Yellowknife (Dec 15/06) - More Yellowknifers will have to shovel their portion of sidewalk or pay the price, if one city councillor gets his wish.

Councillor David Wind wants his peers on council to approve his motion to expand the downtown core area, as detailed under the Highway Traffic Bylaw No. 4063.

He suggested expanding the core - which now includes 49th Avenue to 52 Avenue, and areas between Matonabee and 44th Street - to include 50th Avenue from 57th Street to Matonabee Street. In layman terms - adding a block to the south end of Franklin Avenue starting at Matonabee Street.

The businesses and residents within the new boundaries would have to mandatorily clear snow off the sidewalk in front of their places.

Presently only properties in the defined downtown area are required by law to clear their sidewalks of snow.

Wind said he has heard from some concerned citizens in Yellowknife who have had difficulty trudging along certain areas bordering what is now known as the downtown core.

"Yellowknife's seniors depend on being able to walk safely along 50th Avenue between the vicinity of the Baker Community Centre and downtown Yellowknife," he said.

Wind said that the members of city council have in the past expressed interest in encouraging people to walk to work to decrease the amount of traffic in the downtown core. He suggested the easier for citizens to walk in winter conditions the more incentive there'll have to do leave their cars home.

At the Dec. 11 council meeting, Wind brought forth his motion. Many councillors said they liked the idea but wanted it to go through the Priorities and Committee meeting for discussion before voting on it. "I have no problem with this," said Councillor Bob Brooks. "But I think we should discuss it further before deciding."