SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - An 11-year-old is making waves in the municipal election, but all she wants is a waterslide.

Brittany Napayok wrote a letter to Yellowknifer on Sept. 30 asking mayoral candidates to consider two things: a Dairy Queen and a waterslide.

"I went to Hay River, they have a beautiful waterslide and Hay River is only half the size of Yellowknife, my hometown," she wrote.

She said started researching waterslides online and said she really likes the water park in Edmonton.

"Our pool is kind of boring because there's just a diving board," said Napayok. "They need a big waterslide for kids."

The Ruth Inch Memorial Pool opened in 1988. Originally it had a wave pool but it broke and hasn't been resurrected since. With lanes and a hot tub, there isn't necessarily an open space where a waterslide could fit.

Wednesday afternoon, the pool was packed with kids as the swim club practised. Reaction was mixed when Yellowknifer asked people if they thought a waterslide should be an election issue.

Mummitha Naidoo, who was at the pool with her grandchildren, said she thought it was a valid election issue. She didn't think a waterslide would fit in the current pool but said the city should consider a water park.

"It's an extra activity for kids in the summer," she said.

"A waterslide would be great, down the road when it's feasible," said Belinda MacFadyen. "We're lucky to be getting a soccer facility."

She said her three children use the pool on a weekly basis. Waterslides are a big draw for them and MacFadyen said her family usually plans to stay at facilities with waterslides on vacation because the kids look forward to them.

Magdy El-Beheiry said a waterslide shouldn't be an election issue.

"It's certainly not a must to have," he said. "There is not enough space for a waterslide."

El-Beheiry's daughter, Sabrina, disagreed.

"It would be a lot more fun for kids ... they'd have somewhere else to play," she said.

Mayoral candidates haven't dismissed the issue. Bryan Sutherland wrote a letter of his own, saying "once our city is spending responsibly I will ask all the other people in the city if they will support a waterslide." On his campaign pamphlets, he lists an "expanded public water park" under his goals.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said he'd be willing to consider a waterslide in Yellowknife and said he's seen how successful they've been in Whitehorse, Inuvik and Hay River.

"The challenge here would be if it would fit into an existing facility," he said. "It's like anything with the city, it's a matter of determining wants, needs, affordability."

After reading Napayok's letter, Van Tighem circulated it to the facilities needs assessment committee, which gives regular updates on the city's needs. So far he hasn't gotten any response.

"It's something that could be considered if we could afford it," he said.

Candidate John Westergreen said he'd also be in favour of a waterslide and says it's an issue his children have also raised.

"We'd put the waterslide in the four foot end. It's not an unreasonable request," said Westergreen.

He said the city could consider creating space for the slide by building part of it outside the existing pool during regular upgrades. "It's one of those things you look it, it's a budgetary item for a planned upgrade."