Feds to spend almost $10M on parks and historic sites in Yukon
Funding will be used on renovation and stabilization projects
The federal government is pouring $9.9 million into several Parks Canada projects in the Yukon, MP Larry Bagnell announced over the weekend in Dawson City.
Almost half the money ($4.8 million) will be used to stabilize and renovate the Former Territorial Courthouse National Historic Site. The building, in Dawson City, was originally constructed in 1901 and has been empty since 2010 when the Yukon government and Yukon College moved out.
Other projects receiving funds include:
- $429,000 to rehabilitate the Dawson Daily News building
- $547,000 to rehabilitate the Ruby's Place building in Dawson
- $395,000 to stabilize St. Andrews Church in Dawson
- $449,000 to stabilize the Third Avenue Complex in Dawson
- $670,000 to rehabilitate the Kathleen Lake campground day use areas, in Kluane National Park
- $289,000 to renovate the Tachäl Dhäl Visitor Reception Centre, north of Haines Junction
- $2.5 million to stabilize Dredge 4 National Historic Site, near Dawson
Work has already begun on two of the projects, and all are scheduled to be complete by the end of 2018.
Money for projects, not positions
The new funding is explicitly earmarked for projects, not for hiring new Parks Canada staff. Yukon lost 30 Parks Canada positions in 2012, as part of nationwide cuts by Stephen Harper's Conservative government.
Larry Bagnell said the Liberals have committed to reinstate the money that was cut.
"What I've been trying to make the case — very strenuously — is that we want to get some positions refilled, particularly the curatorial of our valuable, irreplaceable historical resources," Bagnell said.
"We want some people set up so those can be taken care."
