[00:00:03]
[1. Councillor Silverio will read the Opening Statement.]
THANK YOU, YOUR WORSHIP.IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION.
RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE MÉTIS AND ALL THE FIRST NATIONS, MÉTIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? SEEING NONE. NEXT, WE HAVE DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND WE HAVE EIGHT PRESENTERS.
[3. A presentation from Tamlin Daniel regarding the proposed Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus at Tin Can Hill.]
WE'LL START OFF WITH TAMLIN DANIEL.BUT AS PER COUNCIL PROCEDURES, BY LAW, ALL DELEGATIONS SHALL ADDRESS THE REMARKS DIRECTLY TO MYSELF, THE PRESIDING OFFICER, AND SHALL NOT POSE QUESTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OR ADMINISTRATION OR DEVIATE FROM THE TOPIC OF THEIR PRESENTATION.
EACH PRESENTER SHALL BE AFFORDED 5 MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION.
AND SECTION 54 IS WHEN MAKING A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL.
THREE MAKE PERSONAL REMARKS ABOUT ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC, OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY.
FOUR REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE VOTED FOR A PARTICULAR MOTION.
FIVE REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF ADVICE GIVEN TO COUNCIL BY ADMINISTRATION.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL BEGIN WITH TAMLIN.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND YOU CAN JUST PRESS THE LITTLE BUTTON THERE AND THAT'LL TURN IT ON AND OVER TO YOU.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE.
SO I'M KEEPING WITHIN THE MINUTE, THE 5 MINUTES.
MANY OF YOU WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH ME.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, HOWEVER, THAT I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE FOR 14 YEARS.
I'M VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I'M PROUD TO CALL MYSELF A WANNABE YELLOWKNIFER.
SO I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF THE CONDO CORP.
NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS KNOWN AS NORTHLANDS.
SO GETTING ON TO MY FIRST POINT, WHILST BEING A MEMBER OF CONDO CORP.
NUMBER EIGHT, I WAS INVOLVED IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER AND SEWER LINES.
WE SIGNED AN MOU WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE THAT YOU BASICALLY LAID OUT HOW THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS GOING TO BE REPLACED, WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE.
THIS MOU WAS WRITTEN BY THE CITY, AND IT IT GAVE THE BOARD SIX WEEKS IN WHICH TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WHAT TO COMMUNICATE TO THE MEMBERSHIP AND TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANTED TO GO WITH THE MOU.
ONLY THERE WAS ONE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT WE HAD, OF THE CHOICES THAT WERE ON THE TABLE.
SO I ASK YOU RHETORICALLY, WHY HAS THIS COUNCIL ONLY BE GIVEN ONE WEEK TO DECIDE ON AN MOU FOR A STRUCTURE THAT WILL LAST 50 OR 100 YEARS? AND YOU MAY COME BACK TO ME AND SAY, WELL, IT'S JUST AN MOU.
[00:05:03]
WELL, THE MOU LAYS OUT CLEARLY THAT THE PREFERRED SITE IS ON TIN CAN HILL, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN ANY OTHER INDICATION OF WHY THE OTHER SITES HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY THE GNWT.SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT WAS A LACK OF LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ON THE PART OF THE GNWT.
THE OPTION WAS PRESENTED IN A GLOSSY PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL.
IT DIDN'T DECLARE WHAT THE OTHER OPTIONS WERE.
SO I'M PRESENTING YOU THE POSSIBILITY THAT PERHAPS YOU HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN FULL DETAILS.
MY SECOND POINT IS ANOTHER RHETORICAL QUESTION FOR THE COUNCIL.
IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO ATTEND A POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION, DID YOU CONSIDER THE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OUT OF YOUR LECTURE HALLS OR DORM WINDOW AS A CRITERIA FOR YOU PICKING THAT COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY? I HAPPEN TO BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GO TO GLASGOW UNIVERSITY AND ALTHOUGH I DID ENJOY THE VIEWS FROM THE HILLS, I DIDN'T PICK GLASGOW UNIVERSITY BECAUSE IT WAS POISED ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF OVERLOOKING A BEAUTIFUL LAKE.
THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF DOWNTOWN INTEGRATED CAMPUSES THAT PROVIDE GOOD STANDARDS OF EDUCATION AND AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION AND ACCESS TO SERVICES. MY CONCERN WITH THE PROPOSED TIN CAN HILL SITE IS THAT IT WILL ACTUALLY EXACERBATE THE COST OF LIVING DIFFERENTIAL FOR INCOMING STUDENTS FROM COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND FROM FURTHER AFIELD.
IF YOU WANT AN EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESS, CONSIDER BRANTFORD, ONTARIO AND THE WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION THAT WENT FROM 39 STUDENTS 20 YEARS AGO TO 2700 STUDENTS IN THIS PRESENT YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AN ANALOGY.
TO ME, THIS IS A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE.
WELL, FURTHERMORE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE WHERE THERE IS ONLY ONE SUITOR.
THE PARENTS OF THE GNWT AND CITY ADMINISTRATION.
WHO'S THE HUSBAND, YOU MAY ASK.
WELL. THE HUSBAND IS, OF COURSE THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. OKAY.
THE DOWRY. GIVE THEM BY THE CITY IS GOING TO BE TIN CAN HILL AND WHAT IS OFFERED IN RETURN VAGUE PROMISES OF A BEAUTIFUL HONEYMOON AND WONDERFUL BENEFITS.
MY LAST STATEMENT TO YOU IS MARRY IN HASTE, REPENTANT LEISURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, TAMLIN.
VERY PRECISE ON YOUR 5 MINUTES.
BRANTFORD IS A BLUE COLLAR TOWN ABOUT 3 HOURS OUTSIDE OF TORONTO.
IT WAS HAD LARGE SCALE INDUSTRY, MANUFACTURING, FARMING.
IT WAS CONNECTED TO THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY.
IN THE 1980S IT SUFFERED A HUGE DOWNTURN IN INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY AND THE INNER CORE WAS LEFT WITH SHUTTERED UP BUILDINGS.
IT WAS BASICALLY IT WAS A DESERT A DESERTED AREA.
THE CITY OF BRANTFORD PARTNERED WITH WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY, AND THEY, WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY TOOK OVER ONE BUILDING AND STARTED RUNNING PROGRAMS. THEY STARTED VERY SMALL.
THEY HAD, LIKE I SAID, 39 STUDENTS.
AND THEY BUILT THEIR PROGRAMING.
THEY HIRED CAPABLE INSTRUCTORS AND THEY GREW THEIR PROGRAM YEAR BY YEAR.
AND THE CITY PROVIDED A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO PROVIDED THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO MAKE WILFRID LAURIER WANT TO STICK AROUND.
SO I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB BECAUSE THEY RENOVATED THE LIBRARY,
[00:10:04]
THEY TOOK OVER A CINEMA AND USED THAT AS A LECTURE HALL.AND THEY NOW THEY THEY PARTNERED WITH CONSECO COLLEGE, WHICH PROVIDES AVIATION TRAINING.
SO THEY'VE DIVERSIFIED TO REALLY TO TAKE TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROGRAMING WHICH PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING COURSES IN.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP I HAVE STEPHANIE IRLBACHER‐FOX.
[4. A presentation from Stephanie Irlbacher‐Fox regarding the proposed Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus at Tin Can Hill.]
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND JUST PUSH THE BUTTON ON.I'VE BEEN A YELLOWKNIFE RESIDENT FOR 27 YEARS.
I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN INUVIK AFTER GROWING UP THERE.
I HAVE A PHD FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY IN ENGLAND.
AND I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES FOR NORTHERN STUDIES.
CURRENTLY, I HOLD TWO MAJOR RESEARCH GRANTS WORTH OVER $23 MILLION DOLLARS OVER TEN YEARS, AND 90% OF THAT MONEY IS BEING SPENT HERE IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.
I'M HERE AS A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL TO SHARE MY VIEWS THAT ARE INFORMED BY OVER 25 YEARS WORKING IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES WITH INDIGENOUS GOVERNMENTS ON TREATY NEGOTIATIONS, BUT ALSO AS AN INDEPENDENT ACADEMIC MAINTAINING ACTIVE ACADEMIC RESEARCH PROJECTS.
I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH AURORA COLLEGE.
A POLYTECHNIC CAMPUS IN YELLOWKNIFE STANDS TO ATTRACT SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH FUNDING.
I'VE JUST OUTLINED THE AMOUNTS THAT I, AS ONE INDIVIDUAL CAN BRING TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.
THIS INCLUDES RESEARCH AND INFRASTRUCTURE DOLLARS, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR NWT STUDENTS AND STUDENTS FROM ACROSS CANADA AND AROUND THE WORLD.
PUBLIC INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPACES AND EVENTS.
AND SUPPORTING LOCAL EVENTS AND LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE LIMITED ONLY BY CAPACITY, IMAGINATION AND LOCATION.
A YELLOWKNIFE CAMPUS IS SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMING AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE FACING PRECARIOUSNESS IN MAJOR ECONOMIC SECTORS SUCH AS MINING.
THE CITY CAN'T AFFORD TO REJECT A YELLOWKNIFE CAMPUS.
IT ALSO CAN'T AFFORD TO ESTABLISH A CAMPUS THAT CANNOT EXPAND, SUCH AS A DOWNTOWN OFFICE TOWER OR LOCATED IN A DIFFICULT TO ACCESS LOCATION FAR FROM HOUSING AND CITY AMENITIES.
I THINK THE LOCATION ALSO MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WILL BE INDIGENOUS FROM SMALL NWT COMMUNITIES, HONORING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION, THE REPORT OF THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS AND THE CITY'S OWN COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION MEANS THAT IT MUST BE A CAMPUS THAT HAS A LOCATION THAT IS LAND BASED, INCLUDING NEAR A BODY OF WATER, AND CAN OPERATE IN WAYS ENSURING THAT INDIGENOUS STUDENTS AND THEIR CULTURES ARE HONORED AND VALUED.
THIS BRINGS ME TO MY SECOND POINT.
LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT TIN CAN HILL IS AND WHAT IT'S NOT.
IT'S NOT AN ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC GREENSPACE, AND TO FRAME IT THAT WAY, I BELIEVE, IS MISLEADING.
THE CITY HAS SEEN FIT TO PRIVILEGE OFF LEASH DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS.
THAT IMMEDIATELY EXCLUDES OTHER USER GROUPS.
THERE ARE NO TRAILS BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED.
THERE'S NO CITY TRANSIT THAT GOES THERE, AND THE CITY MAKES NO EFFORT WITH MAINTENANCE OR SIGNAGE, LARGE URBAN GREEN SPACES, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CENTRAL PARK IN NEW YORK CITY, THE SEA WALL, STANLEY PARK, OR EVEN THE PLAZA RIGHT OUTSIDE HERE, THEY'RE ALL REGULATED AND MAINTAINED SPACES THAT PROVIDE FOR AND ENSURE
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BROAD BASED PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY.THE TIN CAN HILL LOCATION HOLDS POTENTIAL FOR A PUBLIC INSTITUTION THAT WOULD LIKELY FACILITATE BROADER PUBLIC ACCESS NOT ONLY TO GREEN SPACE BUT TO LAKE ACCESS, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS SORELY LACKING IN YELLOWKNIFE, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ACCESS THAT'S TRAUMA INFORMED, CULTURALLY SAFE, WELL MAINTAINED AND REGULATED FOR SAFETY AND ENSURE THE BROADEST ACCESSIBILITY POSSIBLE.
IT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT THIS HAS NOT GONE VERY WELL.
OPPOSITION FROM RESIDENTS WHO SEE THEMSELVES AS ADVERSELY AFFECTED IS COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE.
THESE ARE RESIDENTS WHO CHERISH THIS AREA AND THEY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR ACCESS TO IT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO RESPECT AND PAY ATTENTION TO.
A PUBLIC PROCESS WOULD HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND AND COLLABORATE ON A VISION FOR HOW YELLOWKNIFE MIGHT INTEGRATE A POTENTIAL ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE INTO OUR COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE CURRENT RESIDENTS AS WELL AS GENERATIONS TO COME.
CAN AN INSTITUTION USING 1/12 OF THE SPACE ON TIN CAN HILL ACCOMMODATE THE MUCH LOVED AND MUCH CHERISHED CURRENT USES? WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT USES OF THIS AREA, WHETHER THEY CAN CO-EXIST, AND ALSO WHETHER ACCESS TO TIN CAN HILL CAN ACTUALLY BE MADE MORE INCLUSIVE BY THE CITY.
THANKS VERY MUCH. CAN WE GET A MOTION TO EXTEND? MOVED BY COUNCILLOR PAYNE, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. ANYBODY OPPOSED SEEING NONE.
I'M ACTUALLY DONE SO I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[5. A presentation from Allan Gofenko regarding the proposed Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus at Tin Can Hill.]
NEXT TO HAVE ALLAN GOFENKO.APOLOGIES IF I'M YEAH. THERE WE GO.
OVER TO YOU, ALLAN. OKAY, I'LL GET RIGHT TO IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
A COURTESY THAT WAS NEVER GIVEN TO ME BY THE GNWT.
MAY 30TH, I LEARNED TIN CAN WAS AT RISK OF DEVELOPMENT.
THE GNWT FAILED RESIDENTS BY AVOIDING THOROUGH CONSULTATION ON THIS DEVELOPMENT LOCATION AND KEEPING RESIDENTS IN THE DARK, LEAVING ONLY DAYS TO BE MADE AWARE BEFORE THIS VOTE.
THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPECT FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN THIS PROCESS.
AND YOU AS COUNCIL ARE NOW LEFT FACING THE OPPOSITION TO THIS PROJECT'S LOCATION.
THE FACT THE PROPONENTS REFUSED TO SPEAK TO ALTERNATIVE SITES SHOWS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, AND AS A 21 YEAR RESIDENT, I EXPECT BETTER AND I'M CALLING ON COUNCIL TO EXPECT BETTER. THE GNWT DID THEIR WORK SECRETLY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WHILE GETTING CITY ADMINISTRATION'S BUY IN.
CAN ANYONE AT ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TELL ME HOW MANY PEOPLE USE THIS SITE PER DAY? I USE THIS SITE TWICE DAILY YEAR ROUND FOR WALKING, HIKING, OFF TRAILS, BIKING, TAKING MY PUP OFF LEASH.
AND I SEE OTHERS USING THIS SITE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE MAINTAIN IT, AND MANY OF US KEEP IT CLEAN AND SAFE.
THESE ARE RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO BE HEARD WHO HAVEN'T BEEN CONSULTED.
TIN CAN IS THE ONLY PLACE OF ITS KIND IN SUCH AN ALREADY DEVELOPED PART OF OUR CITY.
THIS IS NOT DENSIFICATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AND IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
OTHER LOCATIONS MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC.
DO NOT PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE HERE AND CUT RESIDENTS OFF AT THE KNEES BY MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR US AND WHAT IS BEST FOR THE PROPONENTS WHEN IT'S ONLY BEST FOR THEM.
MAKE CHANGES IN THIS MOU TO REQUIRE OUR GOVERNMENTS TO PUT ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE.
[00:20:02]
IT SERVES THE PUBLIC INTEREST.IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE AND ALLOW COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS TO BE BETTER INFORMED.
AS IN THE PAST. WE DON'T WANT THIS SITE TOUCHED.
THERE IS NO ROOM TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS HERE.
IT IS AN UNDEVELOPED, ROCKY, MUDDY, TREE ROOT FILLED AREA THAT WE LOVE AND WANT LEFT ALONE.
THE TIN CAN IS ALL BUT A DONE DEAL AND IT IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO AGREE TO.
A VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS MOU IS IN FACT A PRE-APPROVAL.
WE ARE RUSHING THIS PROCESS WHEN DUE DILIGENCE HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED.
MAKE NO MISTAKE RESIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN TIME OR OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WILL IMPACT THEM AND SEEKING TO CONSULT THEM AFTER SIGNING THE MOU WITH THE INTENT OF A SINGLE SITE SELECTION IS BACKWARDS AND IN BAD FAITH WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
CLEARLY, THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE IN THE RIGHT ORDER.
THIS IS A REQUEST TO BULLDOZE FORWARD FROM THE PROPONENTS.
A LACK OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION.
WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME IN GOVERNMENT.
THEY HAVE ELECTED YOU ON THEIR BEHALF.
DO NOT VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROCEEDING WITH TIN CAN HILL AS A PROPOSED LOCATION FOR THIS UNIVERSITY.
SEND THIS BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND REMOVE TIN CAN HILL FROM THIS MOU.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU AGAIN, ALLAN, FOR COMING TONIGHT.
YOU DO. OH, ALLAN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUESTION.
COUNCILLOR MORGAN. NO, THANKS, GREG.
WERE YOU DID YOU MANAGE TO SEE MAYBE EVEN A VIDEO OF THE GNWT'S AURORA COLLEGE'S PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL LAST WEEK, WHERE THEY DESCRIBED SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT THEY USED TO RULE OUT CERTAIN SITES OR HOW THEY ARRIVED AT TIN CAN HILL? YEAH, I WATCHED THAT.
IT TOOK A GOOD 12 HOURS THIS WEEK TO GET READY FOR THIS.
AND SO ARE YOU DISAGREEING WITH THE CRITERIA THAT THEY USED TO ARRIVE UPON THIS SITE? IT'S ONE THING TO SAY THEY WANT TO HAVE ONE CENTRAL CAMPUS THAT'S ALL TOGETHER.
SO SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY THAT'S SILLY.
I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ALTOGETHER.
IT COULD BE DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN.
AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE ON YOUR OPINION ON WHAT THE CRITERIA ARE FOR WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO ARE YOU DISAGREEING ON THE CRITERIA THAT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A CAMPUS THAT'S ALL TOGETHER OR THAT HAS ANY ROOM FOR EXPANSION? OR ARE YOU MAINTAINING THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER SITES AROUND TOWN THAT WOULD FULFILL THE SAME CRITERIA THAT THEY USED TO ARRIVE AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YEAH. SO I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THE CRITERIA THAT THEY'RE USING.
I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF QUALIFIED TO DECIDE THAT.
HOWEVER, IT IS PECULIAR TO ME THAT WE EVEN WHEN ONE OF YOU ASKED WHAT OTHER SITES WERE BEING CONSIDERED, THAT WASN'T ANSWERED WITH A LIST OF SITES THAT WERE BEING CONSIDERED AT LAST MONDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING.
AND SO THERE'S A DARKNESS HERE TO WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE? THIS FEELS LIKE IT'S BEING RUSHED THROUGH.
AND I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE REASONS WHY.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S REASONS THAT ARE NOT IN GOOD FAITH ALSO DIRECTING THIS.
[00:25:04]
I'VE HAD TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM ECE REACH OUT TO ME ANONYMOUSLY TO TELL ME HOW HUSH HUSH THIS WAS DONE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.THAT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME AT ALL.
AND THE FACT THAT I ONLY LEARNED ABOUT IT LAST MONDAY DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME EITHER.
I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF A UNIVERSITY.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT PROCESS AND THIS SITE IN PARTICULAR AT THIS TIME.
AND JUST TO CONCLUDE, SO YOU ARE CONVINCED THAT THERE MUST BE ONE OR MULTIPLE SITES OUT THERE IN YELLOWKNIFE THAT WOULD FULFILL THE SAME CRITERIA THAT THE GNWT IS LOOKING FOR, FOR A CENTRALIZED ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, I OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITES FOR CONSIDERATION ARE THAT'S ABOVE MY PAY GRADE, OTHERWISE I'D BE UP HERE SUGGESTING EVERYTHING.
HOWEVER, GIVEN THAT THERE WOULD BE NATURALLY SOME GIVE AND TAKE BETWEEN SITES WHAT ONE SITE HAS, IT MAY OFFER A BONUS THAT MAYBE TIN CAN DOESN'T.
THAT'S WHAT I SEE THIS PROPOSAL AS IN THIS MOU.
THEY'RE SAYING, LET'S GO FOR THIS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE PERFECT, BUT IT'S NOT GIVING THE PUBLIC THE CHANCE TO KNOW WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE BEYOND THIS SITE.
BECAUSE AS I READ TODAY, SOMEONE SAID IT'S JUST CREATING DIVIDE BETWEEN RESIDENTS.
AND IT'S PARTLY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT BROUGHT IN TO THE OPTION OF HEARING ABOUT WHAT THE VARIOUS SITES ARE TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE CHANGE MY MIND OR APPRECIATE THE REASON BEHIND TIN CAN HILL COMPARED TO OTHER SITES.
INSTEAD, IT WAS JUST LIKE WE DID OUR RESEARCH, THIS IS IT, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
AND TO HAVE THAT IN AN MOU WITHOUT ANY CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY AT THE GNWT LEVEL, TO NOW PUT IT ON YOU GUYS, TO HAVE TO DO THAT DURING A ZONING HEARING IS RIDICULOUS.
SO IS YOUR IF THE GNWT SIMPLY LIKE PUBLICIZED LIST OF OF LOCATIONS THAT THEY CONSIDERED JUST FOR INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC? WOULD THAT REASSURE YOU OR ARE YOU ENVISIONING THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME KIND OF PUBLIC DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN TERMS OF RANKING OR SELECTING DIFFERENT SITES.
AND IF IT'S THE LATTER, HOW WOULD THAT WORK? WELL, I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND MEETINGS WITH THE GNWT TO LOOK AT THE VARIOUS SITES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND HAVE THEIR INPUT.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE THE FINAL SAY, BUT THE GNWT SHOULD CERTAINLY BE SEEKING FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANOTHER SITE SUGGESTED, SURELY THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE LIKE ME SHOWING UP SAYING, WE DON'T WANT THAT HERE OR THERE OR WHATEVER, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO WEIGH ALL THAT.
AND WE DON'T WE HAVE ONE SITE IDENTIFIED AND THAT'S IT.
AND SURELY THEY HAVE A BACKUP PLAN IF THIS DIES IN A ZONING VOTE.
YOU KNOW, AND SO LET'S HEAR ABOUT WHAT THOSE BACKUP PLANS ARE AND WHY THEY'RE NOT AS GOOD.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S CORRECT OR NOT.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS OUT THERE THAT PERHAPS THE CITY AND THE GNWT COULD SPEAK TO AND SAY, NO, WE CAN'T BUILD ON CON MINE BECAUSE THERE'S ARSENIC IN THE GROUND , FOR EXAMPLE. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THESE SUGGESTIONS OUT THERE THAT I KNOW ARE NOT FEASIBLE, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THEM.
OKAY. YEAH. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR CLARIFYING YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP, I HAVE GREG.
GREG CAMERON. I SAID IT FIRST, SO I THOUGHT, AND YOU JUMPED UP.
[6. A presentation from Greg Cameron regarding the proposed Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus at Tin Can Hill.]
YOU WERE SO EAGER TO GO.THEN WE HAD A QUESTION FOR ALLAN IN THERE.
A UNIVERSITY IS GOOD FOR THE NORTH AND A NEW CAMPUS FOR AURORA COLLEGE IS LONG OVERDUE.
IT IS USED FOR HIKING, SKIING, SNOWSHOEING, DOG WALKING, BIRDWATCHING.
[00:30:05]
ALL ALL SORTS OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IS DONE ON TIN CAN HILL.I'VE BEEN ON TIN CAN HILL AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES FOR 22 YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN UP HERE.
I STRONGLY FEEL THAT NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, ALONG WITH ALL ABORIGINAL PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE NORTH, TO GET TOGETHER AND HAVE AN OPEN AND FRANK CONVERSATION OF THE FUTURE OF A UNIVERSITY IN THE NORTH.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH UNACCEPTABLE.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, OPEN CONVERSATION WITH THE PUBLIC.
BUT I FOUND REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING WITH THIS PRESENTATION TO YOU.
THEY USED THE WORD OPTIMAL A LOT IN THEIR PRESENTATION.
TIN CAN HILL IS THE OPTIMAL SPOT.
IT'S VERY HARD TO USE A BETTER WORD THAN OPTIMAL.
AND WHY IS IT THE OPTIMAL SPOT? WELL, IT'S CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN.
IT'S CLOSE TO ALREADY THE SERVICES.
SO THE SERVICES CAN BE BROUGHT THERE.
IT'S REALLY NICE RIGHT NEXT TO THE LAKE.
SO WHY IS TIN CAN HILL STILL AVAILABLE? BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED.
AND IT'S BEEN HOW MANY TIMES HAS IT BEEN TRIED TO BE DEVELOPED? I THINK EIGHT OR NINE TIMES IT'S BEEN TRIED AND FAILED.
AND SO WHEN ECE LOOKS AT IT AND SAY, WOW, THAT IS OPTIMAL.
THAT MEETS ALL OF OUR CRITERIA.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU LEFT IT THERE FOR US TO USE.
AND I STRONGLY FEEL THAT IT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE DEVELOPED JUST FOR THAT ONE REASON.
AND THAT IS MY MAIN POINT, THAT ECE REALLY HAS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT AND COME FORWARD AND TELL US ALL THEIR SITES THAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT AND BE MORE OPEN WITH THE PUBLIC SO WE CAN HAVE AT LEAST A SMALL SAY IN IT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT TIN CAN HILL IS NOT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO LAND BECAUSE IT IS AN AMAZING PIECE OF LAND AND A UNIVERSITY DONE THERE CORRECTLY WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE NORTH.
BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S HARDLY ANY GREEN SPACE IN YELLOWKNIFE FOR PEOPLE TO USE AND TAKING AWAY A LARGE LIKE, A PORTION OF IT LIKE TIN CAN HILL THAT IS IT WOULD BE, I THINK, AN INJUSTICE WITHOUT MORE PUBLIC INPUT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU, GREG.
[APPLAUSE] AND NEXT, I HAVE TYLER MOREHOUSE.
[7. A presentation from Tyler Morehouse regarding the proposed Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus at Tin Can Hill.]
OH, SORRY. JUST IF YOU WANT TO PUSH THE START BUTTON.MAYOR ALTY, COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING FROM ME TODAY.
I'M JUST A RESIDENT OF YELLOWKNIFE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE COUNCIL'S RECENT DECISION, WE NOW MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND IF YOU LOOK INSIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S EXACTLY 74 ACRES OF LAND.
I'VE TRANSPOSED THE PROPERTY LINE OF WHAT'S BEING GIVEN OVER.
IT'S THE ENTIRE CORE OF DOWNTOWN YELLOWKNIFE YOU ARE GIVING TO AURORA FOR FREE.
THAT IS A SEVERE UNDERESTIMATION OF THE VALUE OF THAT LAND, NOT ONLY TO THE RESIDENTS MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING CLASS WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA, BUT ALSO FOR THE VALUE THAT THE LAND ALREADY HAS.
YOU ARE GIVING THAT LAND AWAY.
