[Opening Statement: The City of Yellowknife acknowledges that we are located in Chief Drygeese territory. From time immemorial, it has been the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. We respect the histories, languages, and cultures of all other Indigenous Peoples including the North Slave Métis, and all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.]
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AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL.IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE MÉTIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, MÉTIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
[Approval of the agenda]
NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.ANYTHING TO ADD MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS AN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST? SEEING AND HEARING NONE.
[A discussion regarding whether to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of the Northwest Territories and Aurora College regarding the location of the Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus.]
LOCATION OF THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY YELLOWKNIFE CAMPUS.MS. BASSI-KELLETT. IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
WITH PLEASURE. IN 2018, GPC MEMBERS WILL RECALL THAT THE CITY COMPLETED A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED IN ORDER FOR A UNIVERSITY TO BE VIABLE IN YELLOWKNIFE.
THE STUDY, WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED, MADE IT CLEAR THAT A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY CAN SUCCEED WITH A STUDENT POPULATION THAT COMES FROM BOTH THE NORTH AND ELSEWHERE, AND WITH SUPPORTS IN PLACE LIKE STUDENT HOUSING AND AMENITIES THAT WOULD MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE TO STUDENTS.
THE STUDY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT A UNIVERSITY IS A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT THE NWT'S LABOR MARKET NEEDS ADVANCE OUR OVERALL GROWTH OBJECTIVES OF THE CITY AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION. NORTHERNERS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE AURORA COLLEGE TRANSFORMATION WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY, INCLUDING THE ROADMAP AND CURRENT DEVELOPMENT OF A FACILITIES PLAN WHICH AIMED TO ENHANCE ALL THREE CAMPUSES OF AURORA COLLEGE, AS WELL AS THE 23 LEARNING CENTERS IN SMALLER COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO.
GIVEN THE CURRENT LOCATION WITHIN NORTHERN UNITED PLACE IS INADEQUATE.
WORKING TOGETHER, WE IDENTIFY THE LOCATION THAT MEETS OUR RESPECTIVE INTERESTS AND WILL BE A DISTINCTIVE LOCATION FOR A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, SOMETHING WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF. TODAY, ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING TO GPC AND COUNCIL THAT THE CITY ENTER INTO AN MOU WITH THE GNWT AND AURORA COLLEGE TO WORK TOWARDS LOCATING THE POLYTECHNIC ON TIN CAN HILL.
TODAY WE WANT TO START THIS PROCESS.
THE MOU WOULD BE THE START OF THE PROCESS AND IT WOULD ENABLE AURORA COLLEGE TO UNDERTAKE PLANNING AND DESIGN FOR THIS LOCATION SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE AN ESTIMATE THAT COULD BE USED TO SEEK CAPITAL DOLLARS FOR CONSTRUCTION IN THE FUTURE.
IT WOULD ALSO BE THE START OF THE LAND USE PROCESSES THAT THE CITY MUST FOLLOW AS LAID OUT IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN, THE ZONING BYLAW AND THE LAND ADMINISTRATION BYLAW, AND WHICH OF COURSE ALL INCLUDE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, CITY ADMINISTRATION SEES THAT THIS REALLY TICKS A LOT OF BOXES.
IT'S ADJACENT TO EXISTING MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
THERE WILL BE TRAILS AND OUTDOOR ACCESS FOR YELLOWKNIFER'S GOING FORWARD AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE RECONCILIATION GIVEN YKDFN'S INTEREST IN THIS AS WE KNOW THAT DEVELOPING PEOPLE SKILLS AND PEOPLE KNOWLEDGE BASE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE AGREED TO IN OUR JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY BETWEEN THE CITY AND YKDFN.
AND SO IT'S MY PLEASURE NOW TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO CHRIS JOSEPH.
AND CHRIS WILL PRESENT ON THEIR BEHALF, FOLLOWED BY CHARLSEY WHITE, OUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, WHO WILL SPEAK ON THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE SPECIFIC TO THE LAND USE IN THIS AREA.
CHRIS, I'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO YOU NOW.
GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU COMMITTEE FOR THE TIME TODAY AND THANK YOU MS. BASSI-KELLETT FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO MEET WITH COMMITTEE TODAY AND PRESENT WITH INFORMATION TO HELP INFORM A DECISION REGARDING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY THE CITY MANAGER. SO THE PRESENTATION TODAY REALLY PROVIDES CONTEXT SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE TIN CAN HILL SITE AND HOW THAT SITE WAS SELECTED AS THE OPTIMAL SITE FOR A FUTURE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN YELLOWKNIFE.
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MEANS, WHAT THAT IS, AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THIS PROCESS.THE FIRST PHASE, STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATION PLANNING FOR CHANGE CONCLUDED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
THE COLLEGE IS STRONGER THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
IT HAS A CLEAR SENSE OF ITS STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
AND MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE BUILDING TRANSFORMATION CAPACITY.
MY COLLEAGUES IN THE COLLEGE AND INSIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND EMPLOYMENT ARE ALSO ENGAGING, PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING DECISIONS AROUND HOW THE INSTITUTION WILL LOOK AND HOW IT WILL OPERATE AND INCREMENTAL IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGES IN THE RIGHT ORDER AND THE RIGHT TIME THROUGH THIS PHASE AND THE THIRD PHASE.
AT THE END OF PHASE ONE, A NEW PIECE OF LEGISLATION WAS COMPLETED AND IMPLEMENTED THIS MONTH.
THAT NEW PIECE OF LEGISLATION OR AMENDED LEGISLATION, THE AURORA COLLEGE ACT, CREATES A NEW ARM'S LENGTH ROLE FOR AURORA COLLEGE, GIVING IT MORE RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTONOMY OVER HOW IT OPERATES AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS.
THIS IS A NEW KIND OF INSTITUTION.
IT IS ALREADY STRENGTHENED AND IS ALREADY ON TRACK TOWARDS BECOMING A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY.
SO THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN APPLIES TO ALL THREE CAMPUSES.
IT APPLIES TO RESEARCH FACILITIES AND THE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS.
THE CURRENT VISION IS A BUILT ENVIRONMENT FOR THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY THAT WILL SUPPORT AN EDUCATION AND STUDENT EXPERIENCE THAT IS ON PAR WITH THE STANDARD OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION ACROSS CANADA AND IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL RESIDENTS IN NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.
THE FLOWING FROM THE VISION AND INFORMED BY EXPERT ANALYSIS AND INPUT.
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, EMPLOYMENT AND THE AURORA COLLEGE HAVE DEVELOPED A PLANNING FRAMEWORK TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE ENHANCEMENTS AND EXPANSIONS NEED TO BE THROUGH THE COURSE OF TRANSFORMATION.
IT'S ABOUT BUILDING A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE TO ATTRACT STUDENTS.
AND IT'S ABOUT INSPIRING ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE.
THE ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN IS THIS SUMMER, AND IT'S A PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S BEING SUPPORTED BY A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, SIGNALING THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY IN THE THREE CAMPUSES AND ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO AGAIN, A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN OR THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY FACILITIES MASTER PLAN SUPPORTS EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OVER FIVE, TEN AND 20 YEAR PERIOD. IT IS A LONG TERM VISION THAT INFORMS YEAR TO YEAR DECISION MAKING WITH REGARD TO INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE INSTITUTION TO ENSURE THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE SHORT TERM, MEDIUM TERM AND LONG TERM GOALS HELPS TO PRIORITIZE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
THE DOCUMENT ITSELF IS BEING DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, EMPLOYMENT IN DIRECT COLLABORATION WITH AURORA COLLEGE, AND IT'S BEING FACILITATED AND SUPPORTED AND MANY OF THE ENGAGEMENTS LED BY TAYLOR ARCHITECT GROUP OF YELLOWKNIFE, PLANET NORTH BASED IN YELLOWKNIFE AND URBAN STRATEGIES, A TORONTO BASED FIRM SPECIALIZING INTERNATIONALLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES AND UNIVERSITY INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN.
IT WILL THEN BE A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC DOCUMENT THAT WILL HELP THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY ENGAGE CO-INVESTMENT PARTNERS LIKE THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, LIKE THE YKDFN, LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, EMPLOYMENT, TO FIND SUCCESS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT DEVELOPMENT OF FACILITIES.
AS I MENTIONED, IT'S A CRITICAL MILESTONE IN OUR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY AND IT'S A REQUIREMENT OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCESS. SO HAVING THIS STRATEGIC DOCUMENT IS A MUST.
THE INSTITUTION IS REQUIRED TO HAVE IT AND SO WE'RE QUITE EXCITED TO DEVELOP IT.
