Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 01/05) - The new kitchen shelter overlooking Long Lake in Fred Henne Territorial Park has been the target of arson.

Yellowknife firefighters received a call from the Yellowknife Airport control tower of a fire at the structure at 5:43 a.m., Friday.

Baxter Pond, on ladder, and Reg Pilgrim of Wilf's Renovations, prepare to secure the kitchen building at Fred Henne Territorial Park after an arson fire early Friday morning. Damage is estimated at $80,000. The building will be closed for the rest of the season. - Dorothy Westerman/NNSL photo

Upon arriving at the scene, five duty crew firefighters found a large quantity of smoke and fire coming from the 54-square-metre building, located at the day use/boat launch area of the park.

The initial cost of damage is upwards of $80,000.

Fire chief Mick Beauchamp said the fire was relatively easy to extinguish.

"There was damage to the one corner where the fire was lit," Beauchamp said.

A gaping hole the shape and height of a ragged doorway is at the building's right rear corner.

"There was also damage to the upper area of the structure on the roof and support beams," he said.

That hole is large enough for an adult to crawl through and is above where the wood stove is.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the open flames in about one-half hour.

They then assisted in the investigation, which is now in the hands of the fire marshal and the RCMP, he said.

Beauchamp also said entering the park was not a problem, as the fire department has its own key to the locked gate nearest the highway-side parking lot where they had to gain access.

Phil Lee, regional superintendent for the North Slave region for Industry, Tourism and Investment, said it appears as if the fire was started on the outside of the building.

"It writes that building off," Lee said.

It appears unlikely the structure will be rebuilt back to its original state, he added, noting the building was about five years old.

"If we are going to put in some kind of shelter, I think it would be an open shelter and still use the deck area.

"I think another facility such as what we had would be too tempting a target," Lee said of ongoing vandalism.

The structure will be boarded up for the rest of the season, Lee said. Events planned for its use, including an upcoming wedding, will be cancelled, although the deck area is still usable.

Lee said to combat the problem of vandalism and arson, a zero-tolerance policy will now be implemented at Fred Henne Territorial Park and Prelude Lake Campground.

"There will be strict adherence to the terms and conditions of the permit, the number of people on site after 10:30 p.m. and the automatic issuance of tickets for failing to comply with the permit," Lee said.

Last year, arson resulted in the loss of the cookhouse at Fred Henne, located by the beach, and one of the outhouses.

At the Yellowknife River, an outhouse was also lost to the hands of an arson, he noted.

"The cookhouse was well appreciated by the residents of Yellowknife and was used every weekend," he said, adding that the loss of revenue to the contractor who rents the building is estimated to be close to $1,500.

"We're doing whatever we can to clamp down on the activity generating this vandalism and disruption in the park," Lee said.

"I think it's a shame that there is a lack of appreciation by some for what this park should mean to the community.

"It's a beautiful park and it is unfortunate some people view it as a place to go party as opposed to go and have a quality camping experience."