Cindy MacDougall
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 10/99) - The building that may become Yellowknife's new youth drop-in centre will be used to train government employees to do asbestos inspections.

The old Mine Rescue Centre will be the site for an asbestos detection training exercise for Public Works engineers, according to regional superintendent Vince Dickson.

"Because of its age, we figured it would be a prime example," he said.

The city granted the Side Door youth drop-in centre over $250,000 in early October to renovate the building, which is now owned by the GNWT.

The government will transfer the building to the city before the new year.

The city, however, quickly realized the building may have asbestos around the pipes and in the walls, and was worried about the cost of removing it.

Mayor David Lovell said the timing of the program, and the location choice, couldn't be better for the youth centre project.

"Our staff have walked through the building now, and they no longer think there's a problem (with asbestos)," he said.

"But this will be one good checkup, with a trained inspector teaching a class."

However, Dickson said the training program is not an official inspection of the centre.

"This (training course) is by no means an absolute release," Dickson said.

"The city will be responsible for confirming whether or not there are problems once the title of the building is transferred.

"This is just an identification course."

Asbestos, when inhaled, is a cancer-causing agent and is considered a serious health risk.

Dickson said the government has not yet chosen a consultant to teach the class yet and has issued a request for proposals.

"We'll do the course in the latter part of November, well in advance of the release of the building," he said.

Kevin Laframboise, the Side Door's co-ordinator, said he and the kids who use the centre are trying to be patient.

"We're just waiting to see what happens," he said.

"No one in this, not me or the city or the government, wants to put any of these kids' health at risk."

The Side Door currently uses the basement of Holy Trinity Anglican Church. It's open most nights of the week.

Laframboise said the centre applied for the funding and use of the Mine Rescue Centre because the Side Door is overcrowded on most nights. The centre wants to try several new projects but it just doesn't have the room.