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SO HOW ARE WE CONSTRUCTING THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN THROUGH ANALYSIS OF INSTITUTIONAL NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES.TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE, THERE IS EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS AND INFORMANTS ACROSS NORTHWEST TERRITORIES . IT'S PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY A AURORA COLLEGE AND AURORA COLLEGE'S DIRECT ACADEMIC PARTNERS, BUT ALSO INCLUDES ENGAGEMENTS WITH POTENTIAL CO-LOCATION PARTNERS LIKE THE DETENTION CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND LEARNING, COLLEGE NORDIQUE FRANCOPHONE AND WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY, WHICH HAS A PRESENCE AND A STRONG INTEREST IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.
IT IS A LEARNING CENTERED INSTITUTION AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A LEARNING INSTITUTION.
SO MUCH OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS CENTER ON WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS, TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE INSTITUTION, TO ENSURE THAT WHEN STUDENTS ARE IN THE INSTITUTION THAT THEY CAN FIND ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND THAT WE CAN FOSTER THROUGH RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND THROUGH EXPANDED PROGRAMS A STRONGER KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.
THE EXISTING FACILITIES IN YELLOWKNIFE ARE A UNIQUE SITUATION.
BUT IN YELLOWKNIFE SPECIFICALLY, THE EXISTING FACILITY HAS BECOME AN OBSTACLE TO GROWTH.
IT'S ABOUT THE LONG TERM VIABILITY OF A NEW KIND OF INSTITUTION AND ITS PROGRAMS. SO THE PROCESS FOR IN YELLOWKNIFE IN UNDERSTANDING THE APPROACH WE TAKE WAS VERY STRUCTURED.
IT WAS METHODICAL AND IT LOOKED AT ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
TO GIVE IT STRUCTURE TO HELP US FOCUS IN ON HOW TO MAKE THE DECISION.
WE STARTED WITH UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF THE INSTITUTION IN THE CONTEXT OF A NORTHERN POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION, AS WELL AS LOOKING NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY DEVELOP THEIR CAMPUSES AND HOW TO DEVELOP THEIR CAMPUSES OVER TIME.
WE LOOKED AT INSTITUTIONS OF MODERATE AND SMALL SIZE.
WE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT SPECIALTIES.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A DISTRIBUTION OF CAMPUS TYPES BETWEEN THOSE THAT ARE IN A DOWNTOWN CORE OR MORE ON THE PERIPHERY, THOSE THAT ARE MORE DISTINCT CAMPUSES WHERE YOU COME ON AND YOU KNOW THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CAMPUS, YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
YOU CAN SEE IT TO THOSE THAT ARE MORE INTEGRATED, DISPERSED ACROSS A COMMUNITY.
LOOKING AT ACROSS THOSE TWO AXIS, WE CAN SEE THE LAYOUT AND THE WAY DIFFERENT CAMPUSES ARE BUILT.
BUT WHAT YOU DON'T SEE HERE IS ACTUALLY MORE OF A TEMPORAL LAYOUT THAT THE MORE RECENT CAMPUSES AND THE MORE RECENT POLYTECHNIC ONES ARE ACTUALLY MORE DISTINCT AND MORE CENTRALIZED. SO AS WE LOOKED ACROSS THESE EXAMPLES, WE CAN SEE A TREND FORMING OVER TIME THAT ALTHOUGH A LOT OF THEM WERE ON THE PERIPHERY AND DISTINCT, THAT IS VERY MUCH A LEGACY OF POST-WORLD WAR TWO, WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF LAND AVAILABLE OUTSIDE OF CITIES.
AND IT WAS THE TREND AT THE TIME.
BUT WHAT IS EVIDENT THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION IS THE THREE MODELS THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED IN ON IN CHOOSING OR ASSESSING WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE FOR PROSPECTIVE SITES, FOR A YELLOWKNIFE BASED CAMPUS.
ARGUABLY NOW THAT IS WHAT AURORA COLLEGE DOES FUNCTION AS IN YELLOWKNIFE, WHERE YOU HAVE ACTUALLY THREE BUILDINGS RIGHT NOW IN DOWNTOWN YELLOWKNIFE SERVING AS THE BASIS FOR THE CAMPUS. I WOULD CHALLENGE MOST PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE WHERE THOSE ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DISTINCT, THEY'RE NOT WELL DEFINED.
ANOTHER ONE IS PERIPHERAL, DISTINCT, AND WE SEE A LOT OF THOSE AS INSTITUTIONS WHICH ARE FORMED, AS MOST INSTITUTIONS IN CANADA WERE AROUND THE 1950S AND 1960S INTO THE SEVENTIES. AND THOSE ONES WERE BEQUEATHED LARGE SWATHS OF LAND BY THE FEDERAL OR PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND THEY ARE DISTINCT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BOUNDARY AND ALL OF THE BUILDINGS ARE BUILT IN A LARGE PARCEL OF LAND WHICH WAS GIVEN TO THE INSTITUTION.
BUT MORE AND MORE NOW WE SEE CENTRAL DISTINCT AND IT'S SOMETHING WHICH IS QUITE EXCITING.
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ALIGNS MORE WITH THE CITY'S PRIORITIES FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.AND SO WE FOCUSED IN VERY MUCH ON THAT CENTRAL, DISTINCT MODEL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS AND THIS IS JUST A SELECTION OF THEM, BUT CERTAINLY ONES THAT ARE QUITE PROMINENT IN THE THINKING WHY THE TIN CAN HILL SITE, WHY A SITE THAT IS CENTRAL, IT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE CORE OF THE CITY AND IT IS DISTINCT? OVERARCHING ALL OF THESE, OF COURSE, IS LAND AVAILABILITY.
IT'S ALL GOOD AND FINE TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE OPTIONS, BUT IF THERE ISN'T LAND AVAILABLE, WHICH IS THE SUITABLE AMOUNT OF SPACE AND THE SUITABLE TO BUILD THE REQUIRED BUILDINGS ON, THEN IT'S NOT AVAILABLE AND CAN'T BE CONSIDERED.
AND WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF LAND WITH INSIDE THE CITY.
TIMING AS WELL. THE NATURE OF OWNERSHIP AND THE LAND ACQUISITION IS IMPORTANT.
WE WANT TO MOVE QUICKLY IN THE LIFE OF THE TRANSFORMATION WHICH WILL RUN UNTIL THE END OF 2026.
WE WANT TO HAVE CONSTRUCTION AT LEAST UNDERWAY WELL BEFORE THAT.
WE WANT TO WORK NOW WITH A GREAT MOMENTUM AND EXCITEMENT WE HAVE FOR TRANSFORMATION, WITH FEDERAL FUNDING AGENCIES, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WITH OUR INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENT PARTNERS TO BUILD OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO THE TIMING IS QUITE IMPORTANT.
WE WANT TO SEE A SITE DEVELOPED POTENTIALLY AS EARLY AS 23, 24 AND OF COURSE COST.
WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE.
IT'S GOT TO BE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
PHASE CONSTRUCTION IS PART OF THAT AND THAT MEANS WE NEED A SITE THAT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD INCREMENTALLY SO WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOCAL COMPANIES AND LOCAL LABOR IN DEVELOPING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO GROW AT A RESPONSIBLE RATE PLAN FOR VERY AMBITIOUS TARGETS IN TERMS OF STUDENT NUMBERS, BUT NOT HAVE TO BUILD IT ALL AT ONCE.
YOU CANNOT DO THAT IN SOME OF THE SCENARIOS THAT WE HAD BEFORE US IN TERMS OF THE THREE MODELS.
AS YOU CAN SEE THROUGH HERE, CENTRAL, DISTINCT CREATES FLEXIBILITY.
IT CREATES OPPORTUNITY FOR A CAMPUS IDENTITY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT EACH OF THE THREE CAMPUSES TO BE A STRONG MAGNET FOR STUDENTS TO COME FROM SOUTHERN JURISDICTION, AS WELL AS TO DRAW IN STUDENTS OUT OF OUR OWN HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM, TO BE EXCITED ABOUT POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND STUDYING IN THE NORTH.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE, BUT ALSO OPTIONS FOR THINGS LIKE PARKING.
WE WANT TO ALLOW FOR HOUSING TO BE POSITIONED ON SITE AND PROXIMITY TO AMENITIES.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT IS PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'D GO FOR CLASS AND THEY'D GO HOME.
IF THEY'RE RENTING A SPACE OFF CAMPUS.
BUT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH GREAT CONFIDENCE THAT BASED ON LAND AVAILABILITY, TIMING, COST AND THE FACTORS HERE THAT THE TIN CAN HILL SITE AS A CENTRAL, DISTINCT MODEL IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT SITE FOR THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY.
SO I THINK ALL OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TIN CAN HILL SITE.
