Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 27/01) - A beleaguered Yellowknife athletics club, rebuffed repeatedly in attempts to get a loan for a new building, found a sympathetic ear with city councillors on Monday.

Elaine Keenan Bengts: banks are out of the question.

The Yellowknife Gymnastics Club hit a wall in its drive to raise $850,000 for a new building between the Ruth Inch Memorial swimming pool and the Wade Hamer mini-golf course. So far the club has raised $500,000.

Elaine Keenan Bengts, club president, said no banks in the city will give her club a loan because of their not-for-profit status.

"It's clear conventional financing is not going to work," said Bengts who approached the city Monday night for help.

City council rallied around Bengts, offering a series of options.

The city itself cannot give the club money without approval from the territory's Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. But Coun. Wendy Bisaro said council should see if they can get an exemption.

"We need to do whatever we can to assist these guys," Bisaro told city councillors at Monday night's council meeting.

Coun. Blake Lyons said the lending route is one the city should not take.

"I couldn't agree with lending money," said Lyons, but he noted the city could extend the lease to the club's current building on Old Airport road.

Coun. Dave Ramsay suggested the city give the club half the remaining money as part of next year's budget.

"If you do what you can, we'll see what we can do," said Ramsay.

Bengts said she didn't approach the city looking for money, but rather creative options to solving the money problem.

Currently the club is looking to the private sector to co-sign a loan for the remaining sum.

"Ideally we would like to build this by fall," said Bengts. "We've been on this project for three years."

Bengts said over 400 youth from ages 3 to 18 participate with the gymnastics club.