We would like to clarify the issue surrounding our application to purchase a 5.2 meter portion of the Brock Road right of way that is adjacent to our property on Ragged Ass Road.

Since no other reporting of this magnitude has occurred over similar residential land applications I can only guess the notoriety of Ragged Ass Road has led to the current "craziness." It amazes me that our little land purchase has obtained more press than the City of Yellowknife purchasing the government wharf for $1 and all of the financial issues that entails.

Thirty-three years ago, when previous owners wished to build the house and subsequent utility shed close to the Brock Road right of way, approval was given temporarily as the city had not completed construction of Brock Road and the plan was to finish it (giving access to the rear portion of our property).

When the end of Brock Road was never developed this agreement was made permanent and the utility shed stayed. At the same time an informal agreement was made with the home owners to park on the side of the utility shed due to the fact Ragged Ass Road is really only a narrow lane way (narrower than some lanes in other parts of Yellowknife) and parking in front of the house would block access to safety, utility and road maintenance vehicles.

Jump ahead to 1997, the City of Yellowknife, in an effort to widen Ragged Ass Road, made land swap deals with most of the home owners on Ragged Ass Road. In our property's case land was taken from our property on Ragged Ass Road and compensated with inaccessible land at the far rear of our property.

This agreement essentially went against the R2 zoning of the property which states that the property must have two on-site safe parking spaces to a total of 5.2 meters. The informal agreement to park two cars on the Brock Road right of way continued and over the last 33 years the previous three owners of the property landscaped a beautiful garden and yard also partially on the right of way behind the cars. We purchased the property in 2006 and have been working with the city administrators to formalize the use of this right of way.

The current city administrators in all departments have been very helpful and professional in trying to correct a mistake made during the 1997 land swap. In the last proposal to city council, the city administrators suggested we put in an application to purchase the 5.2 meter stretch of land used currently by our vehicles, garden and grass area and a joint application by community services would be put in to make the remaining 6.8 meter stretch of the Brock Road right of way into natural park land.

This would then also formalize a popular informal walk-way used by residents in the area and allow public access to the waterfront. We are very much in agreement to this plan. However, due to extreme opposition from two neighbours, councillors have asked us to renegotiate another option.

We will continue to work with the City of Yellowknife to come to a workable plan that allows them to correct a zoning error on their part, allow us access to our property and will keep our vehicles safely off of Ragged Ass Road.

Deidre Falck
Yellowknife
Friday, September 3, 2010

While back in Yellowknife at the end of June and into early July I left my purse behind in the YK Mall. It contained all my personal ID and medical etc. When I went back to look for it, it was nowhere in sight nor had it been handed in. I figured this was the end. Gone. You can imagine how upset I was.

The next day my husband Paul had gone to the RCMP office to check and see if anyone had by chance found it and brought it to the office. And sure enough, whoever it was had turned it in, not leaving a name where they could be reached.

To that very special person I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for being so honest. I never thought I would see it again.

On another note what a wonderful job has been done on the park area beside city hall. It's gorgeous and a joy to look at and sit. I also enjoyed seeing the trees down by the center of Franklin Avenue. They have really grown.

Carole Vallillee
Comox, B.C.
Friday, September 3, 2010

Great Slave Lake is the descendant of ancient seas. In this respect the Great Slave Lake is not peculiar. This is true of all lakes on all continents around the world. I assume that you know that ancient seas covered the entire North America.

This being so the same seas must have covered all land areas around the world at more or less the same level. Since then the seas have retreated and are still retreating.

So now we have a situation where all the inland lakes and seas around the world are disappearing.

The Great Slave Lake has dropped two feet in level in recent years and this trend will continue. Lake Ontario has dropped 10 feet in a century.

Lake Michigan receded almost a mile in the twentieth century and all the rest of the great lakes are declining in level.

The Sea of Galilee has receded seven miles since Christ walked the Earth. Lake Chad in Africa is a tenth of what it used to be and the Aral Sea is drying up.

Richard Guy
New York
Friday, September 3, 2010

Michael McLeod, our minister of transportation, really is out of touch with reality and should resign immediately. Anybody who drives in Yellowknife knows we have a very serious problem with the fools who are texting and using cell phones while driving.

I drive all day and see it all. At some intersections I see half the people either texting, on the cell phone, putting makeup on or doing other stupid things.

But the minister does not see a problem. Ray Charles could see the problem if he were still alive. There is going to be a major accident someday, people are going to be killed by these fools. But the minister does not see a problem.

This month in California, a lady while driving was on her cell phone asking directions to another lady. She drove into a river and drowned. Her friends heard it all on the cell phone. But our minister does not think we have a problem.

I saw a business lady with her child on her lap texting and she drove right through the intersection but our minister does not think we have a problem.

Cece Hodgson-McCauley made an excellent point. She said we must elect MLAs who have experience and accomplishments in office, not because he or she is a nice person. That is why the GNWT is so inept. Not to many accomplishments, but lots of blunders.

Too many MLAs are more concerned about getting a consulting job after they are voted out of office, instead of working for the people while they are in office.

David Desorcy
Yellowknife
Friday, September 3, 2010