Lisa Scott
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 27/05) - The Yellowknives Dene say they no longer want the area known as the Sand Pits for residential housing.

They withdrew their application for the land from the City of Yellowknife in a short note written by a staff member and dropped off at City Hall Friday.

Acting mayor Wendy Bisaro says there was no reason given for the turnaround and the city hasn't been able to reach Dettah chief Peter Liske or anyone at the Yellowknives Dene First Nation office.

The decision leaves the city in an awkward position, having to change a pending application for Commissioner's land put in earlier this year.

"We had requested the piece farther to the west for the Yellowknives Dene because they wanted to do that development. We decided if they didn't want it, we would reduce our application," Bisaro says.

After discussion in a committee meeting Monday, city council decided to notify the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) to drop any residential development out of the application.

The city is still looking for ownership of the sand quarry and to continue recreation access for Yellowknife residents.

A land-dispute between the Yellowknives Dene and the City over the 64-acre parcel has been ongoing since last year. Chief Peter Liske wanted the land handed over for development, but city council maintained there is a leasing and zoning process to go through.

"We have to follow process and that was definitely a problem. We felt as a council that no, we don't give anybody land to do with what they please," says Bisaro.

The city is in the middle of an application process to ask for land needed for future development from the GNWT.

Eight parcels of land within municipal boundaries are on the city's wish list, including Negus Point and Bristol Pits. The application for the Sand Pits area is already in, but is also included in the new comprehensive land request in the works.

Liske was angry last week that the city was still seeking a lease on the land his people needed to expand the Ndilo and Dettah settlements.

"I want those lands set aside for us, for future land," he said last week.

Liske also said that the argument was beyond the Sand Pits now and hinted that the Yellowknives Dene may be after larger parcels within the city instead. Liske couldn't be reached this week.

City council passed the first reading of the land applications by-law in council chambers Monday night.

Councillors Bisaro, Dave McCann, Bob Brooks, Alan Woytuik and Doug Witty voted in favour, while Kevin O'Reilly abstained from voting on the decision to approve the application. Mark Heyck and Blake Lyons were absent.

"We should take the time to do it properly," said O'Reilly, who claims the application is being hurried to meet the deadline of the end of August.

"It will be characterized as a land grab," said O'Reilly.

The by-law will go back to administration before coming before council again in August for a second reading.