SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - City councillor David Wind suggested the Santa Clause parade be moved from the evening to the afternoon at a Municipal Services Committee meeting Monday.

He said an afternoon parade will avoid any conflict with dinner time and allow downtown businesses to capitalize on the increased foot traffic.

Grant White, director of Community Services, said the last daytime parade in 2005 drew only 12 floats.

"Ever since then, including this year, we've had between 18 to 20 floats," he said.

"The feedback that we've had from a lot of parents since we moved it is that it actually allows their kids to be in the parade or watch it because it doesn't conflict with other activities."

Coun. Bob Brooks said he was pleased to see the move to an evening parade had drawn more participation.

"There's always going to be parties disagreeing, or whatever, but in this case the proof is in the pudding," he said.

Christmas trees and decorations were also up for discussion, with Coun. Wind suggesting more decorations were needed to up the festive feeling in the city.

"There seems to be some lag in terms of the decorations and the amount of decorations that we do put up," he said. "If we can promote that more and get some added decorations and get a more festive spirit, it strikes me that that would be of benefit to the city."

However, Couns. Paul Falvo and Lydia Bardak said the current level of decorations are perfectly adequate.

"I think the city does a fabulous job ... At the risk of sounding like Scrooge, if we're going to do anymore lights there's more cost to the city," said Bardak.

"I agree with the previous Grinch," said Falvo. "When we're looking down the barrel of a 5.9 tax increase we've got to think about every expenditure, and there's a fair bit going on already."

The Santa Claus parade is tomorrow beginning at the city hall parking lot at 6:30 p.m.

Council considers Niven solution

The latest phase of the Niven Lake development was once again up for discussion, with Coun. Bob Brooks raising the issue at the Municipal Services Committee meeting Monday.

"We wanted to create a special area that would allow for slightly smaller housing, with the hope of trying to create something that gave us houses that were somewhat more affordable," said Brooks, speaking about the R-7 zone, which is supposed to promote an affordable, low density, pedestrian friendly area.

He said the Phase 7 restrictions, which include stipulations around the size, height and the conservation of the natural surrounding of a building, are making the area unattractive for development.

Brooks said he wants development officers to have more discretion to allow flexibility in the zone.

"So that whoever is building there is able to build within the concept that we're trying to achieve... but not be so onerous that we can't actually do anything," he said.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said city administration was already considering changes to the zone requirements.

"I'm assured by administration that with their experience over the last year they have several suggestions that would contribute to the discussion and eventual renovation of this bylaw - if they get the encouragement from council," said Van Tighem.

In an e-mail before the meeting, Jeffery Humble, director of planning and lands, suggested city administration meet with contractors to figure out what changes need to be made.

Calls decrease for RCMP

Last month the RCMP responded to 931 calls, down 16.3 per cent from October, 2008 according to a report given by Sgt. Larry O'Brien at the Municipal Services Committee meeting on Monday.

"The significant thing we're seeing right now is we're getting our October slow-down," he said.

"When kids go back to school it gets busy all of a sudden and then when it gets a little cooler, September, October, things slow down a little."

He said the downward trend is difficult to account for, but suspects it may be due to a nationwide upgrade of the RCMP's electronic reporting system in September this year.

"It could be something in there, so I don't trust that we're down 16 per cent," he said. "It doesn't feel that way, that's for sure."

He said upgrades to the system were simply to make it more user friendly and some numbers may have been lost due to glitches that often occur with unfamiliar programs.

According to the report, break-and-enters went down to seven this October from 18 last year, while drug possession charges are up to 13 this October from five last year.