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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Jiewa Park at Mildred Hall school has hit a standstill due to poor results from fundraising.

Tait Communications was contracted in August 2007 to do the fundraising for the project.

"The biggest issue that we ran across in terms of what we heard from Tait ... this past year with all the fundraising for the Arctic Winter Games it was difficult from a fundraising perspective," said Mel Pardy of Yk Education District No.1. "People and organizations in Yellowknife probably felt like they were taxed out."

The park is planned to feature playgrounds, a basketball court, a cultural area, a ceremonial circle, a log school, an outdoor rock classroom, a cooking area and indigenous vegetation. The project is expected to cost $1.6 million.

Pardy said Yk1 hopes more sponsors will come forward.

The construction of the park will occur in three phases.

"We've almost completed Phase I which is the basketball courts and the civic plaza which is the triangular bricked seating area on Franklin," said Laurie Sarkadi a spokesperson for the project. "We're in the process of starting a large fundraising effort to finish off the remaining two phases of the park. We need over $1 million to do that. We may try and do two and three together."

She said the goal of the project is to make the schoolyard a more welcoming place.

"We want to put in a large field out front," said Sarkadi. "All of the dirt will become grass. There is going to be two brand new play structures, one for small children and one for older children. They are really expensive.

"Behind the school there is going to be a Dene and Metis cultural centre which will have a tipi and a smoke house and a ceremonial circle. It can be used for traditional practices and Dene Kede."

The park will also include trees and other plants.

"We'd like to return the land as much as possible to its original state," said Sarkadi.

"It's gonna be beautiful," said Pardy. "We think it's going to be a good fit for the school and the community."