YOU CAN SEE IT IN FIGURE TWO, THE MAP THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED, WHICH OF COURSE IS JUST A MOCKUP, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE TIED TO IT, BUT IT SHOWS WHAT THEY HAVE PLANNED, AT LEAST TO BEGIN WITH.
AND THEY'VE MARKED OFF ALL THE REST OF IT FOR POTENTIAL FUTURE EXPANSION.
IT'S THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE HILL.
THAT GREEN SPACE WILL BE GONE.
AND YOU'RE GIVING IT AWAY FOR FREE.
[00:35:01]
YOU ARE ALL UP FOR REELECTION.ANY QUESTIONS? TYLER, DID YOU. ARE YOU OPEN TO QUESTIONS? COUNCILLOR MORGAN, YOU HAD QUESTIONS.
THANKS. SO, I MEAN, THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION I BELIEVE THERE WAS DISCUSSION IN LAST WEEK'S MEETING WITH THE GNWT REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE SITE AND MAINTAINING GREEN SPACE AND MAINTAINING TRAILS SO.
WHERE. CAN YOU SHOW ME ON THIS MAP? IS IT THE RED SPACE THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED LATER, OR IS IT THE AREAS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED NOW? SO YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE ON THIS MAP, I MEAN, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY CRUDE DRAWING BUT.
YEAH. THE ROCKS WON'T BE DEVELOPED.
SO THE QUESTION IS, I GUESS MY QUESTION, WHICH MAYBE YOU'VE ANSWERED THEN IS WHAT MAKES YOU SO SURE THAT THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE ON TIN CAN HILL IF THIS MOU IS SIGNED? OH, I'M SURE THAT WE'LL BE ALLOWED TO GO UP TO THE PARKING LOT AND THERE WILL BE GRASS GROWING BETWEEN IT AND THE RESIDENTS.
SO YOUR IMPRESSION IS THAT THE CAMPUS WILL PAVE OVER AND TAKE AWAY ALL THE GREEN SPACE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE LOT? NO, NOT AT ALL. BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS, THERE WILL BE GREEN SPACE.
OK. THAT'S YOUR ANSWER. OK JUST WONDERED.
THANK YOU. I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU'D BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS IF WE CHARGED FOR THE LAND? NO, NO, COUNCILLOR PAYNE.
OKAY. JUST WONDERING WHY IS IT BEING GIVEN AWAY FOR FREE? IT SEEMS LIKE A SEVERE UNDERESTIMATE LIKE UNDERVALUING OF THAT LAND.
WELL, THERE'S NO DEBATE BETWEEN.
BUT WE CAN SPEAK TO IT AT THE TIME ABOUT THE VALUE OF POST SECONDARY FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
YEAH. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING TO PRESENT.
THANK YOU MAYOR ALTY. NEXT WE HAVE AMANDA SHARMA.
[8. A presentation from Amanda Sharma regarding the proposed Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus at Tin Can Hill.]
HI. I WAS JUST SAYING I ENJOY PUBLIC SPEAKING, BUT I DON'T LOVE PUBLIC SPEAKING MY FRUSTRATION AT PEOPLE.BUT THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMANDA SHARMA.
I AM A DAILY USER OF THE AREA.
AND I'M STRONGLY AGAINST THE IDEA OF BUILDING A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS ON TIN CAN HILL BECAUSE I JUST FEEL THAT THERE'S MANY BETTER OPTIONS OUT THERE THAT WE'RE NOT EXPLORING. I'M NOT ANTI UNIVERSITY, JUST ANTI THE LOCATION.
SO, YES, IT'S DEDICATED, EASY ACCESS, RECREATION SPACE WITHIN CITY LIMITS, NOT NECESSARILY TO THE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, BUT IT'S EASY TO ACCESS BY WALKING DISTANCE.
THERE'S ACCESS TO A DIVERSE RANGE OF PLANTS AND WILDLIFE.
IT'S ALSO CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN AND IT'S CLOSE TO GREAT SLAVE LAKE.
DESTROYING THIS AREA, EVEN IN PARTS, WOULD NOT ONLY IMPACT THE DAILY USERS FROM ACROSS THE CITY, BUT ALSO THE RESIDENTS OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS WHO WOULD BE MOST HARMED BY THE DECISION.
BUILDING ON TIN CAN HILL AND GIVING THE GNWT WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A BLANK CHECK FOR THE AREA.
LOSS OF VEGETATION, DISRUPTION OF DENS AND MIGRATION ROUTES AND BIODIVERSITY ARE AT RISK.
[00:40:02]
POLLUTION, WHICH IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE A SOURCE OF ONGOING POLLUTION.HE, AMONG MANY OTHER CLIMATE ADVOCATES, EMPHASIZE THE BENEFIT OF RETROFITTING EXISTING BUILDINGS TO IMPROVE THEIR EFFICIENCY, AND AS A RESULT, THESE BUILDINGS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE EMISSIONS.
IT REALLY IS THE GREENEST OPTION.
IN MY MIND THERE IS NO BETTER SOLUTION THAN TO USE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND LOTS IN THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN, ALONG WITH THE MANY, MANY OTHER ABANDONED AND VACANT SPACES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS FOR THE NEW UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.
THESE BUILDINGS SHOULD BE RENOVATED AND RETROFITTED TO MEET GREEN STANDARDS AND COULD EASILY BE DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF AURORA COLLEGE'S EXPANDING PROGRAMS. THIS SOLUTION WOULD BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE A GREEN SPACE FROM BEING DECIMATED, SAVING A CONSIDERABLE LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY ON NEW MATERIALS BY CONVERTING OLD BUILDINGS INTO BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED, SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURES.
IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION IMPROVES FOOT TRAFFIC DOWNTOWN, WHICH ULTIMATELY LEADS TO EXPANDING SERVICES AND BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTS SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE.
AND IT'S ALSO, FROM MY BACKGROUND, A GREAT PR OPPORTUNITY AND A SUCCESS STORY FOR NOT ONLY THE MUNICIPAL AND THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT, IT WOULD SHOW THE RESILIENCY OF NORTHERNERS, IT WOULD SHOW OUR CREATIVITY, AND IT WOULD ALSO IMPROVE OUR ATTRACTION WITH SOUTHERNERS.
I THINK I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE 5 MINUTES, BUT I'LL DEFINITELY NEED THE SEVEN.
ACCORDING TO YOUR STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVE DOCUMENT, GOAL ONE OBJECTIVE 1.2 PART TWO STATES THAT TO WORK WITH PARTNERS TO MAXIMIZE THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS FROM AN EXPANDED POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION.
GOAL THREE OBJECTIVE 3.1 STATES REVIEW AND PRIORITIZE EFFORTS THAT THE CITY CAN IMPLEMENT TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE, INCLUDING APPLYING A CLIMATE CHANGE LENS WHEN EVALUATING CITY INITIATIVES AND ACTIVITIES AND CONTINUING TO IMPLEMENT RELATIVE PLANS.
GOAL FOUR OBJECTIVE 4.2 PART TWO STATES WORK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO DESIGN POLICIES AND PLANS THAT SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT OF PROPERTIES IN THE DOWNTOWN.
2 SECONDS. IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO EXTEND MOVED BY COUNCILLOR SMITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR MORSE.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. YOU CAN GO.
THANKS. GIVES ME A CHANCE TO BREATHE.
FROM THE GNWT AND THERE 2019 TO 2023 CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN THEY STATED UNDER THEIR ACTION ITEMS. AS THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING, CONTINUING TO DEVELOP TOOLS AND MEASURES TO BUILD RESILIENCE AND ADAPT TO CURRENT AND FUTURE CHANGES IS IMPERATIVE.
AS GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ARE REALIZED.
AS A RESULT OF THIS EFFORT, THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES WILL BE WELL POSITIONED TO INCORPORATE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO ADAPTATION, PLANNING AND EXECUTION AND HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A LEADER IN THE AREA OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN THE NORTH.
AURORA COLLEGE, ONE OF THEIR VALUES STATES INNOVATION.
WE INSPIRE AND NURTURE INNOVATIVE THINKING, CONTINUOUS DISCOVERY AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION.
SO AMONG ALL OF THESE QUOTED PRIORITIES, WE SEE THE WORDS MITIGATION, ADAPTATION, AND INNOVATION.
ALL THREE INTERESTED PARTIES HAVE GOALS TO WORK CREATIVELY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS, TO ADAPT TO A RAPIDLY CHANGING CLIMATE CRISIS AND TO REVITALIZE THE COMMUNITY AND THE ECONOMY.
SOUTHERN CITIES THAT DEMOLISH AND BUILD OVER GREEN SPACES DO SO BECAUSE THEY HAVE SET A PRECEDENT FOR THEMSELVES OVER MANY YEARS AND HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO EXPAND. AFTER THE DEMOLITION AND THE CONSTRUCTION IS OVER, THEY SPEND A TON OF MONEY TO RESTORE A SMALL AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE IN AN EFFORT TO OFFSET THE DAMAGE THAT THEY CAUSED. BUT YELLOWKNIFE, WE'RE FULL OF GREAT MINDS, GREAT IDEAS, AND AS A YOUNG CITY, WE'RE KNOWN FOR BEING VERY INVENTIVE AND FOR TRANSFORMING OLD AND BROKEN ITEMS INTO NEW TREASURES.
[00:45:05]
WE CAN PROTECT OUR GREEN SPACES AND SHOW OTHER CITIES HOW TO PROTECT THEIRS.ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU AGAIN, AMANDA, FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
[9. A presentation from Libby Macphail regarding the proposed Polytechnic University Yellowknife Campus at Tin Can Hill. ]
LIBBY MACPHAIL. AND FOLLOWING LIBBY, ROBB WARBURTON WILL BE LAST BUT NOT LEAST.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR ALTY AND COUNCILLORS.
MY NAME IS LIBBY MACPHAIL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT MY THOUGHTS REGARDING THE AURORA COLLEGE MOU.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.
I GREW UP IN COLD LAKE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN TREATY SIX TERRITORY.
THE PHOTO YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE IS ME AND MY DOG, HONEY, AT TIN CAN HILL.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WHAT KIND OF CAMPUS I THINK FITS THE COMMUNITY PLAN BETTER.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO DISCUSS THE FINANCIAL UNSUSTAINABILITY THAT WE SEE WITH DISTINCT COLLEGE CAMPUSES, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO DISCUSS MORE ABOUT DOWNTOWN INTEGRATED CAMPUSES AND WHAT COULD BE POSSIBLE FOR YELLOWKNIFE.
A CRITICISM IS THAT INCLUDING THE TRANSFERRING OF TIN CAN HILL TO THE GNWT FOR FREE, WHICH IS THE GOVERNMENT THAT ALREADY OWES YOU $12 MILLION DOLLARS, SEEMS FISCALLY IMPRUDENT GIVEN THE LACK OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC SO FAR.
I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT AURORA COLLEGE IS A PUBLIC INSTITUTION USING PUBLIC DOLLARS.
IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT THEY WOULD INCLUDE PUBLIC CONSULTATION.
SO WHEN I FIRST SAW THE PROPOSAL, ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE, I INITIALLY HAD A THOUGHT THAT SIMILAR TO HOW THE COUNCILLORS REACTED. HOWEVER, I DID HAVE SOME LINGERING QUESTIONS.
FOR INSTANCE, WHAT DOES LIMITED DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY MEAN? WELL, I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THAT IN ORDER TO WHEN YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF POLICY, THAT YOU HAVE TO READ THE PLAN IN CONTEXT.
SO TIN CAN HILL IS TECHNICALLY A GREENFIELD SITE.
SO WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY PLAN HAVE TO SAY ABOUT GREENFIELD SITES? WELL, IT HAS A LOT TO SEE IN THE SUBDIVISION AND LAND SEQUENCING SECTION.
IT STATES THAT VACANT LOTS WITHIN A BUILT AREA WILL BE PRIORITIZED OVER GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT AND THAT IT MUST BE CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO MARKET DEMAND AND A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. IT ALSO STATES THAT IN THE INSTITUTIONAL AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEQUENCING SECTION THAT INSTITUTIONAL LAND CAN BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THE CITY'S BUILT AREA. THE CLIMATE CHANGE OBJECTIVES ALSO RECOGNIZE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT THAT IT HAS ON OUR CLIMATE GOALS.
WE THEN CONTINUE ON WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AS WELL, INFILL DOES ATTRACT NEW USERS TO THE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
[00:50:04]
AND LASTLY, AS WE KNOW FROM A MUNICIPAL ASSET MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, WE KNOW THAT INFILL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS A BETTER UTILIZATION OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE COMPARED TO GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT.WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THAT? WHO'S GOING TO BE THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF PLOWING THAT ROAD? THOSE ARE ALL CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE FINANCIALLY WHEN MAKING THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS.
SO NOW THAT WE'VE READ THE PLANNING CONTEXT.
HOW HAS YOUR VIEW OF THESE OBJECTIVES CHANGED? I KNOW THAT FOR ME IT CHANGED WHEN I READ THE PLANNING CONTEXT.
I THINK THAT IT'S CHANGED WHEN I VIEW THESE OBJECTIVES AS SAYING THAT COUNCIL IS REQUIRED IN A WAY TO CONSIDER INFILL BEFORE CONSIDERING GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DOWNTOWN INTEGRATED CAMPUS MODEL, WHICH WAS PROPOSED BY THE GNWT, THAT IS TO SAY A CAMPUS WITH NO DEFINED EDGE AND IS A PART OF THE FABRIC OF DOWNTOWN, WE GET A MUCH BETTER POLICY FIT.
