Council votes to approve bridge

At its May 28 meeting, city council gave the go-ahead to the department of sustainable development to build a bridge across Sylvia Grinnell River.

The bridge is part of the master plan to expand Sylvia Grinnell Park, located just west of town.

The bridge will only be wide enough for pedestrians. Vehicles such as ATVs will not be able to cross.

While the bridge is a territorial government project, the GN had to apply for a municipal development permit.

The request was met with some opposition. Councillor Lynda Gunn worried about giving people access to the heritage site that lies on the other side of the river. Currently, the only way to cross the river is by boat or on snowmobile in the winter. “I’m fearful of the potential destruction of such a valuable site,” she said.

But Councillor Glenn Williams pointed out there have been community consultations about the bridge project for years and an Inuit Impact Benefits Agreement has already been signed.

“I think it will be a great contribution to the community because it will allow people access to new areas,” Williams said.

When it came time to vote, Gunn, along with Simon Nattaq, voted against the development permit, while John Matthews, Glenn Williams and Keith Irving voted to accept it.