City holds keys to athlete's village
NWT Housing Corporation needs municipality's commitment to Canada Winter Games before promising funding
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, July 24, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The NWT Housing Corporation won't commit to funding an athlete's village for the 2023 Canada Winter Games until the city has decided whether or not to bid.
That could leave the cost of housing event competitors in the hands of city taxpayers if the GNWT backs out. An early estimate for the village using temporary housing pegged the cost at $23 million.
However, Mayor Mark Heyck said that's not a surprise since the agency wouldn't want to change its capital plans without a better idea of which way the city intends to go.
"They want to know the city is committed to submitting a bid for the games. I think that's quite natural on their part," Heyck said, adding that discussions have been proceeding well over the past few months with the territorial government.
In an e-mail earlier this month, Housing Corp. manager of strategic planning, policy, and communications Revi Lau-a said the organization will wait until the city formally decides on a bid before deciding on whether to participate by taking on the athlete's housing.
It's not clear whether the GNWT will provide any kind of guarantee to the city.
Any decision by the GNWT is expected to be made by the 18th legislative assembly after the Nov. 23 territorial election.
Housing corp. is examining whether to build an estimated 115 units for the village in time for the games and then using it as a combination of social housing and new seniors' housing after the games.
"You know, we do recognize that there is going to be a larger population of seniors down the road and we at the housing corporation are coming up with some innovative ways to try and address that," Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Robert C. McLeod said June 1 in the legislative assembly. He was responding to a question about addressing the growing demand for seniors' housing in the city.
"One of those ways is working with the City of Yellowknife on their Canada Winter Games proposal to see if there are opportunities for us there to provide something to them to use as an athlete's village and then possibly turned into a seniors' facility once the games are done.
"So, we are finding innovative ways to stretch our limited resources as far as they can go."
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins was critical of that response, pointing out the games are still many years away and the need for housing continues to grow.
A committee of councillors, city staff, GNWT officials, business representatives, and others is trying to gauge the viability of the city hosting the games, and is expected to meet July 28 at 9 a.m. at city hall to provide an update on its progress.
It will be the third time the committee has met since it was formed by council earlier this year. The first meeting wasn't open to the public. Its June meeting was cancelled and the July meeting was rescheduled.
So far there's been little new information about its progress or what it could recommend.
The committee is expected to have its work done by the fall, though no exact date could be provided.
Heyck said the current council won't be deciding on whether to bid, but it will make a decision on whether to continue pursuing a potential bid for the games.
The mayor said there's been interest among a number of sectors from community members and businesses regarding a bid.
"That's why council has been forging ahead," he said.
The city largely has the facilities in place for the sporting events. The planned replacement or refurbishing of the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool would be moved ahead a few years to be ready for the games in order to be used for synchronized swimming.
