Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 16/04) - With demolition of the old Gerry Murphy arena looming, the city is starting to look at options for developing the site.

The department of Justice and Workers' Compensation Board are planning a bid for the waterfront site, which prompted Yellowknifer to ask if people wanted to keep it as parkland.

The vote was overwhelming: 87.5 per cent of callers are in favour of using the site as parkland.

Here's what some of the callers had to say:

"I think that we've taken all the good land and used it for building grocery stores and hotels and things and it's about time we kept a nice big piece of land like Gerry Murphy for a parkland for all our people forever."

"I don't think a beautiful site on the lake like the Gerry Murphy site should be used for a courthouse so that a bunch of criminals can have a nice view while they're waiting to be sentenced.

That's a nice new playground they have out at the other lake."

"My children grew up in the Somba K'e park. I think the parkland should be expanded as the city expands. The stage should be expanded and the space used for more summer programs for kids."

"We think it should be parkland and there should be a stand-alone library on the site."

"I don't think it needs to be parkland, but I do think it needs to be public space. If it has to be a courthouse, then why not have the downstairs be space for a library or some space the public has access to?"

"An outdoor skating rink would be nice in that location, along with more quality parking."

"The old Gerry Murphy site needs to be refurbished into a new building and I think a new courthouse building is badly needed.

I'd just like to suggest that this time around they plan sufficient parking for tenants in the building as well as visitors."