Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 12/99) - Blood that remained smeared on the outside door of Northern United Place following last Sunday's stabbing has one woman concerned over the management and security of the building.

A 20-year-old Yelllowknife resident remains in stable condition in the intensive care unit after he was stabbed repeatedly after a confrontation broke out while he was entering the building to visit a friend.

Police have charged a 22-year-old man with attempted murder and he remains in police custody until his show cause hearing on Feb. 16.

The woman, who doesn't wish to be named, is the daughter of an elderly resident who is living in the building's low-income housing section.

The woman said she complained to the building's management Monday afternoon, claiming that the building has a regular problem with people loitering, which is jeopardising the resident's quality of living and safety.

"People can just stand around and wait to be let in," the woman told xxxYellowknifer.

"There are walls punched in. Every time I come in there are new holes. There was blood on the door when I went in. I'm complaining about blood splattered on the door that should have been cleaned up by now."

Seamus Henry, manager of the building for the NWT Community Services Corporation said in defence of the woman's comments that maintenance had attempted to clean the outer door prior to the afternoon, but were unsuccessful until they purchased a de-icing chemical when the stores opened.

"It was frozen on," said Henry. "They damaged the door trying to get it off... using a razor to get it off."

Henry was adamant that the security of the building is as good, if not better than other apartment buildings in Yellowknife, explaining that the building uses on-site security stationed right in the front lobby.

The multi-story building houses three floors of offices including the main floor and seven floors of low-income housing as well as Aurora College housing and classrooms on the other side of the building.

Henry said that security is scheduled 24 hours on the weekends and is scheduled sporadically during the week to deal with problematic and heavy traffic times.

Access to the building is more restricted in the evenings as the outer door is locked and occupants have to use keys to enter.

Henry said the security of the building was increased when the college residence was added to the building two years ago.

"Our residents requested it," said Henry. "We have upped security so the residents feel safe. We have security on as much as possible."

Maintenance of the building has also been an issue of importance with management, since the building underwent extensive renovations a few years ago.

"When the building was first opened it wasn't treated very well, but in the recent past, 5-7 years ago, it (was extensively renovated)," said Henry.

"You get people who get mad and put a hole in the wall. It's an apartment building.

"I haven't dealt with it lately. If it happens it's repaired. It's not done overnight. You have to mud it, (sand and repaint), so it's going to be there a while."

The building is known to be a regular hang-out for youth which Henry admits is a problem during the after-school hours.

"It's mainly after school," said Henry. "The kids go to the 10th floor to smoke in the main lobby there. The building is non-smoking so they go to the 10th floor and there's no ashtrays so they were stubbing out on the (window) ledges. We put wall tile on the ledges (to protect them), that way they look decent."

"People carve their initials. I can't stop that. We do our very best to keep the young people out, but it's not fool proof."

The security booth with it's two way glass is located in the lobby, but it doesn't offer the security guard visibility of the entrance-way doors.

"Not from that location, no, but we don't give instructions to security to ID people and there are going to be people there waiting for cabs or for a ride."

Henry expressed that the maintenance and security of the building is up to standard compared with other buildings. "I would be happy to compare it to any building in town," said Henry. "There's not another building in town (with this level of) security on site."