.
Search
Email this articleE-mail this story  Discuss this articleWrite letter to editor  Discuss this articleOrder a classified ad
New building to be clean and green

Darren Stewart
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 05/03) - The new federal building downtown will now face Franklin Avenue rather than 52nd Street.

The building was originally designed to face 52nd Street. At a meeting last fall, community members and council said they would rather it face the main street. The designers rotated the building plans a few degrees to accommodate that request.

Architect Richard Isaac as well as representatives from the Public Works and Government Services Canada presented the updated design to the priorities, policies and budget committee on Monday.

"It's nice to see you've considered some of our ideas in the design," Mayor Gord Van Tighem told the group.

"You guys were easier on us this time," joked Jerry Haley of Public Works.

Haley said the latest four-storey building design would be a model for sustainable development in Northern buildings. The glass-wall design incorporates natural light to save money on electricity. The plan also calls for the building to be heated and cooled through natural ground sources. The site would surpass bylaw requirements for green space and employees will be encouraged to use alternative transportation. The building will also include an atrium available to the public.

"The government is taking a lead role in reducing its environmental footprint," Haley said.

The 5,000 square-metre building will cost about $18 million and house 200 public servants. Construction for the building is scheduled to begin in next winter.

Green light

Meanwhile, the city's public services committee recommended council approve two new development applications in the Negus Point area, but not without first considering the city's liability.

The road to the Negus Point area passes near an arsenic contaminated tailing pond that is supposed to be cleaned up by Mirimar Mining by Dec. 31, 2004.