IT IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO WE WERE QUITE KEEN TO INTEGRATE THAT INTO THE OPTIONS WE LOOKED AT, ITS LARGE, EASILY DEFINED SPACE FOR FUTURE EXPANSION, EASY ACCESS FROM DOWNTOWN, CORE POTENTIAL FOR INTEGRATION WITH LAND NATURE AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND IN THE NORTH AND IN THIS INSTITUTION THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE MOVING FORWARD.
IT'S ALSO A SPECTACULAR SIGHT AND THAT CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED THAT IF ONE OF THE REASONS OF MOVING TO A POLYTECH UNIVERSITY IS TO CREATE NOT JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO SUCCEED AND NORTHERNERS TO HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION, BUT TO CREATE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
DRAWING STUDENTS IN AND HAVING A STRONG AND EXCITING LOCATION IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
NOT ALL AREAS OF THE SITE WILL BE SUITABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE HAVE THIS VERY LARGE SPACE, OVER 300,000 SQUARE METERS.
THE ACTUAL FOOTPRINT OF A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY IS MORE IN THE VICINITY OF 25,000 SQUARE METERS.
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SPOT AND TO ENSURE THAT THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF ESTIMATES OF WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE FOR THAT BUILD, THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO ENGAGE FOR CONSTRUCTION COSTS THROUGH OUR PARTNERS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS AND ACROSS CANADA.THE SITE WILL ALSO BETTER SUPPORT ONLINE LEARNING AND PROVIDE CULTURAL MEETING SPACE AS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AND ENHANCING ACROSS ALL THE FACILITIES IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS ATTENDING THIS INSTITUTION FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR INSTRUCTORS AND THE LEARNING. THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS IN THIS INSTITUTION ARE INDIGENOUS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE INDIGENOUS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE ALSO MATURE STUDENTS WHO HAVE FAMILIES AND INTERACT IN DIFFERENT WAYS THAN WHAT YOU'D SEE AT TYPICAL UNIVERSITIES.
IT PROVIDES SUFFICIENT SPACE FOR FUTURE EXPANSION.
AND IT ACCOMMODATES A WIDE RANGE OF CO-LOCATION PARTNERS.
MODERN UNIVERSITIES DO NOT FUNCTION IN ISOLATION.
THEY INTEGRATE WITH OTHER ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, THEY INTEGRATE WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEY INTEGRATE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ALL WITH THE AIM OF SUPPORTING ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE.
THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, AS I MENTIONED, IS REQUIRED TO MOVE FORWARD IN GOOD FAITH AS THREE PARTIES TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE ENHANCEMENT EXPANSION OF THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY. IT IS ONE COMPONENT OF MANY COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE PLANNING ACROSS THE TERRITORY, BUT IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE AND IT IS ONE THAT REQUIRES SOME FORETHOUGHT IN TERMS OF THE LOCATION.
AND THE FIRST STEP TO THAT IS IDENTIFYING WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, WHICH WILL BE RELEASED AND INTEGRATE INFORMATION THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY AND PROVIDE IT TO THE PUBLIC WILL BE A TOOL FOR CO-INVESTMENT PARTNERS LIKE THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE TO CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, WITH ITS BOARD OF GOVERNORS AND WITH ITS LEADERS TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, HOW WE CAN BETTER THE COMMUNITY THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE, AND HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN SUPPORT SUCCESS IN THE INSTITUTION.
THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE JUST GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THEY DON'T STOP.
THEY CONTINUE PAST THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.
CO-INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT CONCEPT TO THE NEW INSTITUTION.
SO VERY SPECIFICALLY, WHAT DOES THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING DO THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND BROUGHT FORWARD TO COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL? IT IDENTIFIES THE ANTICIPATED SITE FOR THE YK CAMPUS.
IT SAYS THIS IS THE LOCATION THAT THE PARTIES BELIEVE IS THE BEST PLACE TO ESTABLISH A CAMPUS.
THAT IS A PRINCIPAL STATEMENT THAT BRINGS US ALL INTO AGREEMENT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
EMBEDDED IN IT IS RECOGNITION THAT THERE IS ALSO A REZONING THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE PROCESS.
THE REZONING IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED AND AURORA COLLEGE, WHO WOULD BE THE PROPONENT IN THAT PROCESS, IS PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN THE CONTEXT OF HOW TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, HOW TO WORK EFFECTIVELY AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY, BOTH SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY IN BUILDING CAPACITY INSIDE THE CITY.
ALL OF THESE PROCESSES ARE ESTABLISHED AS A SHARED UNDERSTANDING INSIDE THE MOU, BUT THE PROCESSES THEMSELVES ARE DEFINED AND CODIFIED IN YOUR BYLAWS. IT IS SIMPLY A RECOGNITION OF WHERE WE ARE HEADED AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT, AND WE FOLLOW THE RULES AND PROCEDURES AROUND ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES.
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CONSTITUENTS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE INSTITUTION AND ITS SUCCESS IS THAT THE PRINCIPLE VERY CLEARLY STATED AND THIS SHOULD GUIDE ALL DECISION MAKING AND ALL ACTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND PRINCIPLES ARE IMPORTANT.PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE NATURAL SETTINGS AND SUPPORT A SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE CAMPUS AND WILL DEFINE ALL ACTIONS OF ALL THREE PARTIES THROUGHOUT ALL PROCESSES RELATED TO ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW CAMPUS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT TAKING A PIECE OF LAND AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS ABOUT TAKING A PIECE OF LAND AND FINDING A USE THAT OPTIMIZES IT IN A WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH HISTORIC USES AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT DOES SO IN A MANNER THAT MAXIMIZES THE POTENTIAL AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS SITE.
IT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE ENGAGED MEMBERS HERE.
BUT IT IS AN EXCITING JUNCTURE AND POINT IN THIS PROCESS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING AND ENGAGED AGAIN TO GO TO THE AURORA COLLEGE TRANSFORMATION SITE AT ANY TIME, TO WHICH WE POST ALL DOCUMENTS AND ALL INFORMATION FOR ALL OF TIME RELATED TO THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE POLYTECH TO A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY.
SO MS. WHITE AND MS. BASSI-KELLETT, OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
YES, THE CITY ADMINISTRATION WILL PRESENT ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE LAND USE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, MS. WHITE WILL DO SO.
FABULOUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE LOCATION OF LANDS THAT IS BEING REQUESTED, AS WE KNOW, IS IS TIN CAN HILL.
SO WHAT DOES THIS ENTAIL? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THIS SITE FOR COUNCIL TO HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT.
AND LIKE MOST POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION FACILITIES AND INSTITUTIONS, YOU HAVE TRAIL NETWORKS AND ACCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT COMES REALLY INTEGRATED WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR WHICH IT SERVES.
THE COMMUNITY PLAN ITSELF ACTUALLY DESIGNATES THIS AREA FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS DOWNTOWN CENTRAL RESIDENTIAL.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TEXT OF OUR COMMUNITY PLAN, IT DOES IDENTIFY SPECIFICALLY THAT ANY POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION OR EDUCATION FACILITY IS TO BE LOCATED IN ONE OF OUR DOWNTOWN DESIGNATIONS.
IT IS CURRENTLY ZONED IN THE ZONING BYLAW AS PARKS AND RECREATION, AND SO IT WOULD THEREFORE NEED TO BE REZONED THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS WHICH WOULD BRING A DECISION BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE RESPECTFUL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THIS AREA, SPECIFICALLY PRESERVING THE LANDMARK, THE HISTORY AND INTEGRATING, AS DR.
JOSEPH MENTIONED BEFORE, WITH HISTORICAL USE OF THE AREA.
AS WELL. IT ENSURES SPACE FOR EXPANSION AS HAS BEEN STATED PREVIOUSLY, AND WILL ALSO NOT JUST INCLUDE THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, BUT WE'LL INCLUDE PLACES FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE RESIDENTS ON THE SITE.
AND THESE THREE PLANS AND STUDIES SUPPORT A POST-SECONDARY FACILITY WITHIN THE CITY AND SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THIS DOWNTOWN AREA TO CONNECT WITH BOTH, AS I SAY HERE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, AS WELL AS THAT JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WITH THE YKDFN.
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AS IDENTIFIED BEFORE.THIS IS AN OUTLINE OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS BEING REQUESTED.
WHERE FACILITIES, TRAILS, BUILDINGS, ACCESS WILL BE ALL LOCATED.
WE'LL BE DETERMINED IN THE FUTURE.
SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE CITY? FIRST WE WILL BE LOOKING TO RECEIVE AN APPLICATION FOR THE LAND TO BE TRANSFERRED.
