P6
Wednesday June 29, 2011
THE KLONDIKE SUN
in our community Slinky Mine Needs a Better Plan Story & Photos By Dan Davidson Dawson’s council has rejected a proposal by the Slinky Mine regarding relocation of one of its streets and is requesting a plan that is specific to that location rather than the generic photocopy of a road plan from Alberta Transportation and Utilities Engineering Division stamped by the mine’s representative, Randy Clarkson,
(This type) of roadway is only used where less than three residences are served.” Mary MacLeod Road is one of the two access roads between the downtown core and the Dome subdivisions. While there is period of some weeks (sometimes a couple of months) in the winter when the road cannot be used due to creeping glaciation on the downhill side past the cemeteries, it is in use most of the year for the several
The Slinky Mine clear-cut the brush and trees from this land beside the Mary MacLeod Road last summer, encroaching on the town’s road rightof-way in the process.
P.Eng. One of the conditions of the development permit the town issued Darrell Carey’s mine last summer was that any attempt to relocate the Mary McLeod or Dome Roads for the purpose of mining under them could not be undertaken without the miner first providing properly drafted engineer approved plans which meet Yukon standards. Councillor Bill Kendrick pointed out that the Alberta generic sample diagram submitted as a sample of the standard to which Slinky proposes to restore the road contains the following note:
dozen homes on the Dome and the half dozen or so along the road itself. It would therefore be an error to refer to the road as “a local traffic only seasonal trail” as Mr. Clarkson does in his cover letter. Council voted to require Mr. Carey to supply additional information showing “intersection specifics” as required by condition number five of his municipal development permit. Mayor Peter Jenkins bluntly stated that a photocopy of a page from the Alberta highways manual was
insufficient planning to meet that condition. “What we have here,” said Coun. Stephen Johnson “is not sufficient for making a determination.” The city administration has already surveyed and marked the area into which it does not want the miner to intrude. Community Development Officer Micah Olesh’s report on the matter indicated that the local office of Energy, Mines and Resources had not determined if the plan submitted by Mr. Clarkson on behalf of the miner was sufficient to get EMR approval. Coun. Rick Riemer wanted to know that the miner was going to be prepared to leave the road in a better condition than it currently is, as there is no advantage to the city if the already poor intersection with the Dome Road is made worse. The map that was provided did not show how that would work. Noting that the Clarkson letter refers to the road as the "Mary MacLeod Trail" throughout its length, Mayor Jenkins said, “It’s not a trail at all. The whole premise on which this (plan) is presented is incorrect.” City manager Jeff Renaud said that Mr. Clarkson had been presented with a proper cross section of that intersection, provided by himself and Yukon’s Dept. of Highways, to help in the preparation of his presentation. It did not appear that he used it. “This is substantially unacceptable information,” Renaud said.
“Like” the Klondike Sun on Mary McLeod Road (the original Dome Road) veers off from the current Dome Road to the left at an extreme angle here. Council maintains that any attempt to relocate the road in order to mine through it should leave the town with a better intersection than the current one.