Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jun 14/00) - The City of Yellowknife has approved a development permit for a new mall on Old Airport Road.

The retail service mall, which will be located at 349 Old Airport Road, is expected to open to the public this fall.

Construction of the building is expected to begin within the month and be completed by the end of July.

The project is a joint- venture between Frank Ramsay, owner of the A&W Restaurant on Franklin Avenue, and Wally Zarowny, owner of the Soapberry Shop in the Centre Square Mall. The building will house four retail outlets on the ground floor, with room allocated for office space on the second floor.

Ramsay said several tenants have already expressed interest in setting up at the location, but the leases have not yet been finalized.

"Our first tenants will probably start to move in at the end of August or early September," said Ramsay.

The new mall is the latest development along Old Airport Road.

It remains to be seen what, if any, development occurs in other parts of the commercial area.

Earlier this year, there was talk that Canadian Tire might be moving out to Old Airport Road. Then rumours circulated that Wal-Mart would be moving and Canadian Tire was to take Wal-Mart's space.

Then there was talk that a large retailer -- Home Depot -- was coming to Yellowknife.

Neal Robinson, member of the real estate development team of the Canadian division of the Home Depot, said that was not the case.

"We now only project two years in advance ... I can't really say if we will be up there or not. But at least not in the next two years," he said.