Yellowknife (Dec 20/06) - A project to upgrade a Kam Lake boat launch in preparation for establishing a floatplane dock got bumped from the city budget after some last-minute shuffling by City Council last week.

Hal Logsdon, president of the NWT Floatplane Association, said he's disappointed that council dropped a $50,000 project that was part of the deal to eventually provide floatplane enthusiasts with a dock at Kam Lake.

Hal Logsdon with his float plane in 2005. Logsdon says he's shocked that a $50,000 project to develop an shoreline area at Kam Lake for an eventual floatplane dock was dropped from the city's 2007 budget. - NNSL file photo

"We've been talking to the city about this for two years, so it's disappointing," Logsdon said.

On Dec. 12, during a line-by-line reading of the budget, council dropped the section "upgrade boat launch on Kam Lake shoreline and partner with the floatplane association."

Council had decided to move the $108,000 development of Demelt Park from 2009 to 2007, because of what they viewed as a safety hazard.

"There is jutting rocks in that area, and I'd feel better if we began work on it right away," said Coun. Bob Brooks.

Dave Devana, director of corporate services for the City of Yellowknife, said the work could be done in 2007, but the money would have to be scraped together from other projects in the budget.

Council and city administration agreed to take $20,000 that was in place for a colour printer for the library and transfer it to the Demelt Park project. Devana said corporate services was getting a new printer and the library could have its old one.

Also, $40,000 was taken from the $120,000 allocated for the waterfront plan implementation for 2007. This now leaves $80,000 for construction of the Back Bay/Giant Mine trail for 2007.

Logsdon said he was surprised that the floatplane project was completely scrapped.

"I didn't see it coming," he said.

The NWT Floatplane Association was created in September 2004. The main goal of the group has always been to find a good location for a floatplane base in Yellowknife.

The $50,000 that was in the budget was for work to upgrade the public boat launch in Kam Lake near Curry Drive, with the goal of eventually developing a floatplane base.

The work which was to have been done was to develop a trail in the area into a double lane road and a small parking area for vehicles.