FINAL SITE SELECTION AND THEN SURVEY OF THE LAND WOULD BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PROPERLY TRANSFER THIS LAND FROM THE CITY TO THE TO THE GNWT OR AURORA COLLEGE.
SIMPLE PROCESS FOR THE TRANSFER OF LAND.
THEN WE GET INTO THE ZONING AND LAND USE PLANNING FOR THE SITE, WHICH WILL BE A COMBINATION OF WORK WITH THE MUNICIPALITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS WE WERE SPEAKING BEFORE THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES WHO ARE LOOKING TO DEVELOP THAT FACILITIES MASTER PLAN. SO THOSE IDEAS, THOSE CONCEPTS WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD AS PART OF LAND USE PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND AS IS REQUIRED BY OUR BYLAWS AND PROCESSES. THOSE DO INCLUDE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND A STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARING.
FOLLOWING THAT, IF THERE IS A DECISION BY COUNCIL WHICH PERMITS AND APPROVES, THEN WE WOULD GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BUILDING PERMITS SIMILAR TO OTHER LARGER DEVELOPMENTS WE'VE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY BEFORE.
AND I'LL ALLOW YOU THE MICROPHONE AND I'LL TAKE MY SEAT.
THANK YOU. SO OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND YEAH, THANK YOU, CHRIS, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE THE CASE IF WE'RE ATTRACTING OR THE INTENTION IS TO ATTRACT, SAY, STUDENTS FROM A SOUTHERN LOCATION. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS IT AURORA COLLEGE'S INTENT TO SORT OF MAINTAIN THE SORT OF EXISTING MODEL, WHICH IS THAT THE FACILITY IS, YOU KNOW, SERVICING NORTHERN STUDENTS AND NORTHERN RESIDENTS MORE SO? OR IS THERE GOING TO BE A DISTINCT EFFORT TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMS THAT WOULD MAYBE, YOU KNOW, ATTRACT BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND, SAY, SOUTHERN CANADIAN STUDENTS TO THE FACILITY? MR. JOSEPH. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT WHAT WILL ATTRACT STUDENTS IS THE SAME THING THAT WILL MAKE THE INSTITUTION SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT'S BEING GOOD AT EDUCATION PROGRAMS. SO THE FOCUS IN ALL OF THE FACILITIES IS TO CONSTRUCT THROUGH ENHANCEMENT AND EXPANSION ACROSS THE TERRITORIES OF FACILITIES THAT SUPPORT EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING.
IF YOU CREATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE, IF YOU CREATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE EXCITING AND YOU CREATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO LABOR MARKETS, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF PROGRAMING DECISION ITEMS, THEN YOU WILL ATTRACT MORE STUDENTS FROM THE NORTH WHO WOULD OTHERWISE GO SOUTH.
AND YOU WILL ATTRACT STUDENTS FROM THE SOUTH WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN ENGAGING IN A UNIQUE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FROM A PROGRAMING PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A FACILITIES PERSPECTIVE, TO GO SOMEWHERE AND TO LEARN.
PROGRAMING IS ALSO A KEY COMPONENT OF THAT.
IT'S NOT PART OF THE MOU, BUT I CAN SAY THAT IT IS OF COURSE AN EXCITING FEATURE TO HAVE THE NEW AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION OR RENEWED AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION FOR TEACHING AND RESEARCH FOR THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, WHICH WE RELEASED.
IT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THE INSTITUTION MOVING FORWARD WILL CHOOSE PROGRAMING.
[00:35:07]
ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS EARTH RESOURCES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE CLASSROOM LEARNING THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT EXIST OR MAY EXIST IN THE FUTURE.SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TOO SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PROGRAMING BECAUSE IT'S SLIGHTLY OUT OF SCOPE, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CLEAR SENSE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY AND TIE IN BETWEEN THE PHYSICAL FORM AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW, JUST GOT ONE MORE AND THAT'S THE DISTANCE.
I KNOW THAT IT'S A PROPOSED SITE AND THAT THIS IS KIND OF STEP ONE IN ENGAGING PUBLIC AND WHATNOT.
BUT IN A YELLOWKNIFE CONTEXT, YOU KNOW, IT IS WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE OUTSKIRTS OF DOWNTOWN.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE A NEED TO DUPLICATE SERVICES, SAY, WHETHER THEY BE FOOD SERVICES OR RETAIL SERVICES AT THAT LOCATION AND HAVE THIS, IN ESSENCE, COMPETE WITH DOWNTOWN? OR HOW DO YOU SEE THE SITE SELECTION COMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE OF YELLOWKNIFE? MR. JOSEPH.
SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE REALLY THE VALUE OF HAVING STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS LIKE THIS.
I FULLY ANTICIPATE, AS IT IS THE CASE WITH ANY UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN CANADA, THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL RESPOND JUST AS THE INSTITUTION RESPONDS TO THE COMMUNITY IT IS A COLLABORATION. AND SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE IN FOOD SERVICES TO THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORTING STUDENTS, TO LOOK AT THE STUDENT PATHWAYS, WHERE DOES STUDENT TRAVEL, HOW DO THEY CONNECT, WHAT BUSSES DO THEY TAKE? WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR THE MUNICIPALITY TO AUGMENT THOSE SERVICES, TO MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS? AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DOES THE INSTITUTION TAKE TO ENGAGE AND ALLOW THEIR STUDENTS TO LIVE AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE? THESE ARE ALL CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE ONGOING, AND SO I PERSONALLY BELIEVE AND THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT OF THE DESIGN, WE'RE QUITE CONFIDENT THAT THIS DOES QUALIFY AS A CENTRAL DISTINCT INSTITUTIONAL LOCATION, WHICH MEANS THAT IT WILL BE VERY ACCESSIBLE, EVEN IN OUR CLIMATE, TO STUDENTS TRAVELING TO THE DOWNTOWN CORE.
AND I ALSO FULLY ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL HAVE SOME VERY FRUITFUL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SUPPORTING PUBLIC TRANSIT FOR OUR STUDENTS IN DUE COURSE THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS. GREAT.
I WILL. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS HERE AT THE MOMENT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILLOR MORSE. THANK YOU.
I GUESS THE ONLY WELL, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU EXPAND UPON THAT A LITTLE BIT? MR. JOSEPH.
HOUSING IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT, AND IT'S COMMON IN ALL POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS TO HAVE FACILITIES AND SUPPORT IN PLACE TO MAKE IT EASY FOR STUDENTS TO ACCESS AND USE THE INSTITUTION.
IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE IN THIS COMMUNITY, IT IS ANTICIPATED.
OKAY. THANKS. THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS WONDERING ABOUT IS DID YOU CONSIDER ANY OTHER SITES THAT MET SIMILAR CRITERIA TO THIS ONE AS YOU WERE DEVELOPING YOUR PLANS HERE? AND WILL [INAUDIBLE].
THE CONFERENCE HAS BEEN LOCKED.
[INAUDIBLE] PLEASE PRESS STAR 115.
COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, ARE YOU STILL WITH US?
[00:40:01]
SO I GUESS.WOULD YOU LIKE MR. JOSEPH TO ANSWER ABOUT SITE SELECTIONS.
WE DID LOOK AT SITES ACROSS THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD FIT WITHIN THE CENTRAL DISTINCT MODEL RULING OUT AS A PRIMARY OPTION SOMETHING ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE CITY BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MEET CITY'S NEEDS AND RULING OUT SOMETHING THAT IS DISTRIBUTED BECAUSE IT HASN'T WORKED FOR THE INSTITUTION SO CENTRAL DISTINCT MADE SENSE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT NARROWED DOWN THE SCOPE ARE ALSO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS.
THERE ARE OTHER PARCELS OF LAND WHICH IS EITHER OWNED BY THE GNWT OR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE THAT WERE PERHAPS NOT IDEAL IN THEIR CONFIGURATION OR PROXIMITY TO, SAY, [INAUDIBLE] MINE OR SOME OF THE TAILING PONDS.
SO WE'D BE LIMITED TO A SINGLE BUILD.
ONE THING TO KEEP, ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND, TOO, IS IF YOU HAVE A SMALL LOCATION, YOU'RE OFTEN GOING MORE VERTICAL, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AND BUILD IT ALL AT ONCE. AND WE WANTED TO SEE A SITE THAT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUOUS GROWTH ITS NOT JUST ABOUT THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT OF A POLYTECHNIC, IT'S ACTUALLY BUILDING A BASE FOR CONTINUOUS GROWTH AND ENHANCEMENT IN RESPONSE TO LABOR MARKET DEMAND AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES.
OKAY. THANKS. THE SITE THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT, I MEAN, I KNOW HISTORICALLY THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF LAND SET ASIDE ADJACENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AND THE NIVEN LAKE COMMUNITY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A UNIVERSITY.
