Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 10/05) - A City Hall proposal to turn green space over to housing projects was bulldozed at a public meeting Wednesday at William McDonald school.

Members of city council may have felt like they were in the jungle at Wednesday's meeting on the residential growth study. Stephen Puskas (standing) - a life-long Yellowknife resident - spoke about how important green space is to him. More than 175 people attended the public meeting. - Kent Driscoll/NNSL photo

"We strongly object to the proposition that land currently protected would even be considered for residential development," said Andrea Markowski, summing up the views of many of the 175 residents who gave up a warm, sunny evening to attend the meeting.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem, Coun. Wendy Bisaro and Coun. Kevin O'Reilly were the only council members in attendance.

The three-hour meeting to gather opinions on the residential growth study didn't hear one word of support for the controversial plan.

The plan and public opinion will be reviewed at a municipal planning meeting, June 20, when the committee is expected make a recommendation to council.

Residents listened to city planner David Widdis go through the details of the study, then dismantled it piece by piece.

"We challenge the city to think out a long-term, more thought-out solution," said Markowski.

She spoke from prepared remarks about the importance of the green spaces, to distinguish Yellowknife from other cities, as being a unique Northern community.

Scores assigned

Steve Moore wondered about scores the study assigned to potential development sites.

"If a neighbourhood is already densely developed, does that mean it is compatible with more high-density development? A more balanced approach would be to leave the extra open space in neighbourhoods that are already crowded," Moore suggested.

Several people in the audience, copies of the study in hand, pointed out that some of the areas listed as greenspace were indeed parking lots.

Another common theme was the use of private land. A map that Widdis displayed showed private, undeveloped lots available in central Yellowknife.

The vacant lots greatly outnumber green spaces, and residents wanted to know why they weren't considered in the plan.

Widdis said that he was asked to only consider land already controlled by the city.

Stephen Puskas said he has lived in Yellowknife all his 22 years and complained that he now must leave the city to experience nature. The crowd cheered.