Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 11/06) - With the Yellowknife municipal election less than a week away, Yellowknifer asked each of the 11 candidates three questions on pressing issues facing the capital.

Questions:

1. List these issues in order of importance:

1. Trail building/downtown revitalization
2. Recreation facilities, such as the proposed field house
3. Road, water and sewer upgrades

2. Would you support curbside recycling if it meant a six dollar or more increase in solid waste levies?
3. How would you rate the city on development?

Bob Brooks

1. B) First priority must be the field house to meet the Arctic Winter Games deadline of March 2008. (But at a reasonable cost.)

A) This work has already begun and should continue as an ongoing initiative.

C) This is also an ongoing initiative that improves our systems every year.

2. Yes. Curbside recycling is currently available at $90/yr through the private sector, which equates to $7.50 per month. The operator said he would prefer that the city operated the service. In our house, we use curbside recycling in addition to the GNWT Beverage Container Recycling to meet our three-bag trash limit.

3. "B." I have continually pushed for a long-term vision for city development planning for many years. A long-range plan for 50,000 people would provide much better context for the five-year plans, and would create better connectivity, more balanced neighbourhoods and a holistic direction for us to travel.

Mark Heyck

1. C), A), then B). Our road, water and sewer infrastructure are directly linked to the safety of our residents, and therefore need to be a top priority. Trails, downtown revitalization and recreational facilities all contribute to the health and well-being of our residents and deserve to be incorporated into the city's capital plans in a phased approach.

2. Conditionally, yes. If the amount were substantially more than $6, then further consideration would be required. The most efficient and effective recycling programs in Canada all use curbside pick-up to encourage residents to recycle. We must use every means possible to divert waste from going into the landfill.

3. The city has made progress in its development practices, but there is room for improvement. While our blast-and-fill approach to development remains, progress is visible through the concept for Niven Lake phase seven, which incorporates natural contours into the design. Phase seven is a good example of how the city is modernizing development practices.

Dave McCann

1. C) Let's get the basics of city operations handled first.

A) Trails with associated greenspace/downtown improvements (including litter control) provide quality of life for the population and tourists.

B) These are beneficial facilities, but new construction and resulting operational commitments must be approached carefully with significant user and sponsor participation.

2. I would not support such a proposal. If the increase were up to six dollars, as opposed to six dollars or more, I could conceivably support it if I thought the offsetting and quantified benefits over the long term were there.

3. There's room for improvement. City should be offering more than one subdivision at a time to allow for a variety of affordable housing styles and types. Territorial government must release more land to the city with the multi-year lead time required for quality development.

Doug Witty

1. Basic service upgrades are the primary mandate of council. Next are recreation facilities, which contribute significantly to our quality of life and our ability to attract and retain citizens to our community. Developing our excellent network of multi-use trails and downtown revitalization are multi-year projects I will continue to address.

2. I believe there is general support in the community for curbside recycling, but not at any cost. We must determine what price is reasonable for this service, and that we can deliver. I am willing to move forward on this issue once matters of service level and cost are resolved.

3. The City has done a better job in some areas of development than others. Residential development is hampered by the lack of access to land. Our industrial park, however, exemplifies a "made in Yellowknife" solution that will continue to prosper. Commercial development has been successful where there was land available.

Kevin Kennedy

1. Infrastructure upgrades come first. Downtown revitalization and improved transportation (parking, trails, transit) are essential to the immediate well being of Yellowknifers. Recreational facilities like the field house and the library are key long-term goals. We can balance these priorities without neglecting any of them.

2. Not necessarily. I personally pay Yellowknife Recycling Services for private curbside recycling at my home and support curbside recycling in principle. However, since we have just purchased new bulk bins for our depots, I feel that helping business to eliminate cardboard from the landfill is more urgent.

3. Very poorly. Every citizen has a favourite example of shoddy planning. City council can prevent future blight by enforcing the provisions in our zoning by-law. Developers are essential partners in improving and expanding the city, but council must insist that new projects meet high standards.

David Wind

1. Infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer upgrades should receive attention first. The vital livability of the downtown core is important for the city's economic health and social well being and is ranked second. Recreation facilities, such as the new field house, provide important, constructive alternatives for youth.