AN OBJECTIVE ONE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VACANT PARCELS.
OBJECTIVE SIX ALLOWING FOR GREATER RESIDENTIAL DENSITY.
OBJECTIVE SEVEN FLEXIBILITY FOR A VARIETY OF LAND USES THAT SUPPORT DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.
GOING BRIEFLY NOW INTO A CASE STUDY.
PORTAGE COLLEGE BEGAN AS ALBERTA NEW START IN 1968, AND IT OFFERED ACADEMIC UPGRADING FOR TRAPPING MANAGEMENT, CARPENTRY AND MANY MORE PROGRAMS. WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING IN 1970, A GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS HOSTED A 26 DAY SIT IN WITH 250 PEOPLE ACROSS ALL COMMUNITY LOCATIONS.
YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT ALL 250 PEOPLE WERE INDIGENOUS.
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO EXTEND.
MY MOM AND I WENT TO SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME.
IT REALLY IMPACTED ME THROUGHOUT MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.
I THINK OF THAT OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLY WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] SITE.
AND THEIR CAMPUS IS ALREADY OUT OF ROOM AND THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO EXPAND.
SO WHAT COULD BE POSSIBLE FOR DOWNTOWN YELLOWKNIFE? I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I'D LIKE YOU TO MAKE THE DOWNTOWN GOWN CONNECTION.
IT NOW HAS 26 BUILDINGS ACROSS ALL OVER DOWNTOWN WINNIPEG.
ALSO, WE'VE ALSO HEARD ABOUT WILFRID LAURIER CAMPUS IN BRANTFORD.
BRANTFORD DOWNTOWN WAS ONCE CALLED THE WORST IN CANADA, AS WE KNOW IT NOW HOSTS 2700 STUDENTS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. COUNCILLOR MORGAN.
THANKS. SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOUR VISION IS TO HAVE A CAMPUS THAT IS DISPERSED ACROSS VARIOUS BUILDINGS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA? YES. AND I HAVE BEEN ON CAMPUSES ACROSS CANADA WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN, AND THEY'VE BEEN FANTASTIC MODELS.
I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE SHYING AWAY FROM THIS OPTION.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE CURRENT AURORA COLLEGE INFRASTRUCTURE DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL?
[00:55:04]
NO. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF THEY SET ABOUT? I MEAN, THEY ALREADY HAVE A CAMPUS THAT IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS VARIOUS BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN.SO WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING THEY SHOULD DO DIFFERENTLY? I'M SUGGESTING THAT THEY SHOULD CONTINUE WITH THAT MODEL AND INSTEAD IMPROVE UPON THE EXISTING ASSETS THAT THEY HAVE INFILL WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AND COLLABORATE WITH YOU AS THE CITY IN ORDER TO STILL PROVIDE LOTS OF PUBLIC AMENITY SPACES AND LOTS OF IMPROVEMENT WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SPACE SO THAT IT STILL FEELS LIKE A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE SPACE TO BE. I DON'T VIEW CAMPUSES AS SOMETHING AS A DISTINCT HIGH INSTITUTION THAT IS SEPARATED FROM THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU, SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
[Additional Item]
OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR ALTY AND COUNCIL.THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TO SHARE AND DISCUSS MOU AND GNWT AN THE CITY.
THAT ASIDE AND TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THAT ENVISIONS FOR A CAMPUS.
WE SUPPORT CREATING A SUSTAINABLE POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION, RELEVANT PROGRAMING TO MEET LOCAL LABOR NEEDS CAPTURE THE NORTHERN ARCTIC RESEARCH DOLLARS AND ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL AND SOUTHERN STUDENTS.
IN FACT, THAT'S THE ONLY MODEL THAT IS SUSTAINABLE, TRULY.
ALTHOUGH NOT LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE TIN CAN HILL, PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN PROVIDES A MODEL THAT'S ATTRACTIVE TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS WHILE NOT BEING SO SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE CITY'S AMENITIES.
WE HAVE A WEIRD NOTION IN YELLOWKNIFE THAT'S FAR, THAT'S 800 METERS TO WALK, FOUR AND A HALF MINUTES, 5 MINUTES, MAYBE SEVEN IF YOU'RE BAD ON HEELS FROM THE CENTRAL MALL ALL THE WAY TO THAT CAMPUS LOCATION.
SO IT'S NOT FAR IT IS FAR BY YELLOWKNIFE STANDARDS, BUT IT'S NOT THAT FAR.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED.
WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AN MOU BY A GNWT AND THIS IS WHAT'S PROPOSING.
OUR CONCERN IS THAT IF THIS GOES BACK UNSUPPORTED, THAT WE'RE THEN GOING TO DELAY THIS AGAIN ANOTHER FEW YEARS, WHICH WE FRANKLY JUST DON'T HAVE ECONOMICALLY . TIN CAN HILL LOCATION PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE EXPANSION AND GROWTH, WHICH WILL CREATE A CAMPUS THAT CAN GROW.
WE'VE ALL BEEN FAIRLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE UNIVERSITY'S PLANNED FOR TRADES AND TRAINING.
BUSINESSES NEED MORE, BUT IT'S GOT TO START SOMEWHERE.
WE'RE PLEASED TO OFFER OUR SUPPORT TO THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ON THIS MOU.
[APPLAUSE] ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? EVERYBODY'S BEEN SO SUCCINCT TONIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, WE'VE COME TO THE END OF PRESENTATIONS.
SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS.
[Items 10 - 12]
COUNCILLOR SILVERIO, IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE REPORT FOR MAY 30TH, PLEASE.THANKS YOUR WORSHIP. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY AND OUR COLLEAGUES REGARDING THE LOCATION OF A POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY ON A CAMPUS AT TIN CAN HILL.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECONDER.
COUNCILLOR MORSE, DID YOU HAVE AN AMENDMENT? YES, THANK YOU. I WANTED TO MOVE THAT.
[01:00:04]
BUILDINGS, PROTECTION OF EXISTING VEGETATION, PROVISION OF LANDSCAPING AND CONNECTIONS TO A PUBLIC TRAIL SYSTEM.THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECONDER?COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA.
OPENING IT UP TO DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENTS.
SORRY, COUNCILLOR MORSE, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THE AMENDMENT? YEAH, THANK YOU. YEAH.
I MEAN, I FEEL I NEED TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT TO PROCESS THERE.
WHERE DO I START? HERE. THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS MOTION FORWARD, THE AMENDMENT IS JUST TO ENSURE THAT THE MOU, AS WRITTEN, DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEED FOR THE SITE TO BE INTEGRATED WITH THE NATURAL SETTING IF IT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE AND I APPRECIATE HEARING FROM RESIDENTS ON TIN CAN HILL AND EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT FUNNY TO BE SPEAKING TO AN AMENDMENT WHEN WE JUST HAD ALL THESE PRESENTATIONS AND THERE'S I HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS ON THE MOTION IN GENERAL, BUT TO SPEAK TO THE AMENDMENT ITSELF, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD HELP THE MOU BETTER KIND OF SET THE INTENTION OF COUNCIL AS HOPING THAT IF A DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO GO FORWARD HERE, THAT IT SHOULD, AS THE WORDING OF THE MOTION GOES, COMPLIMENT THE NATURAL SETTING THROUGH CAREFUL SITING OF BUILDINGS, PROTECTION OF EXISTING VEGETATION, PROVISION OF LANDSCAPING AND CONNECTIONS TO A PUBLIC TRAIL SYSTEM.
SO THE IDEA IS THAT THE EXISTING USES OF TIN CAN HILL, THOUGH THEY MAY BE IMPACTED IN SOME WAYS WOULDN'T BE IMPACTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE EXISTING USES COULDN'T CONTINUE. THAT'S THE INTENTION OF THE MOTION.
COUNCILLOR PAYNE, DID I SEE COMMENTS? COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THERE'S BEEN NO GEOTECH WORK DONE ON THE SITE UP THERE RIGHT NOW.
SO IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT PREMATURE TO HAVE THIS AMENDMENT.
BUT I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCILLOR MORSE IS TRYING TO PUT THROUGH.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILOR MUFANDAEDZA? UM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOUR WORSHIP.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT.
SO I WOULD BE SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT.
ANYTHING FURTHER ON THE AMENDMENT, COUNCILLOR MORGAN AND THEN COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. THANKS, YEAH, I'LL BE IN SUPPORT.
I DO THINK WE THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSIONS.
THE PRESENTATION BY THE GNWT AND THE CITY AND ADMINISTRATION HAS TOLD US OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THE INTENTION HERE CERTAINLY IS TO PRESERVE THE PUBLIC'S ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE AND TRAILS ON TIN CAN HILL.
AND SO I KNOW THAT MESSAGE HASN'T NECESSARILY GOTTEN ACROSS TO EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC.
AND TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT COMMON UNDERSTANDING WITH AURORA COLLEGE AND THE GNWT THAT'S LAID OUT FOR ALL TO SEE IN THIS MOU, RECOGNIZING THAT I MEAN, THE MOU IS NOT LEGALLY BINDING.
NONE OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE YET, AND IT'S A BIT OF A CHICKEN AND EGG.
BUT IT'S A CHICKEN AND EGG IN THAT THE GNWT CAN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL THAT WORK UNTIL THEY HAVE SOME ASSURANCE THAT THERE'S SOME AGREEMENT ON A SPOT TO MOVE FORWARD ON.
HAVING SAID THAT, OF COURSE, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS STILL THAT WE MAY GET TO A POINT WHERE, AS WE'RE DIGGING INTO DETAILS, IT BECOMES NOT VIABLE OR JUST NOT BENEFICIAL ANYMORE TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT TIN CAN HILL.
THAT IS STILL AN OPTION ANYWAY.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE MOU IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET OUR INTENTIONS, OUR GENERAL PRINCIPLES, AND THEN TO MOVE FORWARD CAUTIOUSLY BASED ON THOSE, AND THEN TO GO FORWARD WITH THE REST OF THE SERIES OF DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.
[01:05:02]
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A WISE SORT OF BROAD INTENTION SETTING SENTENCE TO PUT IN THE MOU AND WILL HELP SET US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION GOING FORWARD.THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YEAH, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO SUPPORT THIS ONE JUST BECAUSE IT JUST FURTHER REINFORCES THE INTENTION THAT WE HAVE AS COUNCIL BEHIND IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT SPECIFICS, IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TEETH.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GREATER MOU ITSELF.
THANK YOU. I WILL NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF THE AMENDMENT OR THE MOU, FOR THAT MATTER.
AND IT'S IT'S MY JOB TO TO HEAR THOSE AND REPRESENT THOSE AS WELL.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF AN AREA FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS WITH MY FAMILY, MY FAMILY HOME STILL THERE.
AND I ACTUALLY LIVED THERE WITH MY CHILDREN.
SO, I MEAN, THE THE ROCK FACE OF TIN CAN HILL WAS MY JUNGLE GYM AND THE TRAILS WERE MY PLAYGROUND.
SO I APPRECIATE THE LOVE THAT TIN CAN HILL STILL HAS.
THIS IS OUR JOB AND I'M LISTENING.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND PRESENTING MUSY THANK YOU.
FOR MYSELF, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE THE AMENDMENTS.
WE HAVE SIMILAR WORDING IN OUR CAPITAL AREA PLAN AND THAT'S TO ENSURE THAT DEVELOPMENT IN THE CAPITAL AREA WHICH FOR FOLKS IS AROUND FRAME LAKE WHERE THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE MUSEUM ALL THE WAY UP TO TO JACK FISH TO ENSURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS PROTECTING THE, THE NATURAL AREA.
SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE AMENDMENT.
COUNCILLOR MORRIS, DID YOU WANT TO CLOSE ON THE AMENDMENT? YEAH, THANK YOU. YEAH.
JUST TO COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS POINT THAT THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING DOESN'T HAVE ANY TEETH.
I MEAN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE MOU AT THIS POINT IS JUST A STATEMENT OF INTENTIONS.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A DONE DEAL THAT A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WOULD BE ESTABLISHED ON THIS SITE.
IT'S CERTAINLY STATING THE INTENTION AND GOING IN THAT DIRECTION SETS THE BALL IN MOTION.
I DO WANT TO GIVE A BIT OF REASSURANCE, IF IT IS ANYTHING AT ALL TO RESIDENTS ABOUT SOME POLICIES THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN WHICH DO HAVE MORE TEETH THAN AN MOU.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT ON TIN CAN HILL WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH.
NINE A DEVELOPMENT OF TIN CAN HILL MUST BE DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED TO MINIMIZE THE DISTURBANCE TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, SIGNIFICANT HERITAGE FEATURES AND RECREATIONAL AREAS OF TIN CAN HILL.
SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM WHO ARE CONCERNED, BECAUSE IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT IF THE SITE IS TO BE DEVELOPED, THESE POLICIES WILL HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED. SO IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW THAT IF A UNIVERSITY WERE TO BE DEVELOPED ON THIS SITE, THAT THE ENTIRE SITE BECOMES INACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THE TRAILS WILL NO LONGER BE THERE.
SO I WANTED TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE IN THE MOU THAT HELPS TO BETTER COMMUNICATE THIS TO GINA BEATTY, WHO'S SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW. THE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE IS SITTING THERE.
THE LEADER OF THE TRANSITION IS SITTING IN THIS ROOM.
I THINK THEY'RE AWARE OF HOW IMPORTANT THIS SITE IS TO YELLOWKNIFE AND YELLOWKNIFERS.
