An EBA drill rig has already begun work on the Yukon River in the wake of the bridge announcement. Photo by Dan Davidson

Drilling Begins on Yukon River Bridge Study

by Dan Davidson

The heavy equipment mentioned by Acting Minister of Community Services Jim Kenyon during his announcement that a bridge would be built across the Yukon River at Dawson City, has arrived and is at work already, drilling through the ice bridge to the river bottom.

“It will be used to gather samples of the bedrock and help engineers to determine the suitability of the river bed,” Kenyon said.

EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd. has the contract for this work, which was actually awarded earlier in the Yukon Party’s mandate.

Environmental and geotechnical studies related to the opposite ends of the ferry were completed under an earlier Yukon Party government. That report was published in 1995.

Some West Dawson residents who oppose the construction of a bridge are saying that much has changed along the river in the intervening 8 years and that most of that work should be redone. With a three year timeline for design and completion of the 365 metre span, it is not certain how much new work will be done on studies.

Kenyon quipped that, while the bridge would have a sidewalk, “I don’t see anything for dog teams ... but Dawson’s usually pretty inventive; we’ll get around that.”

According to Kenyon, whose regular portfolio is Minister of the Environment, one study that has been done by the Department of Fisheries indicates that the environmental impact of a bridge would be less than the current impact of the ferry.

Dawson Councillor Calls for Public Inquiry in Rec. Centre and CFA

by Dan Davidson

Bill Holmes has had enough innuendo. If anything else remains to be said about the problems Dawson City has had with its new recreation centre or with its finances, he’d like it to be said at a public inquiry.

Some might think it odd that Holmes, who is the newest member of council, would be taking this tack at this time, but it’s not really a new stand for him. Since he first had time to familiarize

Bill Holmes won his seat on Dawson’s council in the October 2003 election. He expected it to be warm, but not as hot as it has become. Photo by Dan Davidson

himself with the issues after being elected last October, 2003, Holmes has stoutly maintained at public meetings that any doubts he ever had about the actions of the council have vanished.

In his open letter to Minister of Community Services, Glen Hart, he states, “I have tried to educate myself on the problems facing our community. I have been questioned by many of my fellow Dawsonites regarding our finances and how we came to this current situation. I struggle for answers. They all deserve better than this.”

By “this” he means the blizzard of accusations that have put Dawson in an even greater chill than the unusually cold first two months of the year.

“This is,” Holmes wrote, “a very serious situation, as you yourself have stated. One that I hope to see Dawson come out of intact and one that I hope no other Yukon Municipality will have to face.

“Given the fact that we have been under YTG supervision for two years, and given the fact that many of the costs associated with this situation will be born by our municipal tax payers, with a distinct possibility of the costs coming from Territorial funds, and given the fact that there are problems and inconsistencies with the administration of the Yukon’s CFA program and given the fact that this situation should never be allowed to happen to Dawson or any other municipality, and given the fact that the supervisor whose control we are currently under has suggested it himself, I am writing to formally request that your office order a full and impartial public inquiry into the situation surrounding Dawson’s finances.”

Holmes wrote his letter early in February, but sat on it for a bit in order to discuss it with his fellow councillors. Still, he was concerned that no one should see this as a sign of a split on the council or any lack of faith on his part, so he went on to write a second open letter, This one is to his “Fellow Dawsonites” and will be published in full in the March 9th edition of the Klondike Sun.

In it he states clearly his belief that the current situation is not ultimately of Dawson’s creation.

“ I feel confident that our Mayor and Council have done nothing wrong and certainly not with any malicious or self serving intent in regards to our current situation.

“My aim is at the YTG for leading and sometimes shoving us down this path while providing us with seemingly constant consultation and supervision.”

Councillors, he writes, are not, and should not be expected to be expert contractors and engineers. Councils hire people to do the expert work for them, or look to the senior government to provide guidance and assistance.

“Given the amount of involvement, all of them have failed miserably.”

Holmes is uncertain as to whether the Yukon Party government will call an inquiry, but feels that any attempt to get the whole story on the record is worth making.

“Bungling” Bandits Burglarize Businesses

adapted from a Whitehorse Star story by

Sarah Elizabeth Brown

Police arrested two Dawson youth, aged 14 and 16, at a private residence other than their own homes after being made aware of a series of break- ins and other damage done early Tuesday morning.

Clumsy break- ins occurred at the Ray of Sunshine, Northern Metallic, Circle Cycle and the Youth Centre. In addition they attempted to make off with a van belonging to Fifth Avenue Bed and Breakfast, but succeeded in driving only perhaps 100 yards before losing control and burying its front end in a snowbank.

Surveying the damage to the door on his workshed, Circle Cycle’s Tim Gunter ventured this opinion: “I’d have to say they were bungling thieves. I hope they don’t take it up as a living, because I think they’ll go hungry if they do.”

Dale Leyton, at Northern Metallic, was equally disparaging: “These guys are size 12 boots and a size four hat, I think would be a nice, polite way to describe them.”

Most of the stolen items were recovered in two outdoor stashes, said Sgt. Tim Ashmore, who heads up the Dawson RCMP.

On the missing list were numerous watches, sunglasses, tools and bike items.

“We’re still trying to get a complete inventory on what’s missing, but we believe we recovered most of it,” said Ashmore.

Two boys aged 14 and 16 are charged with three counts of break, enter and theft, one of theft over $5,000 for the van and a further charge of break, enter and commit mischief.

The last criminal charge is for damage done to the Dawson City Youth Centre. An unlocked back door allowed entry to the centre, and fire extinguishers were set off inside the building.

Ashmore said the thieves had been drinking. Both were released to their parents and will be making their first court appearances in Dawson April 6.