Yellowknife (July 09/04) - The city is reducing the number of hours people can go to the dump next week, but those might not be the only restrictions coming our way.

Public works director Greg Kehoe said while the matter has yet to go before city council, his department believes the dump is becoming too dangerous for children.

"We're going to consider looking at restricting having kids out there salvaging with their parents," said Kehoe.

"There's kids playing hide-and-seek with the operators that are operating the bulldozer."

Salvaging at the dump is a popular pastime for many Yellowknifers, including those who bring their entire families. Kehoe said because children are small, they're difficult to see -- especially from the vantage point of bulldozer operators shoveling garbage.

He said it's too early to say at what age the city will recommend children should be banned. He added that administration is still contemplating how much ground any potential ban would cover, whether it would be the entire landfill site or just the salvaging area.

"But the problem is at the (salvage area)," said Kehoe.

Neither councillors Doug Witty or Bob Brooks recall any discussion with administration concerning a proposal to ban kids from the dump.

But Witty said he supports the idea.

"There has been a problem there with kids being let loose to wander around the dump, and they've had some close calls," said Witty.

"So if there's going to be kids at the dump it would have to be under close supervision or not at all in my opinion."

Brooks said city council has been striving to make salvaging at the dump safe, and can't understand why -- after putting in the new hours, and coming up with a plan for a three-celled salvaging system -- administration wants to ban kids from the dump.

"If they're worried about people being run over by other vehicles, why aren't they worried about people being run over at the OK Economy parking lot or any other parking lot in the city," said Brooks.

"I haven't seen any good justification why (the ban) would be necessary," said Brooks.

Local resident Susanna Botha, who often visited the dump to gather children's clothing and toys to send to an orphanage in Zimbabwe, said she has mixed feelings about the proposal.

She agrees, however, that the dump isn't a safe place for children.

"I wouldn't be happy taking my grandchildren with me to the dump," said Botha.

"You have to be careful."

John Oldfield, owner of Kavanaugh Brothers waste removal, said he doesn't have any problems with children at the dump.

"It's the adults who are eager to see what's coming out of the construction bids."

Shorter hours

Oldfield said he is more concerned about the shorter hours at the landfill. After this week, both commercial companies and the public will be kept from the dump Mondays and Fridays, except for between 4-6 p.m.

He said his company hauls about 16 loads of commercial waste to the dump per day.

"It's the busiest time of year for construction companies," said Oldfield.