AND YEAH, JUST SPEAKING TO THE AMENDMENT ITSELF, THAT'S THAT'S THE REASON I WANTED TO PUT IT FORWARD, IS TO STATE THIS INTENTION CLEARLY SO THAT IT'S CLEAR AT THE OUTSET WHAT IS AND IS NOT ON THE TABLE.
YEAH. AND THE COMMUNITY PLANS A BYLAW AND BYLAWS HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED.
[01:10:01]
SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT? OPPOSED? AND THAT CARRIES WITH COUNCILLOR SMITH OPPOSED TO THE MOTION AS AMENDED.OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION.
COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
YEAH, I'VE JUST GOT A COUPLE OF LITTLE INCONSISTENCIES THAT HAVE SORT OF BEEN NAGGING AT ME A LITTLE BIT THAT I HAVE FOR ADMINISTRATION JUST AT THE AT THE ONSET OF THE THE MOU IN THE WHEREAS STATEMENTS, IT SAYS THE GNWT HAS COMMITTED TO EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CAMPUS FOR THE FUTURE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY IN YELLOWKNIFE.
AND THEN AS WE CONTINUE, OF COURSE IN.
BUT THEN IT SAYS THAT THE PURPOSE IS TO CONFIRM THE INTENDED SITE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, IT SAYS LOCATION.
IT SAYS THAT THE LOCATION IS TIN CAN HILL.
SO WE CERTAINLY GET THERE REALLY FAST.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IS THE INTENTION TO TRULY IS N.W.T.
COMMITTED TO EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CAMPUS? AND IS THAT ADMINISTRATION'S UNDERSTANDING OR IS IT THAT IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH SELECTED? MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
AND SO CERTAINLY WHEN WE WERE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GNWT AURORA COLLEGE, ECE THEY HAD PROVIDED US WITH CRITERIA THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN FOR THE CAMPUS. WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
NOW THE MOU IS VERY CLEAR THAT IT LAYS OUT THAT THIS IS A START OF THE PROCESS, AND CITY PROCESSES FOR LAND USE AND LAND DEVELOPMENT ALWAYS INCLUDE A VERY CLEAR PUBLIC COMPONENT.
OFTEN, AND MANY OF THEM, INCLUDING A STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT THAT IN ADDITION TO ANY OF THE ENGAGEMENT THAT ADMINISTRATION MAY DO, THAT MAY HAPPEN AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, THAT THERE WOULD BE A STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARING WHERE COUNCIL WOULD LISTEN TO WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE ARE STARTING THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT TIN CAN HILL, AND IF IT'S GOING THROUGH THE TYPICAL PROCESS THAT'S REQUIRED FOR ANY LAND USE, FOR ANY CHANGE IN ZONING, FOR A DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, THERE ARE PROCESSES IN PLACE.
WE WILL ALIGN, OF COURSE, WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN AND THE ZONING BYLAW.
AND IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT ARISE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS WHERE THERE IS A REJECTION OF TIN CAN HILL, THEN THAT WILL THAT WILL TAKE PLACE THROUGH THOSE CONSULTATIONS AND THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE STARTING WITH LOOKING AT TIN CAN HILL.
YEAH, THAT SEEMS REASONABLE. AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS KIND OF THE ANSWER I WAS SORT OF HOPING FOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY BEING PART OF COUNCIL FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS IS THAT'S BEEN CLOSER TO THE PROCESS, THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO SPECIFIC SITE SELECTIONS.
SO I GUESS THAT BRINGS UP MY SECOND QUESTION, WHICH IS IN SECTION NUMBER SIX, WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS, IT REALLY JUST FOCUSES ON TWO ASPECTS OF THAT, AND THAT IS THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, NOT THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, I GUESS A KIND OF A GLARING OMISSION IN IN WHAT I WOULD INTERPRET AS MAYBE THE COMMUNICATIONS CRITERIA FOR THIS RELATIONSHIP MOVING FORWARD.
SO I'M JUST SORT OF CURIOUS, I GUESS MAYBE I'D START WITH ASKING ADMINISTRATION, DID THEY, DO THEY CONSIDER MAYBE PUTTING SOME TYPE OF A FEEDBACK ALLOCATION IN THE COMMUNICATIONS SECTION OF THE MOU? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
SO TO BE CLEAR, THE COMMUNICATIONS IN THE MSU ARE ABOUT THE AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY AND UTC AND AURORA COLLEGE SHARE IN PROCEEDING WITH LOOKING AT AND EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR WHERE THE POTENTIAL WHERE THE POLYTECHNIC COULD POTENTIALLY BE LOCATED, STARTING WITH TIN CAN HILL. WHEN WE GET INTO THE PROCESSES THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO FOLLOW, WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESSES THAT WE MUST ADHERE TO THROUGH LEGISLATION WHICH DO INCLUDE THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESSES THAT I ALLUDED TO EARLIER.
SO THOSE ARE FINITE, THOSE WILL BE ABSOLUTE.
[01:15:05]
THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.SO WHAT I'M BASICALLY SAYING IS, IS THAT IF WE WERE TO ADD, SAY, SOME SECTION OF STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARING OR ALLOW FOR FEEDBACK IN THE COMMUNICATION SECTION, THAT WOULD BE A RESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH PARTIES, WOULDN'T IT BE? I THINK WHEN I FIRST ASKED THE QUESTION, YOU'D SAID, OH, WELL, THERE'S GOING TO BE A CITY COMPONENT TO IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING FOR, FOR OUTREACH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I SEE IT AS AS BOTH PEOPLE WOULD WOULD BE.
AND ISN'T THAT A COMMITMENT THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED OR RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT THAT THERE'S.
YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF COMP LIKE FEEDBACK OR CONSULTATION IN THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND I THINK YOU REALLY HIT ON SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, THAT OF COURSE, LIKE PROPONENTS IN ANY SORT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES ON, WE DO LOOK TO THOSE PROPONENTS TO SHARE INFORMATION ON WHAT IT IS THAT THEY INTEND TO DO, WHAT THE VISION IS OF WHAT WILL BE GOING ON.
AND WE REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT ECI AND AURORA COLLEGE DO INTEND TO DO THAT ONCE THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THEM LATER THIS SUMMER. I UNDERSTAND THAT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT PART FOR THEM TO BE MAKING THE PUBLIC AWARE OF, NOT ONLY HERE IN YELLOWKNIFE, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR OTHER CAMPUSES, WHERE THEY WILL BE USING THIS MODEL AS WELL IN FORT SMITH AND INUVIK AND THE 23 COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS.
SO WE'RE PART OF A BIGGER WHOLE AND WE REALLY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT ECD AND AURORA COLLEGE WILL BE SHARING FROM THAT FACILITY'S MASTER PLAN ON WHAT THE CAMPUS WILL LOOK LIKE. THANK YOU.
SO I GUESS IF WE'RE UNDER THAT IMPRESSION, WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST SPELL IT OUT IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM IN THE MOU? I HAD A GENERAL PRINCIPLE THAT.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF THE SO SHEILA HAD JUST SAID THAT THEY INTEND TO DO PUBLIC CONSULTATION OR TO BRING TO THE TABLE THEIR PLANS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BUT THERE'S NO SURETY OF THAT HAPPENING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SHE'S UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY INTEND TO DO THAT.
SO IF WE'RE ENTERING AN MOU WITH ANOTHER GROUP THAT WE'RE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY INTEND TO BRING THAT TO THE PUBLIC, WHY WOULDN'T WE PUT IT INTO THE DOCUMENT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE COMMENTS ON THIS.
AND I THINK WHAT COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS IS GETTING AT IS IN ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES ON, AVON'S, FOR EXAMPLE, VERY RECENTLY, AVON'S THE THE SENIOR SOCIETY SPOKE AT GREAT LENGTH ABOUT WHAT WAS INTENDED, WHAT THE CAMPUS WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHERE THEY WERE LOCATING DIFFERENT FACETS OF THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT OF THE AVON'S PAVILION WITHIN THE OVERALL CAMPUS.
SO WE DEFINITELY SEE THAT PROPONENTS HAVE A ROLE TO DO IN DOING THAT AND THAT'S SHARING THAT INFORMATION SO THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK MS. THISTLE HAS SOMETHING THAT SHE'D LIKE TO ADD TO THIS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD AND THEN PASS IT TO MS. WHITE. THIS IS JUST A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH RESPECT TO ESTABLISHING THE POTENTIAL LOCATION AND THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS IS REFERRING TO ARE REALLY COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE DICTATED EITHER IN THE ZONING BYLAW ITSELF AND OR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT ARE AGREED TO AS PART OF THE ZONING BYLAW.
IT REALLY BE INAPPROPRIATE TO DICTATE THOSE TYPES OF COMMUNICATIONS IN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT THAT IS NOT LEGALLY BINDING AND IT'S ALSO NOT APPEALABLE UNDER THE ZONING BYLAW. SO IF WE START OUTLINING PARTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT SPECIFICALLY IT MIGHT CONFUSE PEOPLE WHEN IT COMES TO TIME AT THE ZONING PROCESS.
WHITE MIGHT HAVE FURTHER CLARIFICATION, BUT AS I SAID, THE ZONING BYLAW ITSELF OUTLINED, FOR EXAMPLE, A STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARING, BUT AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT REFERRED TO, IN SOME INSTANCES, WHEN WE ENTER INTO DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WITH PROPONENTS, WE ACTUALLY RAISE THAT BAR AND WE REQUIRE ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION OR ENGAGEMENT.
SO AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO GO DOWN THAT ROUTE, AND I'LL LET MS. WHITE ADD ANYTHING SHE DEEMS AS NECESSARY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I'M NOT GOING TO ADD ANYTHING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, CARRIE COVERED IT VERY WELL.
[01:20:07]
INITIATED. SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY DO IT AGAIN.THANK YOU. WELL, I THINK MY LAST QUESTION FOR NOW IS THAT THAT ZONING PROCESS.
SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF OF OF THAT ZONING WHEN THAT ZONING PROCESS IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE AND WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR FOR US TO GET HERE AND GET THERE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
SO IF COUNCIL WERE TO SAY THAT THEY WOULD DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO SIGN THE MOU WITH ECE AND AURORA COLLEGE, WE WILL THEN LOOK TO ECE TO INITIATE THE PROCESS BY FORMALLY REQUESTING THE PARCEL OF LAND.
WE WILL THEN LOOK AT THE PROCESS AND BEFORE THAT I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL BE TAKING THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN INTO ACCOUNT, WHICH IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THIS SUMMER. SO FACILITIES MASTER PLAN REQUESTS FOR THE LAND.
AND THEN I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WITH TIMING AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE FALL THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT AS ZONING THE REZONING PROCESS TO BEGIN IN EARLY 2023.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND YEAH, I ACTUALLY JUST THOUGHT OF ONE OTHER QUESTION.
JUST ABOUT ONE OF THE PRESENTERS WAS ASKING WHAT TAX CATEGORY WOULD THIS FACILITY BE UNDER? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
LIKE ALL PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, IT'S NOT TAXABLE.
WE DO NOT TAX OTHER ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT.
IF THE INSTITUTION IS OWNED PRIVATELY, THERE WOULD BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF A REGIME SET UP.
THANK YOU. BUT SORRY, MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THEY GET THE MILL RATE OF COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL.
I WILL ASK MS. WOODWARD IF SHE CAN RESPOND TO THAT.
THANK YOU. THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY BE THE DETERMINATION OF OUR ASSESSOR, WHO USES A VERY STRICT SET OF CRITERIA TO DETERMINE THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE PROPERTY BASED ON PRIMARY USE AND A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS.
SO I GUESS IN OTHER WORDS, IT WOULD LARGELY DEPEND ON WHAT THEY BUILD IN WHAT ORDER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND I GUESS SO THIS PROCESS HAS SORT OF STRUCK ME AS WELL AS A BIT OF A SHORT TIMELINE.
AND YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE, COUNCILLORS MAKING THIS DECISION.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THE COUNCIL SCHEDULE, THIS WAS A SPECIAL MEETING THAT WAS CALLED.
YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T A LARGE HEADS UP.
WE'VE HAD A TON OF FANTASTIC FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND I'M JUST SORT OF CURIOUS AS A DECISION MAKER HERE, WHY SUCH A SHORT TIMELINE ON SUCH A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME PIECES OF THE PUZZLE THAT WILL INFORM THE WORK GOING FORWARD.
WE DO WANT TO SEE THIS AGREED TO.
IF THERE IS THE PROCESS FOR LAND DISPOSAL THAT IS APPROVED THROUGH THE MOU, THEN THAT CERTAINLY WILL BE INFORMATION THAT AURORA COLLEGE AND ECE REQUIRE IN ORDER TO BEGIN THE WORK THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO GET A CLASS D ESTIMATE.
NOW, AGAIN, NONE OF THIS HAPPENS BEFORE ANY OF THE ZONING.
PERHAPS I'LL ASK MS. WHITER IF SHE COULD SPEAK TO THE ORDER OF HOW THINGS WILL WORK, THAT WILL BE HELPFUL THEN IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT WHERE WE NEED THE TIMELINES.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'LL BE ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, BUT I WILL PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION.
SO, YES, WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE REQUEST, THE FORMAL REQUEST TO DO THAT LAND TRANSFER WITH THE GNWT AND AURORA COLLEGE. AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT ENTERING INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS FOR OTHER PROCESSES FOR THEM TO INFORM THE ZONING PROCESS.
