Yellowknife (Dec 17/03) - The Yellowknife Shooting Club will remain on shaky ground while council further considers the fate of its land lease.

The current 29-year lease is set to expire Nov. 1, 2004. The club is seeking to renew it with a new 20-year lease.

But council decided Tuesday to table the issue until administration can provide information on what exactly conducting an environmental assessment of the area would mean.

A phase 1/level 1 environmental assessment would likely be a requirement for the club to obtain a 20-year lease.

Such an assessment consists basically of a sensory evaluation, without taking soil samples. Depending on the results, council may also request the club proceed with a more in-depth level 2 assessment.

Coun. Kevin O'Reilly wanted to know if the city would be liable for any clean-up costs if the land were to fall back into the city's hands.

Council subsequently voted unanimously to table the item pending further information.

Brian Austin, director of lands and infrastructure at Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), said the city obtained the lease from the territory, who subsequently subleased it out to the shooting club.

"If the lease was surrendered by the city, the land would have to be returned to the commissioner in a satisfactory state," Austin said.

But he said the territory is basically at arm's length with regard to the shooting club lease and any agreement between the club and the city.

Club president Barry Taylor said he does not feel such an assessment is necessary, or that it should be the club's responsibility.

"There's lead there from wartime and in our dry climate, there is little oxidation. We've never perceived lead as a problem," Taylor said.

Since the club is self-funded, Taylor said paying for an assessment could be overly burdensome.

"One-third of that leased area has previously been mined out for the sand by the city. How can we be responsible for the environmental actions of the city."