Yellowknife (Aug 04/03) - Ken Weaver has many memories of the general store his grandfather once operated on Weaver Drive.

Designated historical sites in Yellowknife include: the old Hudson Bay Store (1946)- 3501 Wiley Road Fireweed Studio (1938) - 5210-49th Ave. Wildcat Cafe (1937) - 3509 Wiley Road Old Weaver and Devore warehouse (1937) - 3535 Wiley Road Sutherland's Drug Store (1940s) - 50th St./50th Ave.

"As a little boy, trappers would arrive in the back room with all their furs," he said.

"And I remember warming my feet on the wood stove in the store when I was small. The building means a lot to our family."

From 1936 until 1954, Harry Weaver and Bud Devore created a cornerstone for the community at the Weaver & Devore Trading Ltd. store.

Today, the Weaver family still operates a general store across the street from the historical site in the heart of Old Town.

Historical significance is one reason the city should preserve its heritage buildings, according to the chair of the City of Yellowknife Heritage Committee.

"If the people believe that preservation and promotion of heritage is important then that is a directive they must give the mayor and council," James Lawrance said.

The committee is reviewing its role in the management of heritage resources and funding for preservation of historic sites. Recommendations will go to city council later this year.

The committee's duties include setting criteria for heritage sites, compiling a list of the sites and making recommendations for developing heritage resources.

Public input is vital to preserving Yellowknife's relatively young history, Lawrance said.

"Residents need to consider what direction the city will go in and what is next."

Architect Stephen Fancott agrees. He was one of the volunteers in the Old Stope Society which helped restore the historic Wildcat Cafe.

"I've been here for 20 years and the city has lost 75 per cent of its heritage buildings," Fancott said.

Even if a building has been designated heritage, he says there is no way to preserve it.

"The city doesn't have the power to make the owners keep the building up."

Often the land on which the historic building sits is worth much more than the building itself.

The House of Horrors in Old Town is a good example. It boasts a colourful history, but is beyond repair, he said.

Sutherland's Drug Store has migrated from its former site in Old Town to Franklin Avenue and 50th Street, but owner Wallace Finlayson said he doesn't want a historic site designation.

"There are too many rules and regulations and they place limitations on what could be done to the building," he said.