Yellowknife (June 18/03) - Traffic flow in and out of stores on Old Airport is a mess, say businesses in the area.

And many worry it will get worse when the Direct Charge Co-op and Extra Foods open expanded operations.

Yellowknife chamber president David McPherson on a busy corner of Range Lake Road and Old Airport Road that will probably just keep getting busier. - Norm Poole/NNSL photo

Store and business owners and managers met to discuss their concerns at a Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce-sponsored meeting last week.

About 30 people jammed into the Super 8 boardroom to vent their frustrations.

The Chamber called the meeting to discuss 'common concerns' on everything from taxes to bus schedules, marketing promotions and crime stoppers programs.

But it was traffic that dominated the discussions.

Inadequate or awkward entries to malls and stores, ill-timed lights, and the lack of left-turn lanes at busy intersections drew the most criticism.

Yellowknife chamber president David McPherson described access into the Mall, Wal-Mart, Tim Horton's, the PetroCan gas bar, and the Super 8 Motel as "a horror show."

"What they need is a business service road from the Co-op to the existing Extra Foods store," he said later.

Wal-Mart manager Rodney Arshadi agreed.

He said on Monday that drivers use the Wal-Mart parking lot to get to Tim Hortons, the gas station, and the motel.

"They drive too fast and I feel it is unsafe." he said.

Creative Communications owner, Linda Cornerford, called for "at least two entries" into every mall or large store in the area.

McPherson said the city should look again at building a connecting road from the west side of the Kam Lake industrial park to Highway No. 3.

"That would take a lot of the traffic pressure off of Old Airport Road."

City councillor Robert Hawkins said the road was "put on the back burner" by the city to await a decision by the GNWT on a possible realignment of the airport.

That has put industrial development at Kam Lake on hold, he said.

"It would cost about $2 million to build the road and the additional lots it would open up would pay for it."

The effect in reducing traffic on Old Airport Road would be "tremendous," he said.

The Kam Lake industrial park drew criticism from several business owners.

The park was portrayed as a graveyard for rusting auto hulks and a hostel for howling dogs.

"Are we building a city or a dump?" said one owner.

Several wondered whether the kennels even conformed to zoning bylaws for the park.

Coun. Alan Woytiuk advised companies with complaints about non-compliant businesses to contact the bylaw enforcement department.

"Unfortunately, the system is complaint driven."

Monte Cristensen, manager of lands and planning, said Monday the kennel operations don't contravene existing bylaws for the park.

"Animal services is a use that is included in our bylaw for the Kam Lake industrial park," said Cristensen.

"That includes everything from a veterinary clinic to a boarding kennel."

McPherson said the chamber will forward owners' traffic concerns to the city in the near future.