City eyes subdivision near Frame Lake
Plan still requires council approval; city planner says vision is mixed use, medium density development
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A plan yet to be approved by council for the area surrounding Frame Lake envisions a new mixed use, medium density subdivision between the western end of the lake and Old Airport Road.
A Frame Lake subdivision off Old Airport Road is included in the draft Capital Area Development Plan presented at the legislative assembly last month, though still must be approved by city council. - map courtesy of the City of Yellowknife |
"This area for us is a highly attractive area because of its proximity to the lake, to the trail system, to amenities such as the Co-op and it's easy walking distance to downtown in the summer or the winter," said Jeff Humble, the city's director of planning and development.
The subdivision concept is part of a draft Capital Area Development Plan presented recently at the legislative assembly's board of management. The assembly and city have a committee to oversee development of the area surrounding the capital building, Frame Lake and Jackfish Lake. Another round of public consultation is expected to take place before the proposed capital plan comes to council, perhaps as early as this year, Humble said.
The plan also proposes improving McNiven Beach along the McMahon Frame Lake Trail, the ceremonial circle and signage. The early concept stems from public consultation carried out over previous years about the region.
Perhaps one of the biggest projects on the list: the new subdivision that could include a mix of residential, commercial and government buildings.
"We envision it being a higher standard of development," Humble said.
Medium density residential typically involves townhomes, condos or apartment buildings up to three-to-four floors. Don't expect towers though, Humble said.
"The idea is to incorporate buildings that would fit into the landscape," he said.
There would also be a setback from the lake to preserve green space and include the trail.
The idea ties into a long-term goal to redevelop part of Old Airport Road into a mix of residential and commercial in the coming years, encouraging more industrial type businesses to move to the Engle Business District.
If council endorses the Capital Area Development Plan, then a more detailed subdivision scheme would be developed. Humble said he believes it's realistic to see the scheme come to council as early as next year, potentially ready to be tendered for construction late in the year. That all depends on council approval, though.
Humble said the idea is the area would be developed in two phases - first tying into Old Airport Road near the Co-op and looping to Borden Drive. As demand warrants, another phase would go around the unnamed pond behind RTL Construction as far north as Cemetery Road.
The city has proposed revamping a capital area committee, adding representatives from the RCMP, Department of National Defence and Yellowknives Dene First Nation to make it more representative of the major institutions around the lake.
There's also a desire to have each group chip in about $50,000 to help fund the list of improvements to the area. There is no price tag with the items in the presentation.
Mayor Mark Heyck said there are some interesting concepts in the draft plan.
"I think the entire trail system and the ceremonial circle and all around Frame Lake past the hospital toward the Co-op, there's some good opportunities to create public amenities in those spaces," Heyck said in an interview. "We'll see what emerges from these early discussions and see what there's an appetite to budget for."
The attention-grabbing idea of revamping McNiven Beach comes with a hefty caveat: the water must be tested and shown to be safe. The lake has a legacy of pollutants, including arsenic.
Illustrations included with the draft capital area plan show young children swimming in the lake at the beach that in the last century was a popular recreation site.
Humble acknowledged that of all the concepts included in the draft plan, the beach is the most "blue sky" proposal.
What remediation is involved, whether it feasible and at what cost are questions Humble said still need to be answered.