[01:25:05]
I KNOW THAT SEEMS VERY CYCLICAL AND AROUND IN A CIRCLE, BUT AGAIN, I'M PROBABLY NOT THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO WHEN.BUT I THINK THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE US A FULSOME APPLICATION FOR YOU TO REVIEW THROUGH OUR PLANNING PROCESS AS WELL AS TO OBTAIN FUNDING FROM OTHER ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT. BEST I CAN GIVE YOU THANK YOU, BUT THAT'S GOOD.
THANK YOU, MS. WHITE. THAT WAS CLOSER THAN I THOUGHT WE WOULD GET.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'S JUST AGAIN, IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT MORE AGAIN, IT'S FOR SOME REASON THAT THE GNWT WON'T COME OUT WITH AND WHY IT HAS TO HAPPEN SO FAST.
YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WITHOUT A DOUBT, I WANT TO SEE THIS UNIVERSITY COME TO YELLOWKNIFE, AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE I HAVE TOO MANY RESERVATIONS ABOUT TIN CAN HILL AS A AS A SITE.
AND I'M FEELING, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT COMPLICIT IN GNWT'S LACK OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I REALLY THINK THAT A DECISION LIKE THIS AND GNWT DECIDING THAT THE UNIVERSITY IS COMING TO LIFE SHOULD JUST BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS CELEBRATING AND FULL OF JOY. AND IT'S A COMING OF A FULL CIRCLE OF A PROJECT THAT MANY YELLOWKNIFE FIRST HAVE BEEN WANTING TO SEE FOR A VERY, VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME A BIT MORE COMMITMENT TO, YOU KNOW, SOME PUBLIC CONSULTATION WITHIN THE MOU. BUT I UNDERSTAND FROM THE ANSWER THAT WAS GRANTED FROM ADMINISTRATION THAT THAT'S ALREADY HATCHED INTO THE PROCESS.
SO I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO KEEP TUNED BECAUSE I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THE ZONING BYLAW IS THE REAL DEBATE HERE IS JUST SORT OF A SET OF INSTRUCTIONS ON WE'RE SETTING TWO ADMINISTRATIONS TO START WORKING TOGETHER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S MY COMMENTS FOR TODAY.
I APPRECIATE THE ANSWERS AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT TO PRESENT TO COUNCIL.
OK. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILLOR SILVERIO? THANK YOU, YOUR LORDSHIP. I THINK I GET WHAT THEY WERE TALKING HERE, BUT CAN WE JUST PUT IT IN A PLAIN LANGUAGE? SO IF THE MOU PASSES TODAY, TONIGHT.
WE CAN START THINGS TOGETHER WITH THE GNWT AND ALL THAT APPLICATIONS AND ALL THAT.
BUT THE PUBLIC STILL HAVE THE SAY WHEN WE DO THE ZONING HEARINGS.
YES, THERE'S THE REZONING BYLAW.
THERE'S THE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW THAT WOULD BE COMING FORWARD.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT, IF I'D LIKE TO BREAK THAT DOWN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ABSOLUTELY.
YOUR WORSHIP, I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE CAN SPEAK TO THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS THAT WILL HAPPEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO FOR THE LAND DISPOSAL, I MEAN, IT WILL COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL BECAUSE THE TERMS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE NORMALLY HAVE IN OUR LAND ADMINISTRATION BYLAW, SPECIFICALLY THE NO FEE.
SO THAT WILL NEED TO COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
SO THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER THIS EVENING, AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGH DIFFERENT POINTS IN THIS MEETING, IS THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL MEETING OR AN ADDITIONAL STEP IN THAT CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION SHARING PROCESS BEFORE THAT STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARING OCCURS.
THANK YOU. JUST ONE LAST QUESTION.
SO RIGHT NOW WITH THE MOU, WE WILL START WITH THE APPLICATION, PROBABLY WITH THE TIN CAN HILL, BUT IT'S NOT SET IN STONE THAT THAT'S WHERE THE COLLEGE IS GOING TO BE CORRECT.
SECTION THREE OF THE MOU SAYS THIS MOU IS NOT MEANT TO IMPLY THE PRE APPROVAL BY THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE OR ANY OTHER APPROVAL AUTHORITY OF ANY PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED OR TO FETTER COUNCIL'S DECISION MAKING ROLE.
SO THIS YOU CAN'T BIND THE HANDS OF COUNCIL.
[01:30:01]
AND AURORA COLLEGE WILL BE THE PROPONENT ASKING FOR THE REZONING.THE CITY WILL BE THE REGULATOR IN THAT PROCESS.
AND THIS MOU IS NOT PRE APPROVING ANY OF THAT.
ANYTHING FOR THE ADD, MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOUR WORSHIP NOTHING OF NOTE.
COUNCILLOR SMITH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR I'M NOT AGAINST THE POLYTECHNIC.
I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY, GREAT FOR OUR ECONOMY.
WHAT I AM, I GUESS, AGAINST IS THAT WE'RE MISSING A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REVITALIZE OUR DOWNTOWN.
DEFINITELY. WE KEEP HEARING THAT THERE'S THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S COMING.
AND WE KEEP MISSING THESE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OUR DOWNTOWN.
AND, LIKE AMANDA SAID, BE CREATIVE BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE GREAT MINDS AND IT WOULD BE UNIQUE TO US.
SO YEAH, I'M IN OPPOSITION OF THE TIN CAN HILL LOCATION.
THE MOU AGAIN STANDING FIRM WITH A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO ALSO ARE IN OPPOSITION OF.
ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCILLOR MORGAN? THANKS. BEAR WITH ME HERE, I DO HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS TO SAY, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I TRY TO EXPLAIN MY REASONING HERE, BUT I'LL TRY NOT TO GO ON TOO LONG. THE WAY I'VE APPROACHED THIS IS TO LOOK AT BEST CASE SCENARIOS AND WORST CASE SCENARIOS AND RISKS INVOLVED IN TAKING VARIOUS PATHS.
SO, I MEAN, FIRST, I'LL SPEAK TO MY MOST OPTIMISTIC VISION OF WHAT THIS COULD BE.
SO IN OUR IN ONE BEST CASE SCENARIO, A POLYTECHNIC CAMPUS IS BUILT ON TIN CAN HILL.
THAT IS A PUBLIC SPACE THAT IS ATTRACTIVE AND WELCOMING BOTH TO STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE GNWT, CANADA, THE WORLD, AND WELCOMING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS TRAILS ON MOST AT LEAST OF TIN CAN HILL.
THE SO THIS IS STILL THE BEST CASE SCENARIO.
AND A TERRITORIAL ECONOMY, TOO, WILL BENEFIT FROM NEW JOBS RESEARCH DOLLARS THAT ACTUALLY STAY IN THE NORTH, WHEREAS CURRENTLY WE HAVE LOTS OF RESEARCH DOLLARS THAT FLOW TO SOUTHERN UNIVERSITIES.
WE ARE MORE EFFECTIVELY ABLE TO TRAIN NORTHERNERS WITH SOME OF THE BEST ON THE LAND PROGRAMING FOR JOBS THAT WE SO DESPERATELY NEED FILLED IN THIS CITY AND ACROSS THE TERRITORY, SUCH AS NURSES, EDUCATORS.
SO THIS IS ALL PART OF A VISION OF HOW THIS COULD BE AMAZING.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE ALSO SOME WORST CASE SCENARIOS THAT COULD COME FROM THIS ONE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT THINKING OF RIGHT NOW. BUT SO THIS THIS PROPOSAL FOR PUTTING THE POLYTECH ON TIN CAN HILLS REJECTED, AND INSTEAD TIN CAN HILL IS GRADUALLY EATEN AWAY PIECE BY PIECE, AND PRIVATE CONDOS ARE PUT UP THERE.
SO THAT IS ONE REALISTIC SCENARIO THAT THAT COULD COME.
IF THIS OPPORTUNITY IS MISSED.
SO I MEAN, I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT IF THIS COULD BE ONE OF OUR BEST CHANCES TO PRESERVE A PUBLIC TRAIL SYSTEM AND PUBLIC ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE ON TIN CAN HILL FOR THE LONGER TERM? SO THERE ARE REAL REASONS WHY THE PROPOSALS TO PUT RESIDENTIAL, PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL ON TIN CAN HILL HAVE CONTINUALLY BEEN REVISITED OVER THE YEARS. AND THOSE REASONS HONESTLY ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMPELLING IN THAT THE AREA IS ALREADY HOOKED UP TO THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. IT'S RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE DOWNTOWN, SO IT WOULD HELP AVOID SPRAWL.
AS WE'VE SEEN, IT IS AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO PUT CONDOS OR HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENCES.
SO THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTEAD PRESERVE ALL OF THIS AS PUBLIC SPACE.
[01:35:02]
IT WILL BE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONAL SPACE, BUT IT WILL BE PUBLIC SPACE.SO GOING ON WITH OTHER WORST CASE SCENARIOS, I MEAN, ANOTHER ONE IS THAT I THINK ABOUT OR FEAR IS OK IF A LOT OF PUBLIC RESOURCES COULD BE SPENT TRYING TO CREATE ANOTHER DOWNTOWN CAMPUS THAT IS SPREAD ACROSS VARIOUS BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN AND BASICALLY A LOT OF MONEY COULD GO INTO REPLICATING WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS AND REPLICATING THE CURRENT PROBLEMS AND REASONS WHY THE COLLEGE IS NOT LIVING UP TO ITS POTENTIAL AND NOT ATTRACTING MANY STUDENTS AND NOT HAVING A SUCCESSFUL SORT OF CAMPUS OR CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO BE A HUGE THAT COULD BE A REAL WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR THE CITY.
AND THAT WE NEED WE NEED THAT DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.
I THINK WE NEED THIS CAMPUS FOR LOTS OF REASONS THAT I SAID EARLIER.
AND FINALLY, OF COURSE, THE WORST CASE SCENARIO THAT MANY OF YOU ARE THINKING OF, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT REALLY TAKES A TURN AND MASSIVE PARTS OF TIN CAN HILL ARE PAVED RIGHT OVER PARKING LOTS.
SO THAT, I ACKNOWLEDGE, IS A WORST CASE SCENARIO THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN.
SO AND I KNOW THAT PART OF THAT STEMS FROM I'VE HEARD THIS A LOT, THAT THE GENERAL DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE IN THE BEST CASE, BUT WE JUST CAN'T TRUST GOVERNMENT TO DO ANYTHING RIGHT.
I HEAR THAT. BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S PRETTY DEFEATING TO BEGIN ANY PROCESS TO DEVELOP A PUBLIC FACILITY OR NEW INSTITUTION, BELIEVING THAT GOVERNMENTS WILL ALWAYS MESS EVERYTHING UP. IT'S HARD TO IT'S HARD TO MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE AND IT'S HARD TO DEVELOP PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, IF THAT'S YOUR STARTING POINT.
SO WHAT WE DO NEED TO DO IS DO OUR BEST TO BUILD IN THE SAFEGUARDS THAT WILL PUSH US IN THE DIRECTION THAT IS OUR BEST CASE SCENARIO. SO NOT JUST TRUST THAT HOPEFULLY MAYBE SOMEONE WILL DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT TO EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, PUT IN THE RULES LIMITATIONS.
THAT THAT BOUND THE PROCESS AND BOUND WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO BUILD ON TIN CAN HILL.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TALKING RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE MOU AND I DEFINITELY THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT, AS WE DID IN THE AMENDMENT TO SUPPORT HAVING CLEARER LANGUAGE AROUND THE INTENTIONS TO HELP MAKE THAT BEST CASE SCENARIO HAPPEN.
BUT REALISTICALLY, THE REZONING PROCESS IS GOING TO BE THE TIME TO PUT IN MORE SPECIFIC AND MORE BINDING RULES AND SAFEGUARDS AROUND ACCESS TO TRAILS, HOW THE CAMPUS IS DESIGNED, AND HONESTLY, WHETHER OR NOT I MEAN, ONE OPTION COULD BE WHETHER OR NOT RESIDENTIAL STUDENT RESIDENCE IS EVEN ALLOWED ON TIN CAN HILL.
NOW, I HAVE A PERSONAL OPINION THAT I THINK ONE VIABLE OPTION THAT COULD HELP ALLAY SOME OR MANY OF THE CONCERNS WOULD BE TO LOCATE THE STUDENT RESIDENCE PORTION OF THE CAMPUS NEARBY, BUT OFF OF TIN CAN HILL.
SO IT WOULD BE A LITTLE CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN.
IT COULD SERVE AS MORE OF A LINK TO TO ENSURE PEOPLE ARE GOING DOWNTOWN MORE OFTEN.
SO JUST BOOST THAT ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION COMPONENT.
AND POTENTIALLY COULD REDUCE THE SPACE REQUIRED ON TIN CAN HILL FOR PARKING LOTS POTENTIALLY.
AND I PERSONALLY THINK THAT PARKING LOTS WOULD BE IS THE WORST POSSIBLE USE OF TIN CAN HILL.
IT WILL BE NECESSARY IN SOME RESPECTS, BUT TO MINIMIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND POSSIBLY REDUCE TRAFFIC IN SOME OF THE BOTTLENECKS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AS WELL. AND IT MAY BE PREFERRED BY STUDENTS, TOO, I MEAN, WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT MANY OF THE CURRENT COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THOSE EXPECTED ARE MATURE STUDENTS, MANY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
HOWEVER, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS A LOT, AND I'M NOT PREPARED TONIGHT TO MAKE THIS A REQUIREMENT AS PART OF THE MOU, SINCE I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT AVAILABLE LOTS THERE MAY BE BETWEEN TIN CAN HILL AND DOWNTOWN.
