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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - City council passed a motion Tuesday to name four streets in the new Niven Lake subdivision after influential past and present Yellowknifers.

Those so honoured are: former city councillor Blake Lyons, with Lyons Point; past mayor Robert Findlay, with Findlay Point; volunteer extraordinaire Jan Stirling, with Stirling Court; and former mayor Pat McMahon, with McMahon Court.

After McMahon's death in July several Yellowknifers called for a trail to be named after her. Mayor Van Tighem acknowledged the call for such a trail at the meeting.

"We received a letter from the McMahon family thanking us very much - and encouraging us to move forward with the Pat McMahon Trail."

City to fund affordable housing study

The city of Yellowknife will fund two studies at $20,000 a pop to examine social issues in Yellowknife. One of those will be a study to examine affordable housing in the city - and it's been a long time coming according to city councillor Lydia Bardak.

"We keep talking about (this) year after year without doing anything about it," said Bardak. So far, she said, "the city has not been able to find a way to respond to this without investing any dollars."

Coun. Kevin Kennedy agreed. "This is a small amount to deal with the number one concern of citizens of Yellowknife," he said.

"It's very important that we don't abdicate our responsibility," he added.

It's hoped the study will also find a way to entice resource workers into staying in Yellowknife - as opposed to living in southern locations like Edmonton, during their off-time because they can't find housing here, said Coun. David Wind.

The motion was put forward by Coun. Montgomery.

To plow or not to plow?

City councillors are considering a bylaw expansion that will make all landowners responsible for their own sidewalk snow removal.

The suggestion was prompted by a rough cost estimate for city-wide machine removal put forward at Tuesday's meeting by director of public works and engineering Dennis Kefalas.

Kefalas said that costs for such a venture would run at about $350,000 to $400,000 a year if the city were to do it - plus purchase of machines - and at about a $350,000 bare minimum for the job to be contracted out. It is likely, though, that contractor costs would run closer to half a million dollars, he admitted.

Even the generous estimates are "way too low if we're trying to (clear the snow) in a 24-hour time period," said city councillor Bob Brooks. He added that in his view if city were to go the route of total sidewalk snow removal taxpayers would be looking at a three to four per cent tax increase.

"Property owners are going to be paying one way or another - unless we decide to leave things the way they are," said Coun. Paul Falvo. But there is a lot of merit to putting some of the responsibility on the landowners, he added, especially if it can mitigate city expenses.

Council passed a unanimous motion to city administration to get more information on the benefits of the do-it-yourself method - and how it would work if put forward.