I'M JUST WONDERING, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT SITE WOULD BE AS GOOD IN ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED BY THIS PRESENTATION AS THE TIN CAN HILL SITE.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT SITE GOT ELIMINATED OR WHETHER IT WAS CONSIDERED IN THE SAME WAY? IT WAS CONSIDERED IN THE SAME WAY I CAN ADD IN ADDITION TO SPACE CONSTRAINTS, IN ADDITION TO AVAILABLE CONSTRUCTION OR ESTIMATES OF AVAILABLE LIKE WHAT COULD ACTUALLY BE BUILT ON SOME OF THE LOTS, SOME LAND IS ALSO ON AN INTERIM LAND WITHDRAWAL.
I THINK. ARE WE DOING QUESTIONS TO ADMINISTRATION AND GNWT? OKAY. SO I MUST SAY THAT OVERALL, I THINK I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT IT'S VERY EXCITING TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY COMING TO US FROM GNWT.
IT'S VERY EXCITING TO BE HEARING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A CAMPUS BEING BUILT.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY EXCITING MOMENT.
I THINK THAT THE TIN CAN HILL SITE HAS POTENTIAL TO BE A GREAT SITE.
IT'S NOT RIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN.
BUT AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT FOR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, I THINK A CENTRAL DOWNTOWN LOCATION MAY NOT TICK ALL THE BOXES. REALLY, THE ONLY HESITANCY I HAVE ABOUT THIS, AND IT'S A RELATIVELY MINOR ONE, BUT STILL IMPORTANT, IS JUST THE EXISTING TRAIL SYSTEM AND HOW BELOVED IT IS BY YELLOWKNIFER'S.
YELLOWKNIFER'S HAVE SHOWN TIME AND AGAIN WHEN DEVELOPMENT IS TALKED ABOUT ON TIN CAN HILL THAT THIS SITE IS HEAVILY UTILIZED BY YELLOWKNIFER'S AND IS ONE OF THE FEW AREAS WHERE PEOPLE CAN WALK THEIR DOGS OFF LEASH WITH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE DOWNTOWN AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND IN THE PAST, WHEN WE'VE DONE DEVELOPMENTS, I'M THINKING PARTICULARLY TWIN PINE HILL, I THINK WE FAILED TO INTEGRATE TRAILS WELL INTO THE PLAN.
AND SO THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THIS MOU THAT ISN'T THERE RIGHT NOW IS SOMETHING WHICH REALLY ASSURES RESIDENTS THAT THE TRAILS WILL BE PROTECTED, POSSIBLY ENHANCED.
AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE US TO PROCEED IN SUCH A WAY THAT PRESERVES THOSE TRAILS.
AND I THINK THAT POINTING THIS OUT, IT IS COMPLETELY POSSIBLE TO DO IT IN THIS CASE.
[00:45:03]
I THINK THERE'S JUST THERE'S NOTHING STANDING IN THE WAY OF US ENSURING THAT THE EXISTING USES AREN'T IMPACTED.BUT THE OVERALL USE OF THE SITE WITH PEOPLE GOING THERE AND HAVING KIND OF UNFETTERED ACCESS TO TO THE GREEN SPACE, THERE'S A HUGE PORTION OF TIN CAN HILL THAT ISN'T USED BY MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING ON IT.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF ADMINISTRATION OR GNWT, HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW WE MIGHT ENSURE AND REASSURE RESIDENTS THAT THE EXISTING USE IS NOT GOING TO BE UNDULY IMPACTED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT? I DON'T THINK ANY GEOTECHNICAL WORK HAS BEGUN, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO SAY THAT ABSOLUTELY NO TRAIL WOULD BE UNTOUCHED.
THAT TRAIL MAY HAVE TO BE MODIFIED AROUND STUFF LIKE TRAILS MAY HAVE TO BE MODIFIED AROUND THE POOL.
BUT WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE BUILDING A POOL AND THERE'S NO TRAILS ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, THE HOSPITAL WAS ABLE TO BE BUILT AND NO TRAILS WERE DISRUPTED.
THERE IS THROUGH A LOT OF THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE STEPS WITH THE CITY THAT IS GOING TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PART AROUND TRAILS AND THE GNWT MAYBE CAN TOUCH A BIT ON THEIR THEIR MASTER PLAN AND AND PRINCIPLES THAT YOU'LL BE GUIDING BY.
BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT AND THEN MR. JOSEPH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILLOR MORSE.
SO THAT IS PART OF OUR INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT ACCESS TO THE SITE CAN CONTINUE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE THINK THAT THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTITUTION AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO PRESERVE THE SITE FOR ONGOING PUBLIC ACCESS.
SO WE'RE BIG BELIEVERS IN THAT.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE OUTDOOR SPACES IS SOMETHING THAT'S INTEGRAL TO THE USE OF THE SITE.
THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE.
WE APPRECIATE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT WHERE THE OPTIMAL LOCATION IS TO BUILD.
THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO WORK THAT OUT FROM THE GEOTECHNICAL POINT OF VIEW AND OTHER PARTS.
BUT IF WE CAN BUILD IN THAT, THESE ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE LOOKS LIKE THROUGH SOME OF OUR LAND USE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THAT INTEREST OF YELLOWKNIFER'S GOING FORWARD.
WE NEED TO, I WOULD SUGGEST, FOCUS IN ON WHAT THE INTENT OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS AND WHERE WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGEMENT AT THE RIGHT TIME, IN THE RIGHT ORDER.
THE MOU WAS DESIGNED TO START A PROCESS.
IT'S A COMMITMENT IN GOOD FAITH TO BEGIN MOVING TOWARD MAKING DECISIONS.
IT IS A NON-BINDING DOCUMENT AND SO WE ARE QUITE CONSCIOUS OF NOT PUTTING COMMITMENTS INTO THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC OR CREATE UNDUE EXPECTATIONS THAT MAY HAVE A LEGAL INTERPRETATION. SO WE HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO PUT LANGUAGE IN, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LANDS, ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY AND ABOUT RESPECTING HISTORIC USE.
AND THAT'S NOT SAID LIGHTLY IN THE CONTEXT OF A DOCUMENT LIKE THIS.
IT'S ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD THE MEMBER OR COMMITTEE NOTE ANYTHING THAT I DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW AND WE AS A GNWT AREN'T AWARE OF IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY AS A HISTORIC USE.
AND I'M QUITE PLEASED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS PART OF THE LAND ADMINISTRATION PROCESS OR AS PART OF THE ZONING PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN TAKE STEPS TO MAKE SURE THOSE COMMUNITY INTERESTS ARE PROTECTED.
THANKS FOR THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
[00:50:01]
YEAH, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT I THINK THAT THE PARTICULAR LOCATION OF ANY EXISTING TRAIL NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED, AS THE THING IS, IS I MEAN, IT'S A ROCKY SITE.I DON'T THINK WE NECESSARILY NEED TO PUT ANY SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS IN THE MOU.
I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF STATE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE DONE DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS AND SAID, OH, WE'RE GOING TO PRESERVE THE TRAILS, THE TRAILS KIND OF ENDED UP BECOMING SORT OF A SECONDARY CONSIDERATION TO THE POINT WHERE WHEN THE TRAIL WAS ACTUALLY DEVELOPED, AFTER THE SITE WAS DEVELOPED AND WENT FORWARD, YOU KNOW, THE SITE HAD BEEN DEVELOPED IN SUCH A WAY THAT KIND OF PRECLUDED AN INTERESTING TRAIL BEING BUILT.
AND SO THAT WAS THE REAL PROBLEM THERE THAT I'D LIKE TO NOT SEE HAPPEN THIS TIME.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT ANYONE HAS INTENTION OF DOING THAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT IF IT'S NOT TOP OF MIND, OTHER CONSIDERATIONS CAN END UP KIND OF GETTING IN THE WAY OF SOMETHING HAPPENING, WHICH IS INTEGRATED.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE THAT AMENITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S KIND OF WELL CONSIDERED.
AND GIVEN THAT IT'S SUCH A LARGE SITE, IT'S SO POSSIBLE TO DO THIS IN THE RIGHT WAY.
AND I THINK JUST NOTING THAT IF WE ENDED UP KIND OF PAVING THE TRAILS AND SAYING, WELL, NOW YOU CAN'T WALK DOGS OFF LEASH THERE ANYMORE, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO HOW THE SITE IS BEING USED.
AND I'D PREFER US TO NOT SEE THAT HAPPEN SO THAT THE SITE REMAINS KIND OF THAT THIS IS DEVELOPED IN SUCH A WAY THAT PRESERVES THE NATURAL USE OF THE SITE, AS WELL AS KIND OF ENHANCING THE COMMUNITY USE OF THE SITE AND THE TERRITORIAL USE OF THE SITE I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO YEAH, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO INCLUDE COMMITMENTS IN THE MOU.
