Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 25/98) - A Yellowknife government office building almost as old as the GNWT itself will soon be getting a facelift.

Public Works and Services Minister Jim Antoine announced Friday the GNWT won't be selling the Arthur Laing Building, as was announced earlier this fall.

A request for proposals issued in September didn't generate the funds hoped for, Antoine said.

"Selling the building at a low rate does not make good economic sense," he said in a statement. "The best value for our dollar in this situation is to fix up the building and continue to use it for government offices."

The building is currently home to the territorial cabinet secretariat, financial management board secretariat, a GNWT career centre, the Constitutional Working Group, Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew's constituency office and other offices.

Public Works and Services Deputy Minister Bruce Rattray said the building's ventilation system, replacing the elevators and repairing the exterior walls are among the work required.

"It depends on budgets," he said Monday. "Our proposal is to begin work in the spring. It will be staggered over a couple of years."

Rattray also said building standards and codes have improved drastically since the building was built in 1968.