Inuit org and Nunavut capital find common ground on subdivision

Bypass road options for a proposed comprehensive residential and commercial Federal Road development—shown in a dotted yellow line—were discussed at a public meeting March 29. (PHOTOS BY STEVE DUCHARME)

Jason Petrunia, senior planner with architecture firm SvN, speaks to about 30 Iqaluit residents attending a public meeting March 29, outlining preliminary plans for roads, housing units and commercial buildings on public and Inuit-owned lands down Federal Road.

A proposed hotel and conference centre under development by the Qikiqtaaluk Corp. on Inuit-owned lands in Iqaluit will act as the tent pole for future city development, planting an estimated 700 to 900 new housing units on the doorstep of the city’s downtown core and new airport terminal.

That’s according to architecture firm SvN which outlined, during a March 29 public consultation at Iqaluit’s Catholic Parish Hall, possible concepts on behalf of QC and the City of Iqaluit for a new Federal Road development.

The two concept plans at the presentation showed low- to medium-density housing on land owned by the city behind Inuit owned lands, or IOL, lining the northeastern side of Federal Road, a short distance from Iqaluit’s four-corners intersection.

On the other side of the road, zoning exists for new offices and retail stores, which would be some of the first buildings visitors to Iqaluit will see when they leave the new airport terminal.

The project in its entirety is estimated to roll out over a period of 10 to 15 years.

“Opening of the [new] airport terminal this fall will shift emphasis from the South to the West,” SvN senior planner, Jason Petrunia, explained to an evening audience of around 30 people.

“It’s the gateway to Iqaluit for visitors from the airport.”

The marriage between the city and QC on the project stems from the layout of the respective lands: The city can’t build a neighborhood behind the IOL without road access, and the QC needs utilidor installation if it wants to follow through with building a hotel and conference centre.

It’s a partnership of convenience—but many who attended the consultation voiced concern about home values near the new development, as well as traffic congestion and road access.

A pair of proposed road bypasses for drivers wanting to avoid the downtown core both met their share of criticism from residents.

One bypass connects the new neighborhood with the Plateau, carving a new road up the hill and attaching near the Plateau access road to the hospital.

Another possible option—much shorter—goes behind the RCMP detachment and connects to the road behind Iqaluit’s new aquatic centre.

“We’re trying to figure out what makes the most sense,” Petrunia said.

Others in attendance said they didn’t like how the city notified them about the potential development. Apparently some weren’t notified at all.

“We tried our best to reach everybody. Unfortunately we were not able to,” explained the city’s planning and development director, Mélodie Simard.

Logistical constraints near the end of the city’s fiscal year prevented a comprehensive notification and consultation with affected residents, Simard said, adding that additional letters on the project will be sent out.

“It doesn’t mean after tonight the city isn’t receiving comments,” she said.

While development schemes are already before the city for the hotel and conference centre proposed by QC, lands owned by the municipality still need to be developed by city administrators

Input from attendees at the consultation will be used for drafting a development plan for the public lands, Simard said, but any concept will still need to be vetted by the city’s planning and development committee and city council.

Future consultations may take place at a later date, Simard said.