Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 27/00) - It's a battle between children on ponies and trucks.

Blair Weatherby, owner of Weatherby Trucking, wants to move his outfit from Kam Lake to a four-acre lot on Highway 3 beside North Country Stables. The owner of the stables and nearby residents don't want him there.

Weatherby wants to build a marshalling station there so truckers can park their trailers for later pick-up. He says it will keep trucks from plugging the downtown core.

His proposal met resistance at Monday's council meeting from people who live around the property.

"I'm in a pickle right now between two forces," said Weatherby.

One of his biggest opponents is Joanna Jonkisz, owner of the stables. Jonkisz employs two riding instructors and gives riding lessons to children, offers group sleigh-rides and provides stables for horse-owners.

"We cannot co-exist so close," said Jonkisz.

Jonkisz fears that if Weatherby moves in beside her she will lose a business in which she's invested $800,000.

"I will have to shut down," she said. "No one will ride with us: nobody's children will ride with diesel trucks right beside us."

She says the noise would scare the horses and the trucks would pollute the air. More traffic on the highway would make riding trips to the sandpits across the road dangerous.

Don Prima owns a home nearby and is worried the development will hurt property values and that Weatherby will not stop at just a marshalling station.

"I'm skeptical of his intentions," said Prima.

Facility meets requirements

Some like John Johansen, manager of Grimshaw Trucking, believe Weatherby's proposal is necessary.

"Truckers are like tourists," said Johansen. "They drop bucks here so we should accommodate them.

"People complain about trucks in town. Well this will solve that problem," he said.

Monty Christensen, manager of the city's planning and lands division, said the $185,000 lot is zoned as a growth management area which means council has the final say.

"Mr. Weatherby's proposal meets the requirements for that area," said Christensen.

He added that Weatherby has proposed a 15 metre tree-lined buffer zone between his development and the stable's lot. This, he said, is not necessary of a private developer.

"You can't expect nothing to be developed," said Christensen, "You're either open for business or you're not."

For now mayor-to-be Gord Van Tighem is playing the role of King Solomon.

"I'm going to inform myself of the situation," said Van Tighem.

"I'm going to walk with (Jonkisz) along her property and with (Weatherby) on his," he said.

The issue will be brought up again at a Nov. 7 committee meeting where Prima and Jonkisz and others will present their side of the story.