Union building 'symbolically overlooking' decision makers
$15.6 million UNW headquarters will have view of legislative assembly, city hall
Randi Beers
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, November 19, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Union of Northern Workers (UNW) is spending $15.6 million on a new downtown headquarters.
The future $15.6 million Union of Northern Workers (UNW) headquarters, shown here in a conceptual illustration, is estimated to be complete by late 2015. - Image courtesy of Craig Yeo |
Its frame, now covered by an orange and white tent, inhabits a lot on 53 Street near Mildred Hall School. When complete, its five storeys will provide the organization with 35,000 square feet of space.
UNW president Todd Parsons told Yellowknifer his organization has financed the building with investments made with a percentage of union dues over the past 10 years, adding the building is already full of tenants.
"Contracts were signed before we designed the building and it has been fully paid for by the tenants' current lease arrangement," he said.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), Northern Territories Federation of Labour (NTFL) and a yet-to-be identified large commercial tenant will share the building with the UNW.
Parsons says the building's location is symbolic.
"I like to think it will be a cornerstone in Yellowknife," said Parsons.
"Its location is prominent - it has a view of (the) legislative assembly and the City of Yellowknife, symbolically overlooking ... some of the largest decision makers who impact our community."
The idea to move to a bigger headquarters came from a strategic planning session approximately a decade ago when, Parsons said, union executives decided they wanted to "explore the possibility of a building that would provide more opportunities for members."
Delegates gave the union's executive members direction to move ahead with the project during a 2008 UNW convention and that direction was reaffirmed at a 2011 convention.
The new building will be host to a union training centre that will be available for other groups to rent to host their their own training courses and events. As well, the UNW has included space within the design of the main floor for a coffee shop, which Parsons says will be run by a community not-for-profit organization.
The union has already divided space in the building as well. PSAC will take the second floor, NTFL will have the third, the private commercial tenant will take the fourth, with the UNW on top.
The UNW hired Stantec Consulting Ltd. to design the building and Clark Builders to construct it.
The organization also recently added a 2,500 sq. foot wing to the top floor and has not yet made a decision a whether to rent it out or keep it for its own uses.
Parsons says he expects the building to be complete by late next year.
