Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 24/05) - Residents are worried that yet another development threatens to encroach on Yellowknife's trail system.

This time it's a new headquarters for the NWT/Nunavut Worker's Compensation Board. They've asked the city for a portion of land that intersects the trail at the Frame Lake Plaza on Old Airport Road.

"We've seen multiple encroachments on the Niven Lake trail," said author and naturalist Jamie Bastedo, who has challenged the city several times in the past about other developments that were built close to the trails.

"It's almost disgraceful how far off the radar our trails are when it comes to development proposals. It's like they are in the way of development. They are treated as if they are expendable."

Another nature enthusiast, Mike Fournier, considers the Frame Lake trail to be a "significant" natural area within the city.

"It would be a shame to do anything that affects that in a negative way," he said.

"It is an asset that is highly undervalued by the city and by a lot of the city's residents.

"Moving a portion of the trail may not be a big deal, but I think a lot of people would like to have input on it."

The latest proposal is the second attempt by the Worker's Compensation Board to acquire property along Frame Lake.

The agency lobbied city council last year to allow them to purchase the old Gerry Murphy arena site but the proposal was widely panned by residents and councillors alike.

Now a new bylaw proposal could see a portion of the Frame Lake trail relocated to make way for a new headquarters on the other side of the lake.

It calls for a site-specific zone which would enable the Worker's Compensation Board to construct a new office building on a subdivided portion of land off Old Airport Road. The land currently accommodates two commercial buildings and a church.

The controversy lies in the proximity of the proposed building to the popular trail, say several city councillors.

Coun. Kevin O'Reilly said, should the building infringe on the trail, a provision should be included in the bylaw which would see the Worker's Compensation Board pay for relocation expenses.

"Conditionally permitted use is required," he said.

"I have no problem with the location, but they should not have permitted use, because then we cannot attach conditions."

Mike Triggs, the compensation board's general counsel, said until they actually secures the land, an architect cannot design the building.

The preliminary plan calls for a three-storey tall high building that is 3,476 square meters in size.

In a letter to city council, the compensation board speak of enhancing and protecting the natural elements in its location.

"We see that variances granted when we get to the zero line will impact on the next lot, so we should compensate them for any effect that has," Triggs said.

Coun. Doug Witty expressed concern that such a building is not being located in the downtown core.

"Do we want to go outside the scope of the general plan?"

Witty said more specific information is needed.

Triggs said the compensation board is running out of options.

"We then went looking for other sights and the only site we could find that met our needs for space was this particular site," said Triggs.

"There was never any sort of sites available downtown for us. We have to develop a new building some place and we've got no options."

First reading of the proposed bylaw is scheduled for tonight's city council meeting.