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Park delays prompt court action

CBC North WebPosted Sep 24 2004 08:41 AM CDT

WHITEHORSE - A Yukon First Nation says it has lost its patience with the territorial government over delays in getting a new park established.

The First Nation wants the Yukon courts to get the government moving

The Tr'ondek Hwech'in of Dawson City is going to court to demand approval of the Tombstone territorial park it was promised in its land claim.

Chief Darren Taylor says it's been six years since the Tr'ondek Hwech'in signed its land claim.

"This process is way overdue and we're just getting impatient. We don't like being held hostage," he says.

Earlier this year the government promised Taylor the park approval was imminent.

Now, after four letters demanding answers, Taylor believes the Fentie government has no intention of honouring the commitment.

"It's just frustrating when you get the same responses from Kenyon, from Jenkins," he says. "Since the Liberal government we've been trying to get this park and if they can't make a decision maybe the courts will advance this for us."

The First Nation's court application asks the Yukon Supreme Court to enforce the Tombstone Park promise.

Taylor says it sets a poor example for other First Nations.

"The Yukon has to start honouring existing agreements throughout the Yukon," he says. "I just think it's going to send a bad signal to other First Nations, I mean why would they want to finalize agreements if you can't implement them?"

There are about 600 members of the Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation. Their 1998 land claim gave them control of approximately 2,600 square kilometers of land within their traditional territory and $21 million over 15 years.

There's no indication how soon the case will be heard.

Gala Dinner Celebrates Centennial One Last Time

by Dan Davidson

It’s not unusual in Dawson City to celebrate an anniversary more than once, so the loose plans laid by Father Tim Coonen at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Jose Savard at Klondike Kate’s restaurant when they realized that the 100th anniversaries of their buildings were in the same year was really no surprise.

Neither place started out as what it is now. The church was a Catholic School

Father Tim Coonen and Jose Savard settle back to enjoy the meal at this last celebration of the joint centennial celebrations for St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Klondike Kate’s restaurant. Photo by Dan Davidson

and the restaurant was several other businesses, but both buildings have been in place and operating since 1904.

Their solution was to hold a series of small events. Several of these were concerts held in either the church or the rectory and catered by Kate’s. Another was an outdoor volleyball game.

The final one was a three course meal held to mark Kate’s last day for the 2004 season on September 19.

This was billed as a “Historical Theme Dinner” and patrons were asked to come dressed for the occasion, either in formal or period costume. The result was a restaurant full of ball gowns, tuxedos, and scruffy miners (that’s period costume, too).

The service was leisurely, and the event covered four or five hours, but the food was excellent. The main course was roasted Klondike duck with sauce Bordelaise, accompanied by Sunnydale potato galette and Hunker Creek sautéed wild champignons. The desert was a delightful Moosehide apple strudel. As for appetizers, breads, coffee, tea and drinks, they just kept coming.

Live entertainment was provided throughout the evening by Conrad Pluta on keyboards and Ian Sherwood on saxophone and banjo.