Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 29/98) - Iqaluit - Got a beef with downtown development? Speak up or better yet, write it down.

Until July 2, the municipality of Iqaluit is giving its residents the chance to take their concerns about the future development of their central business area to the next level.

Ongoing since September of 1997, community members have identified what their priorities are and based upon those, the consultants doing the planning have formulated a questionnaire asking residents to rate the importance of each recommendation.

Ottawa consultant John A. Wright of Corush Sunderland & Wright says "what we're really trying to do is get an idea...the town is on the verge of redevelopment and it's timely to think about what that will look like."

Wright says the study, which will cost around $100,000 of federal infrastructure funds, will allow the municipality of Iqaluit to better handle population growth and to facilitate the cosmetic changes that go hand in hand with capital city status.

Co-consultant Tom Kent of JL Richards & Associates says the town's most pressing concerns revolve around the safety and the congestion of traffic and public noise. These issues are reflected in the 33 questions on the handout.

"We'll analyze those and come back to council with the priorities and that will help council decide," says Kent.

Mayor Jimmy Kilabuk says the process has been constructive so far and that he "hopes that most comments will be implemented into the plan. We'll see."

Town inhabitant Sammy Joshepie isn't so sure though.

"If the majority of people feel very strongly, maybe we'll start seeing evidence of it," he said through interpreter Jacob Peter.

To Joshepie, the lack of sidewalks poses an immediate threat to the health of community members and is the first thing that needs to be changed.

"When Iqaluit was being developed in the past, no consideration was given to sidewalks and people's lives have been lost," says Joshepie.

Questionnaires have been distributed through the post office and can be turned into the Bank of Montreal.