I KNOW FOLKS SEE A LOT OF EMPTY LOTS OUT THERE AND SAY, OH, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SPACE.
YOU CAN DO IT HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, AND HERE.
[01:40:03]
SO I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TONIGHT TO KNOW THAT ABSOLUTELY THIS IS A SURE THING.BUT I DO URGE THE GNWT AND THE CITY TO WORK TOGETHER TO EXPLORE THAT OPTION, BECAUSE I THINK IT COULD OFFER SOME COMPROMISES THAT COULD ALLAY CONCERNS AND ACTUALLY BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AS WELL AND THE CAMPUS AS A WHOLE.
AND I THINK THAT ALSO COULD BE REVISITED DURING THE ZONING PROCESS.
BUT I WOULD URGE THEM TO CONSIDER THAT IN ITS DESIGN PROPOSAL AS AN OPTION THAT MAY BE VIABLE.
I DO THINK IT'S A SIGNIFICANT STEP, BUT I BELIEVE THAT AT THIS POINT, WITH THE INFORMATION I HAVE, IT IS BEST TO MOVE FORWARD IDENTIFYING THE SITE AS TIN CAN HILL AND PUTTING MEASURES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO THAT I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER CAN BE REALIZED. BUT STILL, HAVING EYES WIDE OPEN TO WHAT SOME OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS OR PITFALLS COULD BE, AND THEN DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO AVOID THOSE. SO I AM AT THIS POINT PREPARED TO SUPPORT THE MOU.
THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOUR WORSHIP.
SO IN REVIEWING THE MOU, I HAD SOME RESERVATIONS.
AS SOMEBODY THAT LOVES WALKING THE TRAIL, THE NATURE AND BEING ABLE TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS.
IT WAS A DECISION THAT I'M NOT TAKING LIGHTLY.
I DEFINITELY HAVE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND LIKE COUNCILLOR MORGAN, THE THOUGHT OF A DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT COMING TO TIN CAN HILL, A CONDO TEN YEARS DOWN THE LINE SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE US LOSE THOSE BEAUTIFUL TRAILS WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY SCARED ME.
LOOKING AT THE OPTION OF THE ON LAND EXPERIENCE AND THE PROXIMITY TO THE WATER, WHICH WOULD SUPPORT THE INDIGENOUS STUDENTS WITH A CLOSE WHICH IS SO CLOSE TO THE WATER EXPERIENCE.
I LOOK AT HOW THE LOCATION OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF GROWTH AND EXPANSION IN THE FUTURE.
I LOOK AT HOW STUDENTS AT THE PROPOSED TIN CAN HILL CAMPUS, WOULD SUPPORT BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, HOW RESTAURANTS, BARS, BARBERS AND OTHER BUSINESSES WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT.
BEING IN TURN CAN HELP TIN CAN HILL.
I ALSO LOOK AT THE PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN AND THE CURRENT CONDOS, THE MARKET HOUSING, HOW THEY WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS CAMPUS BEING LOCATED ON TIN CAN HILL. I ALSO THINK ABOUT THE POPULATION GROWTH THAT THIS WOULD POSSIBLY BRING TO THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
AND THEN I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE ASPECT OF THE LAND BEING FREE? WHAT ABOUT THAT? BUT THEN I ALSO THINK ABOUT THE BENEFIT THAT THIS LAND WOULD BRING TO THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, HOW THE CURRENT LABOR MARKET COULD BE ADDRESSED, OR THESE SHORTAGES WITH STUDENTS WORKING WITHIN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
HOW OUR BUSINESSES WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS AND THIS HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS MOU AND THINK, WELL, THIS IS JUST AN INITIAL STAGE FOR US TO FOR THE CITY AND THE GNWT TO START WORKING TOGETHER.
AND FOR THAT REASON I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOU.
I DO KNOW THAT RESIDENTS HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD, BUT I ALSO DO KNOW THAT THROUGH THE REZONING BYLAW AND THE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW, RESIDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. SO I'M HOPING THAT THEY WILL BE HEARD AND THAT PEOPLE WILL COME OUT AND VOICE THEIR OPINION.
BUT FOR TODAY, I WILL DEFINITELY BE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOU.
COUNCILLOR MORSE? THANK YOU. YEAH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE SEEING PEOPLE HERE AGAIN BEING IN COUNCIL CHAMBER WITH PEOPLE.
WE'VE BEEN ON THE ZOOM MEETINGS FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THE ROOM IS FULL WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBABLY QUITE MAD AT ME RIGHT NOW OR DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH ME, IT'S STILL NICE TO SEE YOUR FACES IN HERE. SO THAT'S JUST AN ASIDE.
[01:45:01]
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A BIG SPEECH AND HAVE IT BE ALL SUSPENSEFUL HERE.SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY AND GIVE SOME CONTEXT.
SINCE I WAS A KID, I HIGHLY VALUE WHAT TIN CAN HILL IS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND YEAH, I'VE SPENT SO MANY CHERISHED WALKS WITH MY DOG WHO'S WHO'S ELDERLY NOW ON THIS SITE.
I SPOKE WITH A FRIEND THIS WEEK WHOSE DOG IS BURIED AT TIN CAN HILL.
THERE'S A LOT OF PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THIS SITE FOR ME.
I SAW TIN CAN HILL, AND I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF, OH, NO, I KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE CONTENTIOUS AND I KNEW THAT I MYSELF HAD A LOT OF RESERVATIONS ABOUT IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DO EMPATHIZE WITH THE FRUSTRATION SHARED BY A LOT OF RESIDENTS ABOUT ENGAGEMENT ON THE PROJECT.
I DON'T, I HAVEN'T BEEN RUNNING THIS PROJECT AT GNWT OR AFFILIATED WITH IT AT GNWT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY SHARED WITH THE MINISTER ON FRIDAY.
I CALLED HIM UP AND TALK TO HIM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS SITE, HOW IT WAS SELECTED, WHY IT WAS SELECTED, WHAT THE OTHER OPTIONS MIGHT HAVE BEEN, AND WHY IT WAS THAT HIS DEPARTMENT HAS SOMEHOW CREATED THIS SITUATION.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY ONE THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY ENCOURAGING, AND THAT IS THAT SEVEN YEARS INTO MY TERM IN COUNCILLOR HERE WE ARE IN A ROOM TALKING ABOUT IT.
I DIDN'T HEAR THAT FROM ANYBODY AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY DOES FEEL THAT WAY.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE SEVEN YEARS AGO.
SEVEN YEARS AGO, PEOPLE WERE TELLING ME THAT I WAS ABSOLUTELY NUTS FOR SUGGESTING THAT WE DO THIS.
PEOPLE SAW THE AURORA COLLEGE FOUNDATIONAL REVIEW COME OUT AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS RIDICULOUS.
AND OVER THE YEARS, I THINK THE CASE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL.
THE CHAMBER CAME OUT IN SUPPORT AFTER THE CITY DID THEIR ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THIS PROJECT, AND I THINK PEOPLE HAVE STARTED TO SEE THE VISION OF WHAT YELLOWKNIFE COULD BE IF IT STARTED TO INVEST IN THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY AND STARTED TO THINK ABOUT OUR ECONOMY REVITALIZING AROUND THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY IN GENERAL. AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER HERE, WHICH SO MANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE RELIED ON RESOURCE EXTRACTION PREVIOUSLY AND FACED ECONOMIC DOWNTURN THE WAY YELLOWKNIFE IS RIGHT NOW HAVE REVITALIZED THEIR ECONOMIES USING THIS MODEL.
AND THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS IS HOW WE GOT HERE.
I MEAN, SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN I WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR COUNCIL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REALLY ON MY MIND IS THE FACT THAT THE MINES WERE GOING TO BE CLOSING IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE. IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I LOVE SO MUCH AND GREW UP IN AND HOPE TO STAY IN FOR MUCH LONGER AND HOPE HAS A POSITIVE FUTURE, IS FACING A MAJOR ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.
THE FIRST MINE CLOSURE IS THREE YEARS FROM NOW.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HERE IN THE NINETIES WHEN WHEN THE FIRST SET OF MINES CLOSED AND WE WERE UNCERTAIN AND THEN DIAMOND MINES CAME ALONG, IT WAS LIKE A MIRACULOUS THING.
BUT THAT MIRACLE ISN'T COMING THIS TIME.
AND SO I PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO THINKING ABOUT WHAT COULD THIS COMMUNITY DO AND WHAT COULD I DO AS A COUNCILLOR OVER THE TIME THAT I SPEND AS A COUNCILLOR TO HELP ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES THAT WAS PRESENTED TO ME IS THIS IDEA OF INVESTING IN THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY.
AND THE MORE TIME I SPENT LOOKING INTO IT AND LOOKED AT DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS, I SAW THAT THIS IS A PROVEN MODEL THAT'S DONE IN NORTHERN COMMUNITIES. IT'S A PROVEN MODEL THAT HAS WORKED FOR MANY COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE FACED ARE FACING SIMILAR ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING NOW.
[01:50:09]
I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILLOR MORGAN SHARED SOME OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS.I THINK THE ABSOLUTE WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR YELLOWKNIFE IS THAT THIS PROJECT DOESN'T GO FORWARD, ISN'T VISIONARY, AND DOESN'T END UP BRINGING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS THAT IT POSSIBLY COULD WITHOUT IT WITHOUT IT.
THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY DRIVING AN ECONOMIC RENEWAL OF YELLOWKNIFE.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR FUTURE.
I'M CONCERNED FOR PEOPLE WHO OWN HOMES HERE.
AND THERE'S HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES LEAVING TOWN WHEN THE MINES CLOSE.
WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND FACING IT WITH EYES WIDE OPEN.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW OPPORTUNITIES I'VE SEEN COME FORWARD IN MY SEVEN YEARS ON COUNCIL THAT HAS REAL POTENTIAL TO SAVE THIS COMMUNITY AND ENSURE A VIABLE FUTURE.
COMMUNITIES BUILD THEIR ECONOMIES AROUND THESE INSTITUTIONS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE LOOKED AT MANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND PRINCE GEORGE, A COMMUNITY THAT FACED SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN BECAUSE OF THE LOGGING INDUSTRY SHRINKING.
THAT UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTES $350 MILLION A YEAR TO THEIR ECONOMY.
YUKON UNIVERSITY IN WHITEHORSE EMPLOYS 500 PEOPLE.
THAT'S MORE PEOPLE THAN ONE OF THE MINES UP HERE.
AND SO IT'S A PROJECT WHICH WHICH PEOPLE SHOULD REALLY TAKE SERIOUSLY.
SO I THINK THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST RISKS THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE DON'T GO FORWARD WITH A VISIONARY PROJECT, A PROJECT WHICH CAN ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE NORTH, WHICH COULD MAKE THIS A VIABLE INSTITUTION.
ONE OF THE KEY CONCLUSIONS THAT OUR ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY LANDED ON THE FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE DID WAS THAT WITHOUT ATTRACTING OUTSIDE STUDENTS, A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THIS COMMUNITY WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE A SUCCESS.
SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THIS PROJECT COULDN'T WORK.
SO THAT CONTEXT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE TO NOTE BECAUSE UP UNTIL THIS POINT, IT WAS PRETTY MUCH A DONE DEAL IN MY MIND THAT WE WOULD DEVELOP A CAMPUS THAT'S IF NOT ADJACENT TO RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THIS IS THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ALSO REVITALIZE THE DOWNTOWN.
AND WHEN THIS PROPOSAL CAME FORWARD, I KIND OF LOOKED AT IT AND I THOUGHT ABOUT TIN CAN HILL AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME AND THIS PROJECT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YELLOWKNIFE AND HOW THOSE TWO THINGS COME TOGETHER.
SO I WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TIN CAN HILL SPECIFICALLY.
EXCUSE ME. THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ASSUMPTION BEING MADE BY SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO PRESENTED THAT APPROVAL OF THIS VIEW, AND THE SUBSEQUENT POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING A UNIVERSITY AT THIS SITE WILL NECESSARILY NOT ALIGN WITH THE CURRENT USES OF THE SITE, WHICH IS PRIMARILY ACTIVE RECREATION, WALKING, BIKING, DOG WALKING, RUNNING.
I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS PERSPECTIVE THAT THE TWO CANNOT COEXIST.
AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT TO RESIDENTS THAT DEVELOPING RESIDENTIAL HERE WOULD DEFINITELY BE A SUREFIRE WAY TO ENSURE THAT USES OF THE SITE COULD CHANGE QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY. I DON'T THINK RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE CURRENT USES OF TIN CAN HILL WOULD NECESSARILY GO TOGETHER.
WELL, THEY COULD YOU COULD DO A RESIDENCE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A TRAIL.
SO OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS WHICH COULD OCCUR TO THIS SITE, SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILLOR MORGAN SAID, IF ONE IS TO OCCUR, I THINK THAT THIS IS THE ONE DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF ACTUALLY PRESERVING EXISTING USES INTO THE FUTURE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE INTEGRATED INTO THE ZONING BYLAW.
WHEN THE REZONING PROCESS TAKES PLACE.
THAT'S LIKELY SOMETHING THAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE FUTURE COUNCIL.
I'M SURE THAT THIS WILL BE A KEY ELECTION ISSUE AND I THINK THAT THROUGH THE REZONING IT COULD BE YEAH, IT WOULD VERY EASILY BE PUT INTO THE ZONING.
