Iqaluit, Inuit group team up on second core
Development plan will create gateway into the city from new airport terminal
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, April 3, 2017
IQALUIT
Concerns about house values depreciating and traffic flow in the already-congested area between the Four Corners and the Iqaluit Aquatic Centre dominated the public consultation on a proposed development in Iqaluit the evening of March 29.
City of Iqaluit director of planning and development Melodie Simard answers questions about a potential road between the new development off Federal Road and the Plateau. The other option is a link to the road by the new Iqaluit Aquatic Centre. - Michele LeTourneau/NNSL photo |
Representatives of SvN, a Toronto firm of architects and planners, led a full crowd at the Catholic Parish Hall through two possible development options - the first stage of the planning process - for a proposed neighbourhood plan west of the city's main intersection, off Federal Road.
The City of Iqaluit and the Qikiqtaaluk Business Development Corporation (QBDC) are collaborating, as the area chosen for development is a mix of Inuit-owned lands along the road and city lands up toward the Plateau neighbourhood.
"The intent of that is really to efficiently utilize the land owned by both parties and strengthen the institutional and community relationships," said SvN's Jason Petrunia, adding this was a new model for development.
Petrunia also noted the intention was to enhance the City of Iqaluit as an Inuit and Arctic capital, as he ran through items from Article 17 of the Nunavut Agreement.
The plan hinges on a QBDC hotel and a conference centre in the mid-ground, with mixed-use development in the foreground along Federal Road and 700 to 900 residential units beyond the hotel and centre, toward the Plateau area.
Petrunia and the city's director of planning and development Melodie Simard called the area a "gateway", as people arriving at the airport would drive through, either to the hotel or into the city's core.
There are two main plans, and the essential difference is the road arrangement. In the first plan, a road through the proposed residential area ends in a cul-de-sac, while in the second plan the road forms a ring or loop. There are also two possible road links out of the neighbourhood - intended to relieve pressure at the Four Corners - one up to the Plateau Road and one to the road ending by the new Iqaluit Aquatic Centre.
There are three residential areas where homeowners might be affected: immediately east of the planned development, the condo area to the north of Nunavut Arctic College, and the Plateau neighbourhood.
Homeowners expressed concerns about their homes depreciating, as well as safety, with new high density roads where there are none now.
"In our backyard," as one resident put it.
Petrunia said the team had also consulted with elders and youth on their thoughts about the 10 to 15 year development plan.
Simard said all comments were being recorded and would be considered.
A few residents expressed concerns that their neighbours were unaware of the public consultations, and Simard said there would be more opportunity for commenting.
"We're doing this round of information sharing with the public this week. We had a couple of stakeholder consultations, as well. We'll be taking information that we've gathered from these sessions and we'll finalize these options as recommended and preferred. That will be worked into a concept plan and development scheme, which will go to city council for approval," said Petrunia.
Simard said at that point it would be determined if the plan would go through further public consultation or directly to a public hearing.