AND SO RESIDENTIAL AND THE TRAIL I THINK IT'S INTERESTING WITH POST SECONDARY MASTER PLANS, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE YUKON COLLEGES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY'S AND MASTER PLANS INCLUDE PARKS AND OPEN SPACE COMPONENTS.
SO I THINK THIS INSTITUTION CAN KIND OF BE THERE AND AND HAVE THOSE PARKS AND TRAILS VERSUS JUST A RESIDENTIAL USE THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE A A MASTER PLAN.
BUT WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO TOUCH ON LIKE, IS IT IN AURORA COLLEGE'S MASTER PLAN TO HAVE A SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT PARKS, OPEN SPACES AND COMPONENTS LIKE THAT? SO THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN IS A STRATEGIC DOCUMENT.
IT IS THE FIRST ONE FOR THE POLYTECHNIC AND AURORA COLLEGE HAS NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE.
THERE SHOULD NOT BE UNCERTAINTY IN DECISION MAKING, LIKE HOW DO YOU USE THE LAND, HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE FACILITIES? IT SHOULD BE QUITE STRAIGHTFORWARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND CLEARLY ON THE YELLOWKNIFE SITE, HISTORIC USE INCLUDES ABILITY TO WALK YOUR DOG, ABILITY TO ENJOY THE LANDSCAPE, ABILITY TO ENGAGE WITH NATURE CLOSE TO HOME.
AND SO WE SHOULD SEE THAT AS ESPOUSED IN THE PLANS FOR THE POLYTECHNIC IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND EASY TO MAKE DECISIONS AND MAKES IT VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND EASY TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC REZONING PROCESSES OR DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM REFLECTED IN THOSE PLANS.
IT WON'T GET US ALL THE WAY THERE IN THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.
THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN WILL BE THE BASIS FOR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT.
WE DON'T WANT TO PRETEND THAT WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE A DOCUMENT THIS SUMMER THAT'S GOING TO HAVE EVERYTHING FIGURED OUT, BUT IT WILL TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND WILL ALLOW THE AURORA COLLEGE AS A PRECURSOR TO THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY TO ENGAGE IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE ALLUDED TO ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE ACCESS? WHAT IS THE NATURE OF YOUR ACCESS? THOSE QUESTIONS, I DON'T WANT TO PRESUME.
[00:55:04]
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.AND THANKS, MR. JOSEPH, FOR COMING TODAY AND YOUR TIME.
SO I DO THINK THAT THE VISION THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT HERE AND THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OFTEN IN COUNCIL IN THE PAST, THE VISION IS QUITE COMPELLING AND I THINK COULD BE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS CITY FOR, BOTH FOR EDUCATION AND STUDENTS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THERE, BUT ALSO THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY TO REVITALIZE, BRING IN NEW RESIDENTS, HAVE NEW SHOPS, CAFES, ALL KINDS OF THINGS COULD GROW AROUND THIS OPPORTUNITY IF IT'S DONE IN THE RIGHT WAY.
WANT TO WORK TOGETHER WITH US AS LONG AS PEOPLE FEEL THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST IS BEING PRESERVED AND THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER IN THIS AND GOING THE SAME DIRECTION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE OR FIRST JUST SORT OF LAY OUT WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING MIGHT BE OF THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF WHAT DECISIONS ARE WE MAKING HERE TODAY OR WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT? I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THIS NEWS CAME SORT OF SUDDENLY AND PEOPLE ARE FEELING, OH, MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS? WHERE'S MY CHANCE TO HAVE MY SAY? AND HOW IS THIS ALL GOING TO BE DECIDED.
WE WOULD AGREE THAT WE HAVE SOME COMMON INTENTIONS AND THAT WE HAVE THIS COMMON VISION.
AND WE WANT TO START DOWN THIS PATH OF PURSUING THIS PARTICULAR SITE FOR POLYTECHNIC, AND WE WANT TO TRY TO CREATE THIS TOP NOTCH EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS WHILE PRESERVING PUBLIC INTEREST.
SO THAT'S THE INTENTION AND PRESERVING PUBLIC USES OF THE SPACE.
BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL EXPECT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY, TRYING TO BALANCE THINGS AND BALANCE THOSE PUBLIC USES WITH THE NEEDS OF A CAMPUS.
BUT IT MIGHT STILL BE POSSIBLE THAT WE MIGHT ENCOUNTER THINGS THAT CANNOT BE SURMOUNTABLE EITHER FROM YOUR SIDE, TECHNICAL ASPECTS, OR PLANNING FROM THE CITY SIDE. AS WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THERE MAY BE CHALLENGES AND OBJECTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT WE CAN'T SEEM TO WORK THROUGH.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BECAUSE IF WE DECIDE TO SIGN THIS MOU, WE ARE MAKING A COMMITMENT TO INVEST A LOT OF RESOURCES AND TIME AND EFFORT IN TRYING TO PURSUE THIS. WE DON'T, WE SHOULDN'T TAKE THIS DECISION LIGHTLY, BUT IT'S NOT IRREVERSIBLE.
BUT I WONDERED IF YOU COULD OR ADMINISTRATION COULD EXPAND ON WHEN MIGHT BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO TRY TO WORK WITH US ON THIS? OR YOU SAID YOU WANT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN INTEGRATE WELL INTO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHO'S GOING TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE AND GET THAT INPUT AND TRY TO WORK IT INTO THE DESIGN? IS THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPONENT LIKE THE GNWT SITE? IS IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE AND NOT AN EXACT DATE, BUT AT WHAT STAGE IN THE PROCESS MIGHT PEOPLE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THE PROPONENTS AND THE CITY IN THIS? I'LL SPEAK AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL ABOUT THE PIECES THAT WE'RE EAGER TO ENGAGE IN AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INCREMENTAL DECISION MAKING.
THERE'S TWO THINGS WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, AND SOMETIMES WE CONFUSE THEM.
ONE IS THE SPIRIT OF ENGAGEMENT IS HOW WE START A PROCESS AND HOW WE GET GOING.
WE'VE HAD SOME VERY GOOD QUESTIONS TODAY ABOUT WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE, WHAT KINDS OF PROGRAMS WILL IT OFFER? EVERYBODY IS EXCITED AND EVERYBODY WANTS MORE INFORMATION AND WE HAVE PURPOSEFULLY NOT BROUGHT ALL THAT FORWARD BECAUSE THAT REQUIRES CAREFUL DELIBERATION AND SEQUENTIAL DECISION MAKING THE RIGHT ORDER AT THE RIGHT TIME.
SO IT'S ALMOST A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.
EVERYBODY WANTS DECISIONS MADE TO SEE WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
BUT ONCE OPPORTUNITY IS PROVIDED IT PUTS ON THE DECISION.
WE'VE OPTED FOR A PROCESS THAT IS INCREMENTAL AND SEQUENTIAL.
[01:00:01]
WE'VE STARTED OFF BEFORE THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN IS RELEASED TO IDENTIFY A LOCATION, TO GIVE COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN GOOD FAITH AS A CO-INVESTMENT PARTNER, TO SAY, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WE WILL CONTRIBUTE THIS TO A SUCCESS.ONCE WE HAVE THAT COMMITMENT AS A GOVERNMENT, THEN WE WILL DEVELOP A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN AND THAT WILL OUTLINE A VISION AT A STRATEGIC LEVEL OF THE INSTITUTION, INCLUDING AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST, A VERY HIGH LEVEL TO BUILD ON THIS SITE.
WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE BUILDING CONFIGURATION? DOES THAT MEAN WE WILL BUILD THERE? NO, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET FUNDING FOR IT, WHICH WE WILL BEGIN IN ONE AVENUE AND WE HAVE TO GET AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A ZONING PROCESS OF WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND HOW IT WORKS. THE MOU, AND WHAT IT IS NOT, IT IS NOT ASKING WHAT IS THE BEST SITE FOR A POLYTECHNIC? IT'S CONFIRMING IT.
WE'VE DONE OUR RESEARCH, WE'VE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
WE'VE WORKED WITH CITY OFFICIALS.
BUT THE SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES ARE GOING TO BE FOREVER CHANGING.
THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY AND BEFORE THAT, THE AURORA COLLEGE IS THE PROPONENT IN THE PROCESS.
THEY ARE COMING FORWARD TO DEVELOP THE SITE.
SO THAT'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DECISION.
BUT THE PLANNING THAT HAPPENS DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN IN THE CONTEXT OF TRANSFORMATION.
THERE NEEDS TO BE ONGOING AND REGULAR ENGAGEMENT IN THE LIFE OF THE INSTITUTION.