[01:55:04]
EXACTLY HOW MUCH SITE NEEDS TO BE SET ASIDE.ZONING COVERS, THINGS LIKE SITE COVERAGE, IT PROVIDES FOR TRAIL ENHANCEMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK IN THIS CASE, MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T EVEN REALLY WANT NEW TRAILS TO BE DEVELOPED.
THEY JUST WANT THE ONES THAT ARE EXISTING TO REMAIN.
THIS IS A BIT OF A SIDE NOTE, BUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE USING TIN CAN HILL AND SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF TIN CAN HILL SHOULD BE AWARE THAT A FAIR BIT OF TIN CAN HILL DOESN'T ACTUALLY BELONG TO THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
SO THAT'S JUST A SIDE NOTE AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY THAT THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
BUT THAT IS JUST A BIT OF A NOTE THAT THE CITY DOESN'T OWN ALL OF TIN CAN.
HILL SO FOR ME, IF, IF I WAS GOING TO APPROVE THIS MMU INTEGRATION WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE ARE AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR ME IF THIS IS TO GO FORWARD.
THAT'S WHY I PUT FORWARD THE AMENDMENT THAT I DID.
I'M GLAD MY COLLEAGUES AGREED WITH IT, AND SO I WANTED THAT TO BE IN THE MOU SO THAT COLLEGE STAFF ARE WELL AWARE THAT THAT'S THE INTENTION GOING FORWARD HERE, THAT THIS WOULD BE A SITE THAT'S DEVELOPED, THAT INTEGRATES WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, THAT DOESN'T ELIMINATE IT.
I THINK IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT I'VE ALSO HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FOR IT.
WE HAVE RECEIVED EMAILS FROM THOSE PEOPLE.
I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T GO TO TIN CAN HILL BECAUSE IT'S AN OFF LEASH AREA.
I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T GO TO TIN CAN HILL BECAUSE IT'S INACCESSIBLE.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD THAT ONE.
YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER ALL OF THEM.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE POINTS HERE.
THIS TOWN, IN MY EXPERIENCE, HAS A BIT OF CAN SOMETIMES STRUGGLE WITH VISIONARY PROJECTS.
I WANT TO NOTE A COUPLE JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
ONE WAS RELATED TO DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.
AND IT WAS AN INTERESTING PLAN.
IT HAD A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND A HUGE.
GROUP OF CITIZENS SHOWED UP SAYING THAT IT WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO IT.
BUT YOU SHOULDN'T, DEFINITELY SHOULDN'T DO THIS.
IT'S A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
COUNCIL SHOT THAT IDEA DOWN, AND SEVEN YEARS LATER, WE DON'T HAVE A REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN.
AND I OFTEN THINK ABOUT THAT AND WONDER, IF I WASN'T A JUNIOR COUNCILLOR AT THE TIME, WOULD I HAVE LISTENED TO PUBLIC OUTCRY IN THE SAME WAY? BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE NOW WITH PROJECTS THAT RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC OUTCRY.
PEOPLE THREATEN YOUR POSITION, THEY SAY WE WON'T VOTE FOR YOU AGAIN, ETC., ETC.
AND SOMETIMES THE PROJECTS GO FORWARD.
ANOTHER ONE IS THE BEAUTIFUL PARK BEHIND ME SELMA KAYE PARK, WHICH WAS A PROJECT THAT CAME TO A COUNCIL BEFORE I WAS ELECTED, AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO THAT PARK.
IT IS BY FAR ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED AND WELL UTILIZED FACILITIES THE CITY HAS NOW.
THEY GO THERE FOR LUNCH, THERE'S CONCERTS, THERE'S WEDDINGS, THERE'S PROTESTS.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY SITE.
THERE WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF PUSHBACK ON COUNCIL OF THE DAY ABOUT THAT SITE.
PEOPLE WERE SAYING IT WOULD BE BETTER UTILIZED AS PARKING.
WE NEED MORE PARKING FOR THE DOWNTOWN.
THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH IT.
I'M SO GLAD THAT COUNCIL STOOD UP TO PUBLIC OPPOSITION IN THAT CASE.
[02:00:08]
I MEAN, WE'VE RECEIVED ECONOMIC OUTLOOKS FROM FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA.THERE'S BEEN ECONOMIC OUTLOOKS BY PRIVATE CONSULTING FIRMS THAT DO THAT SORT OF THING, STATING THAT THE ECONOMY IS SET TO SHRINK HERE. IT'S NOT A GOOD OUTLOOK.
IT'S QUITE BAD. AND SHRINKING ECONOMY MEANS DROPPING HOUSE PRICES.
IT MEANS THAT A VIBRANT COMMUNITY IS SHRINKING AND IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
I THINK YELLOWKNIFE NEEDS A VISIONARY PROJECT.
I THINK THAT WE NEED SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO ATTRACT PEOPLE HERE.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IF THE FOLKS AT AURORA COLLEGE BRING FORWARD SOMETHING VISIONARY, THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD GET BEHIND IT. AND I DO WANT TO GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO DO THAT BECAUSE AS NOTED BY A COUPLE OF THE COUNCILLORS, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A DONE DEAL.
THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THIS YET.
IF N.W.T. FAILS TO BRING FORWARD A PROJECT THAT INSPIRES CITIZENS AND MAKES THEM THINK, WOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ACTUALLY A LOT BETTER THAN I EXPECTED, I'VE STARTED TO COME AROUND TO THIS VISION. THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
I MEAN, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF INTEGRATING TRAILS HERE.
THIS IS WAY BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
IF THEY CAN DO THAT, THEN I THINK AS A COMMUNITY, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY WE CAN END UP RALLYING BEHIND THIS AND MAYBE EVEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM COULD BECOME BELIEVERS. MAYBE NOT.
I'M NOT SURE. COUNCILLOR MORRIS, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WRAP UP, OKAY.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I DO JUST WANT TO NOTE, LIKE AS A COUNCILLOR, MY PRIMARY JOB IS TO CONSIDER WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY OVERALL, NOT NECESSARILY ONE PARTICULAR USER GROUP, ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE SET OF CITIZENS WHO FEELS A CERTAIN WAY.
IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON THE SITES.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NOT A BETTER SITE IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH THE ASTERISKS WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW, WHICH MEANS THE STATED NEEDS OF THE INSTITUTION.
I'M NOT SURE HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER SITE LIKE TIN CAN HILL, WHICH COULD BE ACCESSED NOT FOR DECADES [INAUDIBLE] IS POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE REDEVELOPED INTO A MINE. THERE'S THERE'S SOME OTHER SITES THAT THAT ARE TIED UP IN LAND WITHDRAWAL WE DON'T HAVE.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WORTH NOTING.
I THINK THAT'S THE. THERE WE GO.
YEAH. SO IN SUMMATION, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROJECT.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE VISION THAT'S BROUGHT FORWARD.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT STEPS.
I HOPE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HUGELY BENEFICIAL.
WHILE JULIAN WAS TALKING, WE'VE ALREADY MOVED ON TO STEP THREE OF THIS PROCESS.
SO I APPRECIATE MOST PEOPLE THAT KNOW I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT CAME HERE TONIGHT AND MADE MADE THEIR CASES AND LET US KNOW WHAT THEY THINK.
EVERYBODY, FOR THE MOST PART, WAS VERY RESPECTFUL.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE EVERYBODY IS COMING FROM.
I HEARD PEOPLE TALK TONIGHT WITH A LOT OF EMOTION.
YOU KNOW, TIN CAN HILL IS A, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 26 YEARS AND I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPOT.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS THE GEM OF YELLOWKNIFE.
THIS COULD BE THE ENVY OF ALL THREE TERRITORIES.
I THINK THAT THIS IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO TO PRESERVE OUR TRAILS.
AND YEAH, I THINK IT'S IT'S SOMETIMES WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PROCESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. AND BUT WE HAVE TO PUT SOME FAITH IN, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE WAS MANY PROFESSIONALS THAT WERE BEHIND PICKING THIS LOCATION AND AND
[02:05:06]
THAT KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT HOW TO CHOOSE THE UNIVERSITY SPACE THAN WHAT WE DO.SO FOR FOR THAT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL GO AWAY, GO A LONG WAY IN.
JUST TODAY, THE GNWT EMILY'S [INAUDIBLE] MADE A MOTION TO INCREASE THE POPULATION OF THE NORTH BY 25% BY 2043. WHO KNOWS? MAYBE THIS PROJECT WILL WILL BE A PART OF THAT INCREASE IN OUR POPULATION.
AND IN THE END, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT RECONCILIATION, WE CAN TALK ABOUT EDUCATION.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK AURORA COLLEGE AND THE GNWT FOR THEIR WORK TO ADVANCE.
GETTING A CAMPUS IN YELLOWKNIFE.
THAT THERE'S A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CAMPUS BEING CONSIDERED FOR YELLOWKNIFE IS INCREDIBLE.
SO ON BEHALF OF FUTURE STUDENTS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, THANK YOU.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS PROJECT, I THINK OF ALL THE INCREDIBLE STUDENTS IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.
DIALOG IN THE NORTH FREQUENTLY FOCUSES ON ALL OF OUR DEFICITS.
I THINK OF HOW TWO WEEKS AGO OUR STUDENTS WENT TO THE NATIONAL SKILLS CANADA COMPETITION AND FIVE OF OUR SEVEN DELEGATES WON MEDALS, I THINK OF IN 2018 WHEN INUVIK STUDENT TARA COCKNEY-GOOSE WON THE BRONZE MEDAL AT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR.
WE DON'T GIVE OUR NORTHERN STUDENTS THE CREDIT AND THE KUDOS THEY DESERVE.
THEY DESERVE A QUALITY POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THEIR HOME TERRITORY.
FROM A SPACE PERSPECTIVE, THEY DESERVE MORE THAN WHAT'S BEEN PROVIDED FOR DECADES.
I THINK OF DR. CURTIS MOFFITT, WHO IN 2021 WAS THE BRONZE RECIPIENT OF THE LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR FACULTY, AN AWARDS PROGRAM THAT IS OVERSEEN BY THE INDUSTRY BODY OF COLLEGES AND INSTITUTES FOR CANADA.
THE FACULTY AT AURORA COLLEGE DESERVE A CAMPUS TO TEACH IT THAT IS AS ILLUSTRIOUS AS THEY ARE.
AND TO BE CLEAR, I THINK [INAUDIBLE] IS A GREAT BUILDING AND ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES CRITICAL NON-MARKET HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD A GOVERNMENT ANCHOR TENANT FOR YEARS. AND I ENCOURAGE THE GNWT TO CONTINUE TO.
BE A TENANT IN THE SPACE WITH A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT AFTER AURORA HAS A CAMPUS FOR THIS LOCATION.
I LIKE THAT IT'S WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM TWO OF OUR THREE HIGH SCHOOLS.
INSTEAD OF HAVING SPARES, STUDENTS COULD CONSIDER PICKING UP A COURSE OR TWO AT THE UNIVERSITY.
I LIKE THAT. IT'S WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE DOWNTOWN CORE.
FROM A DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PERSPECTIVE, THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS AND STAFF WITH THE NEW CAMPUS, AND THEY'LL BE LOOKING FOR HOUSING CLOSE BY AND FREQUENTING RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS DOWNTOWN.
YELLOWKNIFE, AS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE RIGHT.
TODAY'S MOU IS THE START OF THE JOURNEY.
AND I KNOW ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR RESIDENTS TODAY IS THAT THEY WANT TO BE TEN STEPS AHEAD.
THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT THE BUILDING WILL LOOK LIKE.
THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TRAILS AND SEE WHAT THEY'LL LOOK LIKE.
I DO TOO, AND ALL THAT WILL COME.
BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, PEOPLE HAVE A FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS ON THESE ISSUES OVER TIME, BECAUSE I SEE THIS AS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR THE FUTURE OF YELLOWKNIFE FROM AN ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE.
I'M NOT GIVING THE FARM AWAY FOR FREE.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE STEPS THAT WILL OCCUR.
THERE'S THE LAND DISPOSAL BYLAW AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT WHERE CONDITION WILL BE THAT THE LAND CAN ONLY BE USED FOR CAMPUS, SO THE GNWT CAN'T ACQUIRE THE LAND AND CHANGE THEIR MIND AND BUILD SOMETHING ELSE.
IF THEY CAN'T GET FUNDING TO BUILD OR THE PROJECT DIES SOME OTHER WAY.
[02:10:02]
THEN THE LAND COMES BACK TO THE CITY.THEN THERE'S THE REZONING PROCESS WHERE WE'LL DISCUSS THE REGULATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE, INCLUDING HOW TALL THE BUILDINGS CAN BE, HOW MUCH OF THE LAND CAN BE DEVELOPED, WHICH IS CALLED THE MAXIMUM SITE COVERAGE, TRAIL CONDITIONS, DESIGN REGULATIONS AND MORE.
AND AURORA COLLEGE WILL HAVE THEIR TOUCH POINTS FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, TOO.
WITH THAT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION TODAY TO ENTER INTO AN MOU WITH THE GNWT AND AURORA COLLEGE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS THE STAFF ARE WORKING TOGETHER THROUGH THE ISSUES TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS.
BUT THIS IS OUR PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO WORK THROUGH THEM.
WITH THAT, ANY FINAL COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS AMENDED OPPOSED.
AND THAT CARRIES WITH COUNCILLOR SMITH OPPOSED.
SECOND BY COUNCILLOR SILVERIO.
ANYBODY OPPOSED?H SEEING NONE.
WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.