Ottawa, NCC do about-face on four-corners plan

ANNETTE BOURGEOIS

Nunavut government buildings won’t be constructed at Iqaluit’s downtown “four corners” location after all.

Instead construction will take place one intersection away from the congested juncture where Ring Road crosses the Airport Road.

Nunavut Construction Corporation President Tagak Curley said the company will go with the second option approved by Iqaluit Town Council last month.

The decision, expected to be presented at Tuesday’s council meeting, came after talks broke down between the federal government and the organizations with interests in the buildings at the proposed development site.

Ernie Bies, Ottawa’s manager for Nunavut incremental infrastructure projects, wouldn’t comment on why the talks broke down. He said he preferred to have the federal Department of Public Works present its findings to Iqaluit town councillors before talking to the media.

Current land-holders wouldn’t go quietly?

Curley, however, said the high cost of relocating the buildings to the satisfaction of organizations involved was part of the reason the decision was made to go with the alternative location.

“When there is no agreement within the parties, we can’t force them to go,” Curley said. “The federal government cannot reach agreement with the parties who have interest in the land.”

The location of the buildings has been a hotly disputed topic in the capital for months.

At its July meeting, in the face of heated opposition from community groups, council gave the go-ahead to construct two three-story buildings at the four corners and another on a lot behind the Parnaivik building.

In the second option, the Nunavut government building will be located behind the Parnaivik building and the federal building will be located across the street where the RCMP currently has residences.