Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 16/05) - A room jammed full with business owners and developers showed their opposition Monday night to a Workers' Compensation Board plan to move its offices out of the downtown core.

Businessman David McPherson was one of 10 presenters at a public hearing Monday to implore city council not to allow the WCB to move to Old Airport Road. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

The city council public hearing went on for more than 90 minutes as 10 speakers, the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Enhancement Committee among them, condemned the board's plan to buy land on Old Airport Road.

"Why did they select this property? Could it be the view?" wondered developer, Pat Guinan, who owns office space downtown.

He warned council to not "come to me if you need to raise taxes to build a new library if you're going to give them a break."

The NWT/Nunavut Workers' Compensation Board occupies four floors of the Centre Square Tower. The board argues that the 25,000 square feet of space is too small. About 100 people work there.

The WCB wants to purchase a four-acre plot on Old Airport Road overlooking Frame Lake for a building of their own, but the site is zoned commercial which doesn't permit large, single-purpose office buildings.

City council has already passed first reading of a bylaw that would change the zoning of the lot to allow the WCB building.

Couns. Wendy Bisaro, Mark Heyck, Doug Witty, and Bob Brooks voted in favour of re-zoning, Oct. 24. Couns. Dave McCann, Kevin O'Reilly, and Alan Woytuik were opposed. Couns. Blake Lyons was absent for the vote.

One fear expressed by downtown merchants and developers at Monday's meeting was that the WCB move would begin an exodus of government offices and businesses from downtown to the suburbs.

Bob Wilson, chair of the Yellowknife Downtown Enhancement Committee, said the downtown must remain the primary focus for office space in the city, otherwise its viability will diminish.

"Relocation should be strongly resisted," he said.

"Who will be next?"

Gold Range owner Richard Yurkiw, who's bar sits across the street from the Centre Square tower, told council downtown needs the WCB where it is to help keep the drug trade in check.

"The city's got to be vibrant for everybody," said Yurkiw.

"Without extra eyes and ears on the streets, you're just giving it back to (drug dealers)."

Others expressed fears that the WCB building would infringe on the Frame Lake trail. The WCB plan may require a portion of the trail to be moved.

Presenters also rejected WCB assertions that there is no suitable space and parking downtown for their building.

The WCB has been searching for a building site for two years. Their first choice was the former Gerry Murphy arena site but that was widely rejected by residents and council. They also looked at the Bartam trailer court, Twin Pine Hill, and Akaitcho Hall.

David Clark, chief executive officer for WCB, denied that the agency is solely focused on finding a location with a view. He said they received five proposals for building an office downtown but none met their criteria: parking for 80 vehicles and ownership instead of a rental/lease arrangement.

"Although we would like to stay downtown, in our two-year search available land didn't surface," said Clark.

Regardless of whether council approves the zoning change, Clark hinted that the WCB might move out of downtown.

Coun. Kevin O'Reilly asked Clark if he thinks the WCB Act, which was enacted by the territorial government, can override city zoning.

"Territorial legislation overrides any bylaw of the city," replied Clark. "That's all I can say."

Council will likely present rulings on the public hearing at its next regular meeting, Nov. 28.