Guy Quenneville
Northern News Services
Friday, April 27, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Folk on the Rocks president Glen Abernethy wants an agreement signed between by the city and the festival that sets out the city's commitment to keeping the festival in its home on Highway 3.

The source of Abernethy's concern is an application for a building permit from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) to develop 36 spaces for RVs on land that has served as the festival's parking lot.

Abernethy is worried that ITI's plan could intrude further development into the festival grounds.

"We know that the city wants at least 100 trailer sites," Abernethy said to council this week. "That worries us."

The look of the festival site will be changed as a result of the trailer park, added Abernethy.

"One of the things that people really like about the site is that it's nice and open, and it's got a lot of really nice trees. (ITI) is going to knock down a lot of the trees and change esthetic appeal of the site."

Abernethy believes that, once ITI has invested $1 million in the site, it will consider further expansion at that same site as the most logical and cost-effective option.

"We've had no assurances from ITI that they don't plan to do that."

Phillip Lee, ITI's regional superintendent for the North Slave region, said Folk on the Rocks is wrong about ITI's intentions.

"They've been wrong on it for a while. From day one," said Lee.

"They're wrong because ITI has given them assurances that future development would be on the basis of another application for a parcel of land outside the city."

The specific site ITI has in mind for additional expansion is further down Highway 3, outside the city limits, by the Rocking Horse Ranch, said Lee.

Abernethy said that ITI is moving forward on the project without sufficiently engaging the public.

"ITI need to go to community and see what its real interest is," Abernethy said.

But Lee says that ITI will not move forward (should its building permit go through) until its has sought input from the public.

"We're going to be holding a community consultation meeting sometime in mid-May where people can give us their feedback. We won't move on the project until we do that."

Given the amount of attention the matter has received, Lee expects a significant turnout at the event.

ITI held a preliminary public information session on April 11.

Mayor Gordon Van Tighem acknowledged at council that the matter has been mired in uncertainty, and that better communication between both parties is needed.

Van Tighem also pointed out that council ultimately has to approve the building permit for the RV site.

Councillor David Wind brought up the possibility of Folk on the Rocks actually managing the RV site. Abernethy made it clear that option is unlikely to happen.

"Folk on the Rocks actually formed a committee on this matter after we were approached by ITI about it," said Abernethy.

"We decided we would have great difficulty doing that, as we're already understaffed for the festival. We're a non-profit group and our main focus is on promoting music and culture."