ENTERPRISE - A meeting will be held on June 13 to discuss the idea of Paradise Valley - an area of Hay River - joining the nearby Hamlet of Enterprise.

The meeting is being hosted by the Hamlet of Enterprise.

"It's informal, just a discussion and information meeting for the people of Enterprise and for the people of Paradise," said Enterprise Mayor Allan Flamand.

The mayor said no decisions will be made at the meeting.

"This, for us, is just getting the two communities together and discussing what's possible," he said.

Two territorial ministers are expected to be at the meeting - Michael McLeod, the minister of Public Works and Services, and Robert C. McLeod, the minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Michael McLeod, who also represents Enterprise in the legislative assembly as MLA for Deh Cho, said the meeting will discuss, among other things, a request by the people of Paradise Valley to join Enterprise.

"At this point, I don't have an opinion because I have not seen the request and I'm not sure what the specifics are - if they're asking to be part of Enterprise or they're asking for working together on services," he said. "It's not clear to me at this point, because the request didn't come to me."

McLeod said MACA staff has been asked to provide information on what it would mean for an additional population to come on stream, including an explanation of the subsidy program and how it's calculated.

"I don't expect it's going to change things all that much, but people have to know what the program is about, how it's calculated and how it works," he said. "That's what we're expecting to do."

Flamand expects the meeting, set to begin with a barbecue at 5:30 p.m. at the Enterprise Community Centre, will also outline the process.

"If this is going to happen, nobody really knows what has to take place," he said.

Flamand said the main issue of Paradise Valley joining Enterprise would be an increased cost to the hamlet for water delivery to new residents.

"We're hoping that they'll explain why, if 50 people join our community, there wouldn't be an increase in our water subsidy," he said of the GNWT delegation. "They're going to explain the formula and how and why everything is the way it is."

Flamand noted that, if Paradise joins Enterprise and brings 50 more people into the hamlet, it would create a $75,000 deficit on water delivery

Enterprise currently has 94 people.

Despite his concerns, Flamand supports Paradise Valley joining Enterprise.

"I think we're close enough and I think we can benefit each other a lot if we're allowed to come together," he said.

McLeod said the June 13 meeting will also discuss utility fees and other issues.

Paradise Valley - also known as Paradise Road, Paradise Gardens or simply Paradise - was an unincorporated area until the GNWT made it part of Hay River in 1990.

The residential and market garden area along the Hay River is just a kilometre from Enterprise's corporate limits and eight kilometres from the community.

In all, about 65 people live in Paradise Valley, roughly 25 km south of downtown Hay River.

The idea of Paradise Valley joining Enterprise became public in December when the vast majority of residents in the area presented a declaration to the Town of Hay River.

It was signed by 36 adult residents who feel the area is receiving inadequate services from the Town of Hay River.

Flamand noted the Town of Hay River hasn't been invited to send representatives to the June 13 gathering, but it will be a public meeting and they would be welcome to attend if they wish.

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