ENTERPRISE - Residents of Enterprise and Paradise Valley - a section of Hay River considering joining the nearby hamlet - got together on June 13 to discuss the issues facing a possible amalgamation.

However, the meeting didn't settle the question of whether Paradise Valley should or could amalgamate with Enterprise, nor was the fact-finding gathering designed to

make a final decision.

Tammy Neal, a councillor with the Hamlet of Enterprise, appeared to sum up the general feeling following the meeting.

"I don't think this meeting really provided us all the answers," she said. "It might have provided us more questions."

The gathering in Enterprise's community centre attracted almost 50 people, including about 20 residents of Paradise Valley and several representatives of the GNWT.

Roger Candow, a Paradise Valley resident and one of the leaders of the initiative to see the area join Enterprise, said residents are generally displeased with the services received for rising levels of taxation since joining the Town of Hay River in the early 1990s.

"Over those 20 years, no services have been increased," he said, noting Paradise Valley has no garbage collection, no street lights, no sidewalks and no pavement.

Candow posed four questions: could Paradise Valley apply to create its own municipal government, will the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) support the area becoming part of Enterprise, what is the will of Enterprise on the issue, and what are the necessary steps to move the process forward?

Mike Aumond, deputy minister of MACA, said an area could apply to become its own municipality through a petition of 25 residents.

However, he added the GNWT is not looking at creating a whole bunch of new settlements at this time.

Aumond said the Hamlet of Enterprise and the Town of Hay River would both have to agree to change their boundaries for Paradise Valley to switch municipalities.

Candow asked if plebiscites would be needed in both Enterprise and Hay River to support boundary changes.

"The legislation currently doesn't contemplate how to deal with this," said Eleanor Young, director of community operations with MACA, although she added the communities would probably want to have some kind of public vote so the minister would have an indication of support.

Michael McLeod, MLA for Deh Cho and minister of Public Works and Services, said Paradise Valley, the municipalities of Hay River and Enterprise and First Nations would have to be involved in the process.

"Just take stock of that," he said. "It's not going to be clear cut couple of steps. It's going to be a long discussion."

McLeod said all the financial implications of Paradise Valley joining Enterprise haven't yet been crunched.

One of those financial implications would be an additional cost of about $75,000 to Enterprise to provide water delivery and sewer pickup service in Paradise Valley.

Young said initial models indicate there wouldn't be a significant increase in funding to Enterprise for those services if Paradise Valley joined the hamlet.

However, Young said Enterprise would gain taxes from the new area.

Paradise Valley - also known as Paradise Road, Paradise Gardens or simply Paradise - was an unincorporated area until the GNWT made it part of Hay River in 1990.

The residential and market garden area along the Hay River is one km from Enterprise's corporate limits and eight km from the community. About 56 people live in Paradise Valley, roughly 25 km south of downtown Hay River.

Late last year, the majority of residents signed a declaration to the Town of Hay River indicating their desire to join Enterprise.

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