THIS IS A PLAN THAT WILL BE RENEWED EVERY TEN YEARS, THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.
AND SO ALTHOUGH IT'S A 20 YEAR OUTLOOK IN TEN YEARS FROM WHEN WE DEVELOP THIS YEAR AND IN 2032, WE'LL BE DOING IT AGAIN, WE'LL BE ENGAGING AGAIN, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T WORK, HOW COULD WE DO IT BETTER? WHAT DO THE TRAILS LOOK LIKE? HOW COULD THE TRAILS BE MORE ACCESSIBLE? WHAT'S WORKED FOR THE INSTITUTION? AND SO THERE ARE SPECIFIC INTERVALS OF ENGAGEMENT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THROUGH THE LAND ADMINISTRATION PROCESS.
SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THERE ARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT AND KEY DECISION POINTS FOR COUNCIL AND SO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THAT DECISION MAKING PROCESS AS WELL TO MAKE CONSIDERATIONS AS LEADERS, TO APPLY OUR WISDOM AND JUDGMENT IN WHAT'S GOING TO WORK BEST FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT I'LL RELINQUISH, IF THE CHAIR IS OKAY, TO MY COLLEAGUE, MS. WHITE, WHO WILL COME UP. GREAT.
SO IT'LL BE SPECIFIC TO THIS PROPERTY FOR THIS USE.
AND THROUGH THAT, WE WILL HAVE THE CONVERSATION BOTH WITH THE APPLICANT ON WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE AS WELL AS THE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO THINGS LIKE A TRANSPORTATION PLAN, THE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER PIECES THAT REALLY MAKE THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT UNIQUE FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND TO MEET THE NEEDS NOT JUST OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALL THE RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE, STUDENTS THAT IT SERVES. SPECIFIC THINGS WITHIN THE SITE, SPECIFIC ZONING AMENDMENT THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT, INCLUDES TRAILS, INCLUDES SERVICING, INCLUDES ACCESS, INCLUDES RESIDENCES, ALL OF THOSE PIECES.
THE LEGISLATION, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY PLAN, AS WELL AS OUR ZONING BYLAW, REALLY OUTLINE A QUITE THOROUGH LIST OF THE ITEMS WE CAN INCLUDE, WHETHER THAT'S IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF OR IN THE ZONE ITSELF, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE VERY SPECIFIC FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE TAKING AN INSTITUTIONAL ZONE, PUTTING IT ON AND SAYING, OKAY, OFF YOU GO.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY SPECIFIC AND CRAFTED FOR THIS SITE.
WE CAN'T SPEAK TO THE TIMELINE RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE KNOW THAT THE LAND IS MOVING FORWARD.
IF I MAY, MADAM CHAIR, JUST TO SUMMARIZE, MAYBE WRAP THAT ALL TOGETHER.
THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE.
THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THE SITE WILL BE DEVELOPED.
[01:05:02]
MASTER PLAN BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS ONE IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT.BUT THE ONUS WILL BE ON A AURORA COLLEGE AND THE GNWT TO MAKE SURE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS ARE EFFECTIVE AND THAT THEY GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING AND GETTING TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE WITH THE NEW CAMPUS.
OKAY. THANKS FOR THAT. AND JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT IT'S THE ONUS IS ON OUR COLLEGE TO COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC, DOES THAT MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THE CITY WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT LEVELS OR TYPES OF CONSULTATION AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THEM IS INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S DIFFERENT STAGES ALONG THAT SPECTRUM.
BUT ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOUR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT IS GOING TO BE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, OR IS THERE GOING TO BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE IDEAS AND CONCERNS AND HAVE FEEDBACK AND HAVE SOME KIND OF NOT NEGOTIATION BUT INFLUENCE OVER THE PLANS AN THE PROCESS? THE DECISIONS ABOUT THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY ARE THE PURVIEW OR WILL BE THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OR ARE NOW THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS, AND THEY'RE DRIVEN BY THE NEED OF THE INSTITUTION.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE INSTITUTION DOES NOT KNOW, THAT IT CAN ONLY LEARN FROM ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND THROUGH ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY WILL INFORM BOTH HOW IT DEVELOPS THE SITE AND ALSO HOW IT FUNCTIONS AS AN INSTITUTION.
SO IN THAT SENSE, THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER HAND IN HAND.
BUT I'M VERY CAREFUL IN THE WORDS I USE BECAUSE YOUR EXPERIENCE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS IS LIKELY YOUR BEST INDICATOR OF THE APPROPRIATE ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS. THE UNIQUENESS IN THIS INSTANCE IS, AS SOME OF YOU HAVE POINTED OUT, COMMITTEE, IS THAT THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION AND THAT THE INSTITUTION IS FOR PUBLIC GOOD AND IS CREATING DIFFERENT ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY BEYOND ITS SOLE FUNCTION.
AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THE POTENTIAL THAT IT HAS.
AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE MOU TO START THE PROCESS, TO DEVELOP THOSE MILESTONES AND ARTICULATE WHAT ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE TO CREATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT NOT PRECLUDING THEM OR PRESCRIBING THEM OR COMMITTING TO SOMETHING TODAY THAT PERHAPS IS NOT ITERATIVE ENOUGH, THAT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO HAVE A FIRST POINT OF ENGAGEMENT, REFLECT, LEARN, REENGAGE.
AND I DO WANT TO LEAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN IT TO ALLOW FOR ENGAGEMENT THAT MAKES SENSE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE PRINCIPLES AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, WHICH AREN'T NECESSARILY AT A HIGH LEVEL TO ALLOW US TO HAVE THAT LISTENING AND REFLECTION.
LAST QUESTION. CAN YOU JUST CONFIRM THAT IF TRANSFERRED, THE GNWT WILL COMMIT THAT THE LAND WOULD ONLY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING A POLYTECHNIC AND ASSOCIATED USES AND.
I THINK I'LL DIRECT THIS QUESTION TO MS. BASSI-KELLETT WHO CAN SPEAK TO THE LEGAL TOOLS THAT THE CITY HAS AT THEIR DISPOSAL FOR THAT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE PURVIEW THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE SALE AGREEMENT AND THROUGH OTHER TOOLS THAT I WILL ASK MS. WHITE TO SPEAK TO WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE DETERMINATION THAT THE USE OF THIS LAND IS SOLELY FOR THIS PURPOSE.
NOW WHEN TRANSFERRING LAND TO THIRD PARTY OWNERS.
SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD CREATE A STIPULATION THAT THIS IS THE SPECIFIC USE THAT THIS IS BEING TRANSFERRED FOR, AND WE'LL HAVE A CLAUSE IN THERE THAT WOULD STATE THAT THE LAND RETURNED TO THE MUNICIPALITY FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES AT A FUTURE DATE SHOULD THAT POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, HOWEVER WE DESCRIBE THAT USE NO LONGER BE I GUESS PROPOSED OR LOOKING TO BE DEVELOPED ON THAT SITE.
IT'S JUST IT'S A RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GNWT AND THE CITY.
THANK YOU. IF IT PLEASES COMMITTEE, I CAN JUST ADD AS WELL.
[01:10:07]
GOVERNORS OF THE INSTITUTION MOVING FORWARD.OKAY. THANKS FOR THAT CONFIRMATION.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A FEW.
SO YOU TALKED ABOUT TWO OF THE THREE LOCATIONS.
SO I KNOW NUP THE BUILDING BESIDE LAHM RIDGE, THE THIRD LOCATION IS? PRECAMBRIAN. PRECAMBRIAN.
AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION.
SO MS. WHITE TALKED ABOUT, WE'LL DO A SITE SPECIFIC.
JUST WONDERING WHY WE'RE GOING.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS WE ALL WANT TO BE 12 STEPS PAST THIS MOU.
I DO THINK THERE WILL BE ISSUES WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
WE ALSO WANT TO RESPECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH IS THE WALKING TRAILS.
BUT I THINK WE CAN DO ALL THREE THINGS AND THIS MOU COMMITS US TO WORKING THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE MOU AND THEN I'M KIND OF NOW A COUPLE OF STEPS AHEAD.
BUT JUST REGARDING THE AREA, WHY WE'D CONSIDER A SITE SPECIFIC VERSUS AN AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'LL ASK MS. WHITE TO SPEAK TO THE NUANCES OF THIS.
GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
SO HIGH LEVEL AREA DEVELOPMENT PLANS, THEY ILLUSTRATE AND PROVIDE POLICY, RIGHT.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING NEW MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, NEW LOT CREATION FOR NEW PLANS OF SUBDIVISION, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT USES, THE AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN REALLY SETS THE POLICY AND THE STAGE FOR HOW THAT LAND WILL BE DEVELOPED OVER TIME.
