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Defend the rock, say Twin Pine protectors

City blasted for shortage of details

Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 11/02) - If the city truly wants its own Central Park, council should keep Twin Pine Hill clear of any development, local residents say.

"The area and its location are very unique and as such deserve to be given full consideration as the showcase natural park for the city," Mike Byrne said at a standing-room-only public hearing Monday on development of the space.

City hall was seeking input on a plan to rezone the hill into four areas. Under the plan, the southern tip, including most of the old Bartam Trailer Ct., would be zoned Old Town mix. Much of the central corridor would be left as a nature preserve. The northern tip of the hill would be rezoned R3, or multi-family residential.

A central swath of the hill would be zoned commercial, which would open it for construction by Sihka Developments, which wants to build a $25-million, 160-room resort and convention centre on the hill.

About a dozen people voiced opposition to all or parts of the zoning plan. Presenters defended the uniqueness of the hill with both emotional and scientific arguments.

"I call it our mountain," said Les Cameron, who spoke of the "majesty" of the area. "I think it's an energy centre. If you have multiple housing ... nobody will find peace there."

Darrell Beaulieu, who has worked with the Sihka proposal, said the planned development won't necessarily damage the hill's majesty.

"I think it works both ways -- it can enhance the hill," he said, adding that "it was a good suggestion to comply with the values of the land. We certainly looked at considering those."

A number of people asked council to change the proposed R3 area, which could lead to row housing that towers over properties on School Draw Ave.

Ecology North board member Lisa Best complained that the city only gave people two-and-a-half business days to respond in writing to its plans for Twin Pine Hill.

"We were surprised at the limited amount of consultation that has taken place," she said.

Best said the land is home to a wide variety of wildlife and recommended swapping commercial space on Twin Pine Hill for preserved green space elsewhere in the city.

Ann Peters, a local architect, said the city needs to consult the land before consulting potential developers.

"How Niven Lake has been developed is breaking our hearts because there's so little respect being paid to the landscape," she said.

Naturalist and author Jamie Bastedo said it is unfair to ask people to comment on a zoning plan that has not been properly communicated.

He added the city "put the planning cart before the horse."

"What's the rush?"

Councillors promised to formally respond to public input within a month.