, "House by House," begged the city to take things slow.

"The consultation has been very poor," said Bastedo, before breaking into a tune.

"We're finding out minutes before a council meeting, under duress, what the plans are."

Coun. Kevin O'Reilly believes the city is breaking its own zoning bylaw by allowing a survey line cut without a permit.

"Once you start changing the contour and natural features of the site, you require a development permit," said O'Reilly.

He pressed city administrator Max Hall, Tuesday night, about the requirements for a permit, but was told one wasn't needed until prior to the actual development of the site.

Yesterday, Bastedo said he finds it incredible that the mayor was left in the dark while a surveyor was allowed to saw a cutline through a nature preserve.

"This is worse than I thought," said Bastedo.

"It seems more the public is confused, they're very confused within City Hall itself."