Yellowknife (May 01/06) - The Frame Lake waterfront could look much different if plans for a multi-million dollar redevelopment of the area around City Hall goes ahead.

Grant White, Yellowknife's director of community services, points out the planned location of the new Yellowknife public library during an open house at city hall Thursday. The city is planning a major facelift for the Frame Lake waterfront. - Chris Windeyer/NNSL photo

The Somba K'e civic plaza would be big enough to hold 5,000 people, an 800-seat amphitheatre and 2,500-square-metre library.

City staff met with about 20 members of the public during a two-hour open house Thursday to sound them out about the redevelopment plans.

"Council asked us to take the next step to public consultation and really start to come up with design components or concrete plans as to what the public would like to see," said Grant White, the city's director of community services.

A proposed addition to City Hall was "thrown out quite early on" in the design process, White said.

"There are so many other things the city needs," he said.

Larry Elkin lives directly across 49th Avenue from City Hall, but says he isn't worried about the prospect of large events bringing thousands of people past his front door. In fact, he would welcome the plaza, both for what it will do for the city and because he feels it will help preserve his view of Frame Lake.

"It properly uses green space," he said. "That's what a lot of people like about Yellowknife."

Tanya Kruger, vice chair of the Friends of Yellowknife Public Library, is excited about the prospect of moving the library from its current location on the second floor of the Centre Square office tower to a commanding position on a rock face overlooking Frame Lake.

"This is in line with exactly what we've been promoting," she said.

Kruger said she'd like to see a multipurpose building, with space for arts groups and public meetings. She's also concerned about the lack of a timeline for construction of the new library.

"We would like a firmer commitment from city hall," she said.

There is also no firm figure on what the project will cost in the long run. White said council allocated $500,000 for consultation and preliminary construction this year, and $1 million for work next year. After that, money from a city reserve will go to the project at the rate of $500,000 per year.

"We have the luxury with this project to be able to do things in phases," said Coun. Bob Brooks.

The project will also benefit from $3.2 million in community capacity building funds from the federal government, though Brooks said that money will likely be spread among several projects including the field house proposed for a site near the Multiplex.

The field house could cost as much as $13 million.

The next public meetings on the facilities plan, including the Somba K'e civic area, are scheduled for May 10-11.