The latest draft of the proposed Hamilton Boulevard extension would see it go through part of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation's land.

It was presented at open house and public meeting sessions held by the territorial government at the Yukon Transportation Museum last Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

Brian Ritchie, the territory's manager of land development, said the extension through the first nation's land was part of the recent land claim negotiations. The Kwanlin Dun land claim and self-government agreements were signed off in February.

A map showing the preferred alignment for the road would have it extend through the Kwanlin Dun land and then down past residential areas.

'It goes past the Lobird Trailer Court and then it comes down, avoiding the rock-climbing area and comes in behind the Hi Country RV (Park) and the Yukon Gardens teeing intersection with Robert Service Way,' Ritchie explained at Thursday's open house.

The territory presented attendees with the maps and information on how it came to the preferred alignment.

'We just basically compiled all the background information necessary to start compiling a map that shows, sort of, all the different things that are going on in the area, the alignment,' Ritchie said.

The background information dates back to the 1970s, when plans were first made for the development of a Hillcrest expansion area in anticipation of the proposed Alaska Highway pipeline project. At that point, the McIntyre, Granger, Logan, Arkell and Copper Ridge subdivisions didn't exist; it was all treed land.

The background information goes on to describe how Hamilton Boulevard eventually was expanded to its current end as the housing developments began in the 1980s and continued over the years.

The territory will be responsible for work on the roadway. However, the city has agreed to apply for the federal Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, which provides money to municipalities for such projects. Municipal and territorial/provincial governments must also provided money toward the projects approved.

The city agreed to apply for the funding as part of an agreement it has with the territory for the government to take over management of the athletes' village for the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

The city has indicated it will likely be 2007 before it applies for the funding, Ritchie said.

'So I would think if that's the date that it happens then (we) would probably see construction start in 2008, but you know, those timelines are probably subject to change.'

Approximately 20 people came out to last Wednesday's open house, with 25 to 30 people taking in the public meeting.

Last Thursday, another 10 to 15 people turned up for the open house with 20 for that evening's public meeting, Ritchie said this morning. Also competing for the public's attention last Thursday evening was a major meeting on how proposed zoning changes would affect Porter Creek green spaces.

Ritchie said there didn't seem to be any major concerns surrounding the Hamilton Boulevad project, though one person wondered when it would be done.

'Most people are very positive,' he said Thursday. 'They want to see it happen.'

When the territory was widening part of Hamilton Boulevard last summer, many suggested the additional access to the Alaska Highway is needed, Ritchie said.

