Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 03/98) - The city is taking a laid-back approach to enforcing its new unsightly properties bylaw, but it may soon be put to a tough test.

Introduced in February, the bylaw gives the city the power to order the cleanup of properties it deems unsightly. There are also provisions for property owners to appeal cleanup orders.

The city's senior planner, Monte Christensen, said Monday that the city has yet to issue a cleanup order or a fine under the bylaw.

"Council did not want us to pursue it with a lot of vigor," said Christensen. "We want to approach it cautiously. We don't want to create a lot of contentious situations.

At the time the bylaw was approved, several people objected to the discretionary authority it allows municipal enforcement officers.

The caution is testing the patience of a group of 44th Street residents who have been fighting for a cleanup for more than 20 years.

The uninhabited waterfront lot is littered with old wood, a dilapidated shack, tires, drums and other refuse and abandoned equipment. The lot is bordered on three sides by well-maintained homes.

"You now have a bylaw that deals with this very subject, and I urge you to enforce it," wrote neighbour Merlyn Williams in an appeal to the city to make use of the bylaw.

Williams' deck looks down on the property. So do the other well-maintained homes bordering it, among them that of the city's director of public safety, Dave Nicklen.

One reason the city may be reluctant to test the bylaw on this property is that its owner, Marcel Bourget, has beaten back all attempts to clean up the property.

At different times over the years, the city has offered to provide the laborers to clean up the property, give Bourget a lot in the Kam Lake industrial park if he'd move his junk there -- even taken him to court, all to no effect.

The territorial government's environmental protection service has served Bourget with a cleanup notice, with exactly the same result.

Christensen hinted the city's soft approach may soon be hardening.

"There are some sites we will be acting on soon," he said.

Bourget did not return messages left by Yellowknifer.