SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Respondents to a number of Yellowknifer online polls are rating the amount of green space as the number one election issue in the city so far.

As of yesterday, our online survey at nnsl.com/yellowknifer showed that 34 per cent of respondents claim city green space is the most critical issue facing Yellowknifers. Sixty-nine per cent also said there could never be too much green space.

Fourteen per cent say the main issue is downtown crime and 13 per cent say homelessness and sports facilities are the big issues. Development rules get the nod from 10 per cent and the population drain scored eight per cent. Taxes and fees are the primary concern for seven per cent while two per cent of Yellowknifers say road maintenance is our biggest issue.

But the results didn't completely match with views on the street.

"You can take your green space and shove it," said one respondent who did not wish to give his name. "Too many tree huggers in power in the city right now as it is."

Edward Tse, manager of the Discovery Inn, said parks and trails come second to the crime and homelessness problems in the city.

"What's the use having green space if you don't feel safe on the trails?" he said.

Peter, who declined to give his first name, cleans at the Salvation Army homeless shelter, rated alcohol abuse and homelessness as the big issues in Yellowknife. "They don't know where to go. They come here but they've got nothing to do here."

Ninety per cent of online voters said the city is responsible for dealing with social issues like homelessness, addiction and crime. Peter said living on the streets is a personal choice.

"It's up to them. For me, I lived on the streets, it was up to me."

The city "is trying to keep people off the street, trying to keep people sober, you can't really change unless you want to change," said Brayden Pitt, a sales clerk with CD Plus.

But for all the street talk about homelessness, it's clear many citizens feel as strongly about green spaces as our online poll suggested.

There are plenty of parks and trails, but you can never have too much of a good thing, almost all street poll respondents said.

"I think they need to preserve what Yellowknife is really good for and it's the nature," said Pitt.

"You come into the city and in five minutes you could be out in the bush."