SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Twin Pine Hill Trail is one step closer to opening, but it might not be accessible to all.
At the Feb. 27 city council meeting, council approved the proposed trail in principle, directing administration to proceed with detailed engineering designs and contract tendering.
The plan would include trails and stairs connecting a viewing deck adjacent to the Twin Pine Hill condos on the Franklin Avenue side with views of Back Bay, Old Town and Yellowknife Bay. A trail would connect that platform to a viewing area, such as a bench, on southern end of the trail site.
Council debated for several hours before deciding to exclude, for further deliberation, a switchback ramp from Franklin Avenue that would make the site wheelchair and stroller friendly.
The proposed switchback would include 11 turns and level resting spots for a cost of $126,000.
Coun. Shauna Morgan questioned how well used the infrastructure would be.
"Realistically, are people in this community in wheelchairs going to park a couple blocks away, cross Franklin Avenue on their wheelchairs, go up 11 switchbacks to get to a viewing platform?" she asked.
"Is this a realistic solution to make this part of the trail as accessible as possible?"
The switchback would be maintained by the city, however there would be no winter maintenance, including snow and garbage removal during the winter from the site.
Chris Scott, a representative of the condominium corporation that speaks for condo owners on Twin Pine Hill, said his membership is in favour of what council approved.
"We feel that the switchback as proposed would not be fully utilized, with all the twists and turns," he told council.
"We feel that a more direct route would be maybe more cost effective and probably suit the needs ... a lot better."
According to Scott, the switchback would have to be removed and reconstructed whenever repairs to the condo's waterline are required, and it was unclear who would be footing that bill - the city or the condo owners.
Without the switchback, the total cost of the project is $412,200, well within the $500,000 originally budgeted, which would be split between the city and the condo developer. With the switchback, the price rises to $538,200.
"I think the reality here is it probably isn't practical to make this particular viewing platform accessible from down below on Franklin Avenue," said Coun. Adrian Bell.
Denise McKee, executive director of the NWT Disabilities Council, wrote a letter that was read aloud during the meeting.
In it, she strongly discouraged abandoning the switchback and reminded council the city is about to start auditing the accessibility of its infrastructure.
"The NWT Disabilities Council strongly advocates to city council to ensure it is living up to its commitment and to making Yellowknife a more inclusive city by ensuring designs and builds are accessible to all it's citizens," she stated.
Once the project is approved, construction could begin by this summer.
