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DENINU KU'E/FORT RESOLUTION - An idea to upgrade a road on Fort Resolution's Mission Island is running into opposition - for the second time - from an elders' group.

"Each time we've had a meeting, the elders don't want any development taking place at Mission Island," said Terri Villeneuve, president of the Fort Resolution Seniors' Society. "They consider it a sacred and historic site, and that's the only one we have left in this community."

A joint proposal for a road improvement project is coming from Deninu Ku'e First Nation and the Fort Resolution Metis Council.

Deninu Ku'e Chief Louis Balsillie explained the idea is to arrange a project through Aurora College to bring in heavy equipment to train four people - two band members and two Metis - on a Cat, backhoe, dump truck and loader.

Balsillie noted a similar idea was proposed two years ago by the band, but Aurora College declined to go ahead because of opposition from the seniors' society.

"So this year what I did was I went around with a petition," he said. "I got 230 names on there. I could keep on going, but I think I'm going to stop because it's spoken now that the people want the road."

The chief noted the government bodies in the community - the band, the Metis council and the Hamlet of Fort Resolution - all support the proposal, which has not yet been officially submitted to Aurora College.

On the other hand, he noted the seniors' society only represents its membership of a half-dozen people.

Even though the society has only seven members, Villeneuve said its concern is the concern of the elders of Fort Resolution.

Currently, a narrow, unpaved road runs along one side of Mission Island to a site of an old mission marked by a large cross. A much rougher road continues all the way around the island. (Although still called an island, Mission Island is not really one, since a channel which once separated it from the mainland has been filled in for many years.)

The proposal would upgrade the road around the island - an estimated five kilometres, including a short routing change from the community to the mission site.

Funding of a little more than $148,000 has been arranged for the project, including training allowances for the participants.

The project would begin Sept. 6 and run to Oct. 27.

Balsillie said many elders support the project.

"This whole project is good for the community," he said. "I've got a lot of good feedback with members in the community. A lot of elders said it would be a good thing for our people to have a road."

The chief noted an upgraded route would allow people to drive around Mission Island by car to hunt ptarmigan, go for picnics and pick berries.

Villeneuve said the elders just want Mission Island left alone.

"It's a site that means a lot to the elders," she said.

Villeneuve believes the main purpose of the road improvements is to attract tourists.

"Once the tourists start coming, well then it doesn't become a quiet spot anymore," she said.

Mission Island also contains an estimated 20 graves in the area of the large cross, but the road work would not physically disturb any of those resting places Villeneuve said she is not against the training, but thinks it's a good idea that can be done at some other location. For example, she suggested improving the road from Fort Resolution to the Slave River.

However, Balsillie said the Slave River road is too far away to haul gravel.

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