City of Yellowknife looks to rezone popular Willow Flats green space for housing

Yellowknife resident Kim Harrower is a regular at the city's Willow Flats area, where she walks and listens to the birds in the morning. She says the wetland area there is good bird habitat, and it brings the community together. 

"This is something to be grateful for and preserved I feel, rather than destroyed," she said. 

Harrower and some other city residents aren't happy that the popular green space could become housing. The area is located east of School Draw Avenue and north of Rotary Centennial Park and the city wants to rezone part of it for potential residential development. 

It's currently designated as a natural area and includes many trails, boardwalks and a skate park.

The city says it is taking public feedback on the zoning amendment until June 27, and a review decision is expected sometime this fall.

Harrower says she has emailed her concerns to the city.

"In the migration time with the birds, you get so many birds passed through here. You get people with big cameras and scopes," Harrower said. "You can meet young people riding their bikes ... it's a good safe place to explore nature."

She says she knows the city needs new housing, but she hopes some other site can be found. 

Meagan Taylor, another Yellowknife resident, lives in an apartment on Lundquist Road across from the Willow Flats area. She said it is unfortunate that the city is looking to build in a place where there's already so much activity.

She says she sees lots of kids from the area go there with bikes or skateboards.

"I have a four-year-old and he comes over across the way to the skate park area, and kind of just runs along the boarded stuff," Taylor said.

"It's actually a place that should be improved and not torn down." 

David Gilday has lived on Lundquist Road since 1989 and he says he's really seen the neighbourhood grow. He showed a picture of his family standing on the road, looking out toward the lake.

"There are no bushes. Back then we could stand here and look down the lake and it was very open. So all this growth has been since 1989," Gilday said.