Peter Crnogorac
Northern News Services
Monday, February 5, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - City officials now say even if a decision comes forward to build a sports fieldhouse, there is no chance it will be ready in time for the Arctic Winter Games, due to take place in Yellowknife in March 2008.

When Yellowknife was awarded the games in April 2005, it was widely hoped the fieldhouse, which would include indoor soccer pitches and a running track, would be the icing on the cake when the international sporting event returns to Yellowknife.

But ballooning cost projections - one as high as $20 million - and the dwindling number of months to build it in time, has left city councillors and officials admitting defeat, at least as far as having it ready for the games.

"From the information I was given, having the fieldhouse ready for the Arctic Winter Games is not possible," said Coun. Bob Brooks, who sits on the city's fieldhouse committee.

The blueprints for the multi-million dollar facility includes two indoor soccer pitches, a running track, day care area and a conference room.

Dave Devana, director of corporate services for the city, said it would be "virtually impossible" to have the fieldhouse ready for the 2008 Games.

Devana said that to begin the project, the city will need to borrow money. To do that, city council will have to call a public referendum, after which it could take up to three months to get the money.

Devana added that the Arctic Winter Games Committee wasn't expecting the fieldhouse to be ready.

"The committee is satisfied with the facilities we now have," he said.

Grant White, director of community services for the city, said city officials had felt they were against a tough deadline.

"We knew it was going to be tough to reach the deadline for the fieldhouse, and now it's clear we won't," he said.

Mike Roesch from Facility for Kids, a Yellowknife service group backing the fieldhouse, said it's too bad the facility won't be in Yellowknife when the games come to the city next year.

It's obviously disappointing," he said. "But this doesn't take away from the games in anyway.

"The fieldhouse just would've been the cherry on the cupcake."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem has been a strong backer of the fieldhouse since discussion on it began three years ago. He was also one of the biggest supporters in having the fieldhouse ready for the 2008 games.

When told of comments by Brooks, Devana and White, he said, "If you think it's over then it's over. You heard from the experts, so I guess that's that. But I tend to believe it's never over until it's over."

Council will debate this morning if there should be a public vote on whether or not to borrow money for the project.