Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 11/02) - Jonny Covello thought she was making some progress with the city.

A number of red flags were raised when she and other residents from the southern part of Morrison Drive saw city plans for waterfront development.

Particularly galling to them was the city plan to end their leases on waterfront property to run a boardwalk through, but they were also pushing to eliminate a firepit and outhouse from city plans.

So when the city sent them two draft plans for the area, she was concerned that "neither of the plans (city planner Dave Jones) sent us responded to the concerns we had for the park." But she took hope in a promise of a third plan, one that would incorporate all of their suggestions.

Then she looked at the budget and saw $130,000 set aside for a waterfront management plan that specifically referenced the boardwalk, firepit and outhouse. She still hadn't seen a third plan.

"The message we're getting is that the administration is determined to proceed with this project at any cost," she said. "And we feel that this particular plan is flawed."

So she asked council to defer passage of the waterfront line item pending further discussion of the residents' concerns. After some discussion, which included administration saying that the third option would not be ready before the Jan. 28 expected final vote on the budget, Covello was assured by Mayor Gord Van Tighem that even if the budget line item is approved, and money set aside toward the park, "there will be further consultation before anything goes."

"It makes me nervous to see things in writing then hearing that it's going to be further discussed," Covello said outside of the meeting. "The fact that those three things are specifically on there is a point of concern."