Yellowknife (Nov 24/04) - An overwhelming number of callers who voiced their opinion on the future of Tin Can Hill want it preserved as parkland.

In all, 205 people registered votes, with 195 saying they support keeping Tin Can just the way it is.

Here's what callers had to say:

"Please don't let them pave it over and look like Niven Lake."

"Even New York City has Central Park, so don't go destroying Tin Can Hill."

"Please don't develop Tin Can Hill. Surely we can have one little piece of nature in Yellowknife that has not been Mrdjenoviched."

"Tin Can Hill should definitely be preserved along with a lot of other wild areas left in Yellowknife."

"It (Tin Can Hill) really needs to be preserved as parkland. In 50 years time people will thank you for that decision."

"Yes, Tin Can Hill should be left as a park area, particularly where people can walk their dogs off leash."

"Once wild space is gone, it's gone forever. Let's enjoy the beauty we have so close to our city. Leave Tin Can Hill alone."

"Tin Can Hill should be left the way it is. It's a beautiful spot and how much more development do we need?"

"They need to leave Tin Can Hill alone and have some green space for the next generations of Yellowknifers."

"Tin Can Hill is a very special area to a lot of people. It is extremely well used as a recreational area and is a great advantage to the city as a park. It should very definitely be preserved as parkland."

"I wonder how many times Yellowknifers can be asked this question? We keep saying we want to have it kept as parkland and we keep getting asked and being told it is going to be developed. Something is wrong here. Is the city just waiting until we just keep getting more and more people here who just don't care?"

"Yes I think Tin Can Hill should be left alone. We need all the green space. We don't need any more big square buildings built up all over the place with no planning whatsoever. It's not all about money. It's about security for our children to play or animals to play and run."

"Where is that area anyway? I don't even know where Tin Can Hill is."

"Honey I shrunk the green space! That's what Yellowknife city council is saying. Sadly our quality of life is shrinking with it. Council keeps taking away the best areas. Woytuik says there is enough green space. Well, not if council keeps doing this. The housing prices are going to drop all right because who is going to want to live in an ugly city, with a decaying downtown, short sighted planning and disappearing green space."

"If people in Vancouver hadn't had the foresight, Stanley Park would not be there for everyone to enjoy. If people in England didn't have the foresight to save the old forest, there wouldn't be one for everyone to enjoy. I don't know why Yellowknifers seem to have such a short-sighted view of what's happening."

"I would like to make the suggestion that all the airport facilities be moved out quite far on Highway 3. That would leave lots of space across from Long Lake for future residential development. It would also be a beautiful spot close to that lake for people to live. I would really like to see Tin Can Hill preserved as parkland with trails and all of the things that everyone in town could enjoy. To really make almost a Stanley Park out of Tin Can Hill."

"I would challenge the mayor and all councillors to go for a walk through the wonderfully diverse terrain of Tin Can Hill. Stand along its stupendous shoreline and ask themselves honestly, should this be privatized? I believe anyone with any guts and foresight would have to conclude the inevitable, definitely not. This is a unique opportunity to formally integrate a wonderful green space in to a wonderful town. I say to the city don't blow it this time."

"I've been a resident of this city for over 26 years. I can't believe that this council is considering having Tin Can Hill in their general plan for development. Why can't you guys think creatively? There are lots of areas to be developed. I use this area all the time for skiing and walks. Why are you doing this? Don't be surprised if people decide they want new council members here who will look at what people want. You're just pandering to the issues of developers. There are others of us who live in this city who have lived here for a long time who are not concerned about big bucks all the time. It's quality of life. Please reconsider."

"I certainly do wish the city would recognize the value of preserving Tin Can Hill as parkland for posterity. I hope that the next council will at least be wise enough to develop the Tin Can Hill area in consultation with the public and input from the public. Reach some negotiated compromise rather than doing everything behind closed doors with the developers alone, which this council seems to do all the time."

"I live downtown near Tin Can Hill. I go there all the time. There are always people walking dogs, skiing and going up there Skidooing on the way to Great Slave Lake. It's a very highly used area."

"I'm astounded that anyone on council could fail to perceive the true value of that area of land to the city in the long term. Council will certainly not be thanked by their children or grandchildren for destroying Tin Can Hill as a potential piece of parkland. It's true and prime value as real estate is as a place for human beings to experience the relatively undamaged land in which we live. It's within walking distance of downtown Yellowknife with a view of Yellowknife Bay and has an environment that we can walk to and enjoy."

"Tin Can Hill should be preserved as parkland. I would take it out of the general plan for future development. This area is a treasure for a walk in the woods within the City of Yellowknife. Quality of life should not be forgotten when city planning occurs. We must preserve the shoreline of Great Slave Lake for public use as much as possible. It's for everyone to enjoy. This type of parkland is tremendously important. It's an important aspect of any city, not just for the beauty but for the residents who do not have the opportunity or means to escape the city for the lakes and trails outside of Yellowknife. Residents need these types of areas throughout Yellowknife in order to recreate and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

"As the city grows, Tin Can Hill becomes an even more important green space. This stunning waterfront area with its wonderful existing network of trails and diverse flora and fauna, must be left as parkland for everyone to enjoy. Do we want to turn it into another urban wasteland like Niven Lake? Let's not make the same mistakes."

Editor's Note: The phone poll is not a scientific survey.