Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 30/99) - The Trans-Cananda Trail will be extended to include Fort Resolution when it opens next year.

According to recreational co-ordinator for the hamlet, Tausia Lal, presentations were made to the Deninu Ku'e First Nation Council by the Northwest Territories Trans-Canada Trail Relay 2000 Committee on Aug. 19, to extend the trail along wilderness and water routes to the community and was initially accepted by the community.

But a meeting held by the local Aboriginal Wildlife Committee on Aug. 25, raised some concerns as to just where the trail should be situated.

"The concern was once you open it then it becomes a regular trail," said Lal. "They (Deninu Ku'e First Nation) want that happening. It will be on the main road."

Several in attendance at the Aug. 25 meeting were concerned that having the trail following along the wilderness areas to Fort Resolution would interfere with the traplines that criss-cross the region.

"We only want to go into communities that want us there," said NWT regional co-ordinator for the Trans-Canada Trail, Katherine McPhee. "We don't want to force anything on them, but they were interested so it sounds like a go.

"I know the chief in Fort Resolution was concerned about going on the trapping line so, if they want a trail there and the groups that are involved agree, then we will go through with it. If they don't, then we will just use it for the purposes of the relay."

The Trans-Canada Trail Relay 2000 is scheduled to begin in Tuktoyaktuk, Feb. 19, 2000, and end in Hull, Que., on Sept. 19. Five thousand participants are expected to take part in the relay.

A major part of the trail in the North will be a water route along the South Slave River, past Fort Resolution and into traditional hunting and trapping areas.