IN THIS CASE SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE PARCEL, ONE USE.
AT LEAST THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING TO DATE.
IT'S NOT TO SAY GOING FORWARD SHOULD SOMETHING CHANGE WE CAN REVISIT THIS.
THE POLICIES ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY PLAN FOR SUCH A REQUIREMENT.
IT IS HOW WE DEVELOP LAND AND HOW WE ASK OTHERS TO FOLLOW OUR RULES.
AND AS I STATED BEFORE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS ITEMS IDENTIFIED WITHIN BOTH OUR ZONING BYLAW AS WELL AS THE GNWT LEGISLATION. THERE'S EVEN A CLAUSE AT THE END THAT SAYS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF OR ANY OTHER ITEM THAT COUNCIL OR ADMINISTRATION DEEMS TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT. SO A SITE SPECIFIC REZONING ON THIS SITE PROVIDES US WITH MORE TOOLS AND A VERY CLEAR STEP PROCESS FORWARD. AGAIN, SHOULD IN THE FUTURE SOMETHING CHANGE THAT ADP IS STILL AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO GO THROUGH THAT SITE SPECIFIC ZONING PROCESS.
YEAH, NO, ACTUALLY, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE NOT THAT IT'S A CHOICE BETWEEN ONE OR THE OTHER.
BUT ACTUALLY I SEE HOW HAVING A SITE SPECIFIC THAT WE CAN SET THE MAXIMUM HEIGHTS, MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE, MINIMUM DISTANCE BETWEEN STRUCTURES, WE CAN DO SITE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, WHICH IS WHERE WE CAN GET INTO THE TRAILS.
AND YES, YOU DID TOUCH THERE'LL BE A LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW COMING FORWARD AND HAVING CLAUSES ABOUT IT'S FOR THIS PURPOSE.
AND. YEAH, NO, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, I THINK.
YEAH. LIKE I SAID, I APPRECIATE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
[01:15:09]
ON I THINK OF THE TEMPORARY DAY SHELTER BOTH THE GNWT AND CITY STAFF SPENT HOURS WORKING ON THAT. AND IT DIDN'T ALWAYS COME ACROSS THAT WAY IN THE PUBLIC.SO I THINK HAVING THIS PUBLIC DOCUMENT TO SAY THAT STAFF ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WE HAVE DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE A PROPONENT.
YOU'RE GOING TO COME TO THE CITY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE THE REGULATOR.
IT'S NOT THERE'S THE WORDING ABOUT IT'S NOT FETTERING COUNCIL'S DECISION MAKING.
IT'S JUST A COMMITMENT BY STAFF TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO THERE'S STILL THIS IS JUST THE VERY BEGINNING OF A LOT MORE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I THINK FOR IT'LL BE WITH THE NEXT COUNCIL BECAUSE I DON'T FORESEE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW COMING FORWARD.
THIS OR PERHAPS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MAYBE THAT WOULD BE THE ONE VERSUS THE REZONING, I IMAGINE WILL BE FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL.
BUT IF MAYBE IF ADMIN CAN CONFIRM THOSE, THOSE TWO CITY FUNCTIONS AT LEAST.
ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S QUITE A PROCESS TO COME.
THIS IS THE VERY, VERY PRELIMINARY KICKOFF OF MANY SERIES OF PROCESSES.
SO I KNOW THAT ONCE AURORA COLLEGE AND THE GNWT HAVE THEIR OVERALL FACILITIES PLAN, THAT WILL THEN ENABLE THEM TO MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST TO THE CITY FOR THIS PARCEL OF LAND THAT THAT WILL THEN KICK INTO GEAR OUR PROCESS TO SEEK AROUND THE TRANSFER .
AND THE PROCESS FOR REZONING WILL COME AFTER THAT.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? JUST IN GENERAL.
YEAH, I THINK NO MORE QUESTIONS.
I THINK THE FACT THAT THIS IS THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THIS COULD GO FORWARD IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.
I THINK THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD ENSURE A LOT OF ONGOING AND SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THIS IS A BIG STEP.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I APPRECIATE THE GNWT TO BRING IT FORWARD.
I KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS SITE BEING DEVELOPED.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT RESIDENTS HAVE SHOWN A LOT OF CARE ABOUT IN THE PAST.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S CLAUSES IN THE MOU THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY THAT TALK ABOUT PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE NATURAL SETTING, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS THE LANDS IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH HISTORIC USES.
SO IT IS BEING ACKNOWLEDGED BY BOTH PARTIES.
AND I HOPE THAT THIS SITE IS DEVELOPED IN SUCH A WAY THAT DOES PRESERVE THE HISTORIC USES.
SO I DO OVERALL JUST THINK THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING THING.
I THINK RESIDENTS SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I THINK WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS SITE AS A RESIDENCE AND IT'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, HOPEFULLY TO ACCESS THE SUCCESSFUL POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY THAT WE'VE DREAMED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
SO. YEAH, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ON IT.
YEAH, I JUST HAD A FEW FURTHER COMMENTS TOO.
NO MORE QUESTIONS, BUT CERTAINLY I HAVE TREMENDOUS HOPE THAT THIS COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND A CHANCE TO REALLY AND YOU HAVE USED THE BUZZ WORD A LOT TODAY, BUT TRANSFORM NORTHERN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.
AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED TO ME, YOU KNOW, IF OUR GOAL IS DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION, WHY CAN'T WE FIND FURTHER SPACES OR BUILDINGS RIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE? BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE LEARNED, WE CAN'T KEEP DOING MORE OF THE SAME THING AND EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS.
[01:20:09]
TO CONFRONT THOSE CHALLENGES.BUT, YOU KNOW, MY VISION IDEALLY IS THAT BY TAKING A SPACE THAT IS A NATURAL SPACE, THAT THERE IS SO MUCH BEAUTY THAT WE COULD REALLY CREATE SOLID PROGRAMING THAT'S ESPECIALLY RELEVANT BOTH TO NORTHERN STUDENTS AND STUDENTS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD IN CANADA WHO MAY WANT TO WORK IN A NORTHERN CONTEXT OR IN AN ARCTIC OR SUB-ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD CREATE SOME CUTTING EDGE NEW PROGRAMS OR TRANSFORM EXISTING PROGRAMS TO HAVE NEW COMPONENTS, WHETHER IT'S INDIGENOUS GOVERNANCE OR LAND BASED EDUCATION OR LAND BASED HEALING OR COUNSELING.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS INSTITUTION.
AND I DO THINK IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE THAT THE ENVIRONMENT, THE CAMPUS IS ON.
AND SO THIS IS A TREASURED SPACE.
BUT WITH THE HOPE THAT IT COULD BOTH HELP TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NORTH AND FOR A GOOD CAUSE AND STILL BE OF STILL SERVE PUBLIC USES IN TERMS OF RECREATION AND OTHER THINGS.
SO I DO WANT TO FOCUS ON THE HOPE THAT I HAVE TODAY.
AND CERTAINLY WE WILL DELVE DEEPLY INTO LOTS OF THE CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS AS WE GO FORWARD.
BUT I THINK THE OTHER CONSIDERATION THAT'S CERTAINLY BEEN ON MY MIND IS THAT YOU KNOW, THIS AREA IS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY PLAN.
AND THERE ARE SOME GOOD REASONS FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CLOSE TO THE DOWNTOWN.
BUT THERE'S ALSO CONCERN THAT FURTHER RESIDENTIAL ENCROACHMENT INTO TIN CAN HILL WOULD MEAN LESS AND LESS PUBLIC ACCESS.
AND SO IN TERMS OF MY LONGER TERM VISION FOR THIS COMMUNITY, I THINK THIS COULD BE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO PRESERVE THE PUBLIC ASPECT OF THIS SPACE AND HAVE IT BALANCE BOTH AN IMPORTANT USE OR NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO MAINTAINING THAT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE PUBLIC USE.
THANKS. NO PRESSURE, COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS MEMO COME FORWARD.
AND JUST THE THOUGHT OF HAVING OUR VERY OWN CAMPUS IN YELLOWKNIFE IS VERY EXCITING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT IS THE LOCATION THAT HAS BEEN CHOSEN, THE PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN, THE PROXIMITY TO MARKET HOUSING, AND THE SUGGESTION THAT THERE MIGHT BE CAMPUS HOUSING.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND ALL THE BEST.
ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING AND HEARING NONE.
NEXT MONDAY, JUNE 6TH, AT 7:00 P.M..
AND WITH THAT, IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVE BY COUNCILLOR SMITH, SECOND BY COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. WE WILL SEE EVERYBODY NEXT MONDAY AT NOON THOUGH FOR GPC FIRST AND THEN COUNCIL AT 7:00 P.M..
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.