Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the development of the new Kam Lake bypass road. Construction has started on this key piece of public infrastructure here in the city of Yellowknife. In April I had the opportunity to attend a ceremonial rock blast at the construction site. The federal Health Minister, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, our Transportation Minister, the Honourable Michael McLeod, and Mayor Gordon Van Tighem were all on hand to formally kick off construction of this road.
Mayor Van Tighem, the SAO Max Hall, and city council, certainly the City of Yellowknife deserve a great deal of credit for providing their portion of the funding for this road and for all of their support in making it happen.
The road would not have been a reality had it not been for the federal government and its Building Canada Fund. I’d like to thank the federal government for their investment in this road and for all the other infrastructure dollars they’ve recently been providing us with.
Of course, thanks should also be given to this government. Even though not a financial partner, they have supported the project and coordinated the funding from the federal government. I want to especially thank Transportation Minister Michael McLeod and his staff at the Department of Transportation for advancing this project.
At this time next year, if all goes as planned, the city will finally have an alternate route to Highway No. 3 and into Kam Lake Industrial Park. Kam Lake Industrial Park is the economic heart of our capital city. The long awaited route will mean many trucks will no longer have to travel on Old Airport Road, public safety will be improved, and as an industrial park, a secondary access route is a must. This road will also open up access to the new Engle Business District, providing more industrial and commercial property for the city. This will also be a key component in any future development of airport lands.
The road design also includes a multi-use trail along the west side of the road to accommodate pedestrian and non-motorized vehicles.
In closing, I also want to thank all of my colleagues, both in the last government and in this government, that have shown support for this project and this much needed piece of public infrastructure over the years.