Darren Campbell
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 18/98) - It looks like the era of neglect by the owners of the Yellowknife federal government dock is about to end.

Wednesday night, 35 people showed up to give their views about how the government wharf should be run. Ownership of the wharf, which was built in 1948, was recently transferred from Transport Canada to the Canadian Coast Guard.

Residents told Coast Guard officials they want an end to the current situation where there is no management of the wharf and no rules in place that users can follow.

Ross MacDonald, director of the Arctic office of the Coast Guard, said his office intends to do just that. He said the way the wharf is being run now can't continue.

"Here we are faced with evolving competition for space," said MacDonald. "Twenty years ago there wasn't a sufficient amount of people who needed to use the wharf. Now there is a far greater potential for conflict."

MacDonald said there are a number of serious problems with the wharf, which is located on MacDonald Rd. in Old Town. He said the coast guard has to ensure all users have access to the wharf, that the wharf is safe and that activities that could potentially pollute Great Slave Lake are stopped.

A main concern for MacDonald and many at the meeting was the abandoned vehicles and debris that has piled up on the wharf over the years. This ranges from a crane, to fuel drums, and waste oils.

John Alexander, who owns five lots adjacent to the dock, said he is happy to see something being done about the management, or lack thereof, of the wharf.

Describing the current situation as "embarrassing for the city", Alexander said it is about time the government managed the site properly.

"It's really nice to see the government can actually be responsible from time-to-time," said Alexander.

Greg Whitlock, owner of the 32-metre passenger vessel, the Norweta, uses the wharf extensively. He said the meeting was definitely a step in the right direction.

"The activities that are going on at the dock need to be stopped, such as the long term storage vessels," said Whitlock. "I like to see this as the first positive step in the management of the facility."

Some of the suggested guidelines brought up at the meeting included no summer storage of anything on the wharf, designated space for boats under 10 metres, and floating docks that could increase dock space.