Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 04/02) - The daughter of the first mayor of Yellowknife returned North for the first time in almost 50 years.

Jane Beverley -- formerly Jane McNiven -- is the daughter of Douglas McNiven.

Jane and her husband Eric took a side trip to Yellowknife last week while on their way to Edmonton for Jane's 50th reunion at the University of Alberta. The two spent six days here, and Jane marvelled at the changes.

"Everyone told me I would be disappointed because it's more of a government town. I grew up in a mining town," said Jane, adding that Yellowknife's population was only 500 when she left.

"I'm not disappointed. The people are the same. It has the same friendliness," said Jane, who lives in Toronto.

What is not the same is the size of the community, which is now about 18,000. "I'm amazed by the size of the place. Driving on Airport Road when I came in I was totally disoriented. I couldn't believe the size of some of the buildings," she said.

"Everything I see they've changed. But I have memories and they are clear memories," Jane said.

She was also struck by the City Hall building. She said it was so impressive to see a brick building in Yellowknife.

"There wasn't anything built of brick in my time," she said.

Jane said she would be sad to leave.

"I'm going to be sad. I don't think at my age I am going to get back," she said.

However, she would jump at the chance to return but would probably choose a warmer time of year.