2. Environmentally responsible programs for handling litter and solid waste including curbside recycling deserve support from council. However, other methods for funding curbside recycling should be examined. It would be undesirable to levy another garbage collection fee, particularly since customers are also charged a hefty deposit on recyclable containers.

3. Improvements in managing the city's developments are required. New residential developments are mostly slated for Niven Lake without sufficient regard for quality-of-life factors. More land would enable development alternatives and avoid developing neighbourhood parks and green spaces. Better planned development will encourage more people to live here.

Shelagh Montgomery

1. A), B), C) - While I have prioritized the issues, I do not believe that any one of these should exclude the other. An integrated approach is needed where trade-offs are acknowledged and balanced. Furthermore, I count trails as important recreational facilities. Downtown revitalization is vital and requires much more than trails.

2. Yes, but the city must use performance measures to monitor success and return the benefits to the residents. As happened in Calgary, we should expect there would be significantly less material going into the landfill thereby extending its life and meaning savings for the city.

3. I rate the city poorly. In the 2006 Citizen Survey, 49 per cent of Yellowknifers were dissatisfied with development and planning. If elected, my goal will be to increase citizen confidence in planning and development through stricter enforcement, a completed ecological inventory and staff training and development.

Blake Lyons

1. My priorities are:

C): We must first attend to the basics.

A)&B): Please note that the proposed field house is financially supported by the hard-working members of the Facilities for Kids. Cost-shared recreational facilities benefit both the city and the user groups.

2. I would have to see both the environmental and financial support information before making any commitment. A six dollar a month increase in the solid waste levy seems too expensive.

3. We have done well in spite of trying conditions such as the GNWT lease-only policy, protracted land-claim negotiations, a shortage of developable land, and a surplus of rock, muskeg, permafrost and ice!

Lydia Bardak

1. For the city - C), given their mandate to collect taxes for this purpose, followed by B), particularly the field house, which already has a substantial financial commitment from the city, and then A).

Personally, downtown revitalization and trail building are highly important to me, followed by C) and B).

2. Yes.

3. I sense there is a perception that the city lacks a long-range development plan. Whether this is reality or a communication issue, I am not certain, but I am committed to planning for the future. Awareness of the trends and forces that will influence future development is key.

Steve Meister

1. Basic services for the citizens should always be a priority, thus, road, water and sewer upgrades must be council's first concern. I believe that due to the social problems that exist, downtown revitalization should be the second priority. Trail-building is important and needs to be pre-planned in new developments while reviewed on an individual basis in existing developments, as this encompasses business and residential properties. Finally, I believe in the need for a field house, however, it must be done in a fiscally responsible manner.

2. I believe in curbside recycling. However, what I think is much more important, is for council to clearly define their waste management program, then develop a well thought-out plan to achieve those objectives. Adhoc policy and budget decisions do not leave Yellowknifers with any sense of confidence in the process or the continually escalating costs associated with these disjointed solutions. Incentives, not levies, should be proposed for recycling.

3. I believe there is significant room for improvement. Council must provide leadership and clearly define the expectations for development, which will enable the private sector to meet our growing needs, and in a way that respects and ensures both quality development and financial considerations. Yellowknife is a growing community, and short-term solutions are not the answer. Council must be proactive yet realistic!

Paul Falvo

1. All three are important, subject to budget and capital planning. Trail system is heavily used and benefits a majority at a minimal maintenance cost. Downtown revitalization doesn't necessarily cost lots of public dollars. However, essential services needing desperate repair are the highest priority. Quality of life measures can be contemplated once the basics are met.

2. Yes. However, environmentally responsible action should save money, not cost. Curbside pick-up means two waste streams, not an increase in quantity. Increased recycling will extend the life of the dump and reduce capital costs. Pick-up increases efficiency and may lead to economic activity that simply throwing things away never will.

3. We can do much better. Council needs to put the needs of the citizens ahead of the developers. Yellowknife should not try to be Mississauga. Better to take a long-term view and promote affordable, efficient housing, with trails and recreation - working with Akaitcho and GNWT to identify areas most suitable.