Lauren McKeon
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, December 24, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The city plans to start the initial phase of the long-awaited Ndilo road-paving program in 2010.

That year, the city will complete the detailed engineering design and tender package, with construction starting in 2011.

In October, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada pulled out of the multi-partner project with the city, the Yellowknives Dene and the territorial government - leaving the groups to look for another source of funding to complete paving.

"Right now (we're) being proactive," said Dennis Kefalas, director of public works, referring to the city's plan to go ahead without other secured funding.

"In 2011 we'll starting paving with or without the feds," he added.

Lights for trail

Four additional lights will go up on the newly dubbed McMahon Frame Lake Trail.

City councillor Bob Brooks asked during budget discussions for the lights to be installed to address "public safety issues" on the trail.

There have been four sexual assaults reported on the trail since summer.

City administration had already considered installing lights. Public works director Dennis Kefalas promised the demand would have "no effect on the budget," as installation had already been included.

The lights will be installed in the summer.

$6,000 snow removal

After receiving numerous complaints in November regarding snow removal services, city council boosted the clean-up allowance by $6,000 in the 2009 budget last week.

The small increase will allow the public works department to hire additional casual labour for earlier snow removal.

The $6,000 will allow for about two more casual hires. In theory, the additional staff will improve the city's response time if snow falls earlier in the year than anticipated.

"This is no longer an anomaly, this is more average," said city councillor Bob Brooks, referring to the early snowfalls recorded over the past three years.

"The technique for removing snow that early in the year needs to be adjusted," said Coun. Shelagh Montgomery.

While some councillors like Montgomery were pushing for an increase of $10,000 or more, director of public works Dennis Kefalas said a larger increase wouldn't necessarily produce more results.

Even if the city had the money to hire more contractors, he said, there are only so many in Yellowknife - and they're all busy when it snows. More money will not make much a difference if there are no contractors to hire.

"We'll try to be prepared and ready ... it's just a challenge," said Max Hall, city administrator.

"We will do the very best we can, but we can't pick it up faster than what you give us resources for," he added.