After much wrangling and exhausting debate city council decided to stick with a phased twin pad arena to built beside Sir John Franklin high school Monday night. The public wanted council to "get on with it" and they did.
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 14/01) - Yellowknife cab driver Sandra Gellenbeck believes city councillor Alan Woytuik was right.
At Monday night's council meeting Woytuik stood alone in his opposition to the city building a phased twin pad arena beside Sir John Franklin high school. His was the only hand raised for the "nay" side when the vote finally came. It was the Yellowknife Correctional Centre site or bust for him.
| A change of heart
Councillors Wendy Bisaro and Robert Hawkins were in opposition to the construction of a phased twin pad arena beside Sir John Franklin high school. But on Monday night, both councillors had a change of heart and voted in favour of a twin pad arena.. "I personally am for a single pad arena there," said Wendy Bisaro. "I thought about it for a week, it was best for the community to go for a phased twin pad." Robert Hawkins switched sides when he saw the tide shifting in support of the phased twin pad.
"I don't agree with it but I will support the wishes of council," said Hawkins. Dave McCann, a detractor of the phased twin pad proposal, did not attend the council meeting.
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Gellenbeck said the Yellowknife Correctional Centre site makes more sense which was what Woytuik fought so hard to promote Monday night.
With a vote of six to one -- Coun. Dave McCann was absent -- the city will now enter into a lease agreement with the YK District No. 1 School Board to build a phased twin pad arena beside Sir John Franklin high school.
"I don't know what I have to do to change your minds," said Woytuik before a packed council chamber Monday night.
"The Sir John site will come back to haunt us," he said to a smattering of clapping.
Woytuik believes a twin pad arena will create immense traffic problems for the area and a headache for future councils.
"In 10 years I'll be the one saying I told you so to a number of councillors," said Woytuik separately.
Leading into the meeting council was split down the middle. The running argument was between a single pad or a phased twin pad arena built beside Sir John Franklin high school.
But on Monday night all councillors present agreed a phased twin pad arena was the best option and the argument turned on site selection.
Council heard six presentations from the public. Three of the presenters supported the YCC site instead of the Sir John Franklin site.
"I believe the YCC site is the best of possible sites for a twin pad," said presenter Joe Walsh.
"I'm most in favour of the YCC site," said presenter David Walcer.
With the exception of Woytuik no councillor had done enough homework to endorse or refute the YCC site.
Woytuik staunchly pushed for the YCC site. He said the city could begin building on it right away.
"We have received verbal commitment from the Justice Minister," said Woytuik.
But no other councillors shared his confidence.
"YCC has considerable unknowns," said Coun. Blake Lyons.
"I'm not against the YCC site if that's what council wants," said Coun. Kevin O'Reilly, "but we are getting free land from the Yellowknife School Board, why pass it up?"
The City will be leasing the land for a $1 a year. After council voted in favour of the phased twin pad arena hoots of relief and clapping erupted from the stands. It was over.
"I think it's great," said Gary Vivian, chair of the arena advisory committee that tabled the original proposal to build a phased twin pad arena beside Sir John Franklin high school.
"I thought we were stepping back 10 years addressing single arenas," said Vivian.
Near the end of the meeting Coun. Wendy Bisaro moved to table a proposal at the next priorities, policies and budget committee meeting that council look into the development of a community complex over the next five years.
