SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Blachford Lake Lodge had guests from China, Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia last week.
Mike Freeland, owner of Blachford Lake Lodge, which is located seven km north of the Nechalacho rare earth project, came to the public hearing for the proposed mine to say the future of Blachford as a wilderness lodge is in jeopardy with the emerging Avalon Rare Metals Inc. project. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo
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They had travelled all the way from those countries specifically to see the Northern lights from the lodge's aurora viewing decks. It was cloudy, and there were no aurora borealis in sight. But the tourists did see another kind of Northern light on that upper deck, according to lodge owner Mike Freeland.
"They were saying, 'Oh there they are, they're on the horizon.' And we had to say, 'No, those aren't really aurora, that's the glow from an exploration camp,'" said Freeland.
The guests are not the only ones disillusioned by the wilderness resort's unlikely neighbour, Avalon Rare Metals Inc.'s Nechalacho project camp site, which is seven km away from the lodge by air.
Freeland made a presentation at the public hearing for the proposed rare earth mine at Thor Lake this week at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, telling the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board that the future of Blachford Lake Lodge, which has operated as a wilderness resort for more than 30 years, is in jeopardy with the emerging Avalon project.
"If this mine goes ahead, we can't be viable as a business. We're no longer a true wilderness lodge with a big mine right beside us with light and noise and activity," Freeland said.
Relations between Avalon and Blachford began amicably when the company used the lodge for investor meetings and board meetings at the beginning of the project when the company had many visitors to see the site. But the lodge has seen no economic benefit from Avalon for nearly two years, Freeland said.
"We've done quite a bit of business with Mike over the years. Actually we've tried to use his facility whenever we could as much as we could," said Don Bubar, president and CEO of Avalon. "It's a nice facility. We see it as one that is useful to us going forward as we get into production as a nearby hospitality facility to entertain visitors and guests who come to visit our operation."
As part of the company's presentation at the public hearing, the review board heard that outdoor lighting will be kept to a minimum during Nechalacho operations, and because the majority of the mining activities will be underground, the noise and light will be low for its lodge neighbour.
The company is also continuing to discuss "win-win" situations with Blachford pertaining to food and accommodation services, which Freeland said he hopes to provide with the support of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
The Yellowknives told the review board they are currently opposed to the development of the Thor Lake project on Chief Drygeese lands, the traditional territory of the Yellowknives Dene.
Freeland has told the review board he is seeking one of three options -- compensation from Avalon, a buyout from the company, or a "win-win" scenario where Avalon gets to proceed with Blachford providing enough food and accommodation services to survive with the loss of wilderness tourists.
The review board will consider and weigh all the information gathered at the public hearing and make recommendations, but the ultimate decision maker as to whether development licences will be approved is the minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and other responsible ministers, said Vern Christensen, executive director of the review board.
Shares of Toronto-based Avalon Rare Metals Inc. closed at $1.06 on Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange, down $0.12 cents at the end of the day.
