SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The many vacant storefronts in downtown malls and the upcoming closure of CD Plus had councillors talking on Monday night.

"There's no kidding ourselves that the downtown core is deteriorating," said city councillor Cory Vanthuyne. "It's heartbreaking.

"I grew up in this town and I grew up in a time when the Panda II Mall was two floors of retail, Yk Centre was full, Centre Square (Mall) was full, 50/50 Mini-Mall was full, and every storefront up and down the streets was very active."

Although streetscaping is being done to beautify the streets, the city needs to do more to make Yellowknife's downtown attractive to businesses again, said Vanthuyne.

"We have to take a stronghold in the downtown core as a city," he said.

Coun. Paul Falvo suggested that the city create initiatives that will bring home-based businesses into the downtown core.

"With vacant spots in malls, perhaps there's potential for the city or the Chamber (of Commerce), or the city working with the Chamber (to) help assist home-based businesses."

The city no longer has a Downtown Enhancement Committee. Last year, it was taken over by the Smart Growth Implementation Committee. Vanthuyne, who sits on the new committee, said he is looking forward to discussing the city's downtown at the first committee meeting on Feb. 1.

Environmental assessment working group

Council unanimously passed a motion by city councillor Shelagh Montgomery to create an environmental assessment working group for the remediation of the Giant Mine site Monday night.

A developer's assessment report was just released on the site. The working group, which consists of Montgomery, Coun. Mark Heyck and members of city administration, will go over the assessment and produce a request for more information before the Feb. 14 deadline.

The group's first meeting was Wednesday afternoon.

"There's several concerns the city has had around the remediation of Giant Mine since this process started," said Heyck.

Some of those concerns include the remediation standards set for various parts of the site, water quality issues and long-term independent monitoring of the site, he said.

"In terms of the harbour plan and any future marine development or waterfront development or residential development, we would want to make sure we're addressing our concerns through the environmental assessment process."

Budget process challenged

City councillor David Wind said he will bring forward a resolution to improve the city's budget policies at the next council meeting on Feb. 7.

Wind expressed his frustration with the city's budget process early in the 2011 budget discussions, which were completed at the end of last year.

His suggestion is administration review the city's revenues, create a list of priorities and then decide with council what can be funded fully, what can be funded partially and what has to be left to a later date.

"That's how my budgeting works," he said. "And it seems to me it works quite well, in terms of ensuring that the city, in this particular case, could achieve some greater control over the expenditures that it makes by being aware of the

limitations that are being faced in terms of the revenue that is available."

If Wind's resolution is passed by council, administration will come back with some suggested changes along with the pros and cons associated with them.

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