Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 06/99) - Jake Ootes is calling for a rational approach to the government's Office Space Rationalization Plan for Yellowknife.

The Yellowknife Centre MLA raised the issue during question period in the legislative assembly on its last day of sitting, March 29.

The plan was first proposed in 1997 at a time when the government was downsizing and also preparing for division.

"We were projecting 120,000 square-feet of empty office space as a result," Ootes said on Tuesday, "and the government, being a lease-holder, would have empty space and the idea of this plan was to gradually eliminate our holdings and not be stuck with all this space."

Two of the major buildings involved in the plan is the government-owned Laing Building as well as the Lahm Ridge Tower. Described as a political "hot potato," the issue was a focus of last year's conflict-of-interest inquiry.

But Ootes said despite being part of the Standing Committee on Resources and Infrastructure, he has been frustrated after not being able to get a hold of a copy of the plan or determine its stage of development. He said a couple of landlords have approached him complaining of the uncertainty caused by the silence over the issue.

"My concern with all this is two-fold," he said. "Number one, the landlords in this community want to know about their empty space and what the government's plans are, and two, is the public getting good value for money -- are we taking advantage of the office space available to us instead of the government monkeying around with its own buildings."

During the March 29 session, former public works minister Floyd Roland said many issues have not been settled but would be addressed in committee. A cabinet shuffle soon followed, however, and newly elected Minister Vince Steen took over the portfolio.

Yellowknife Mayor Dave Lovell said Tuesday he also saw the need to clarify the situation.

"What we should know is what they hope to accomplish," he said.

"Goals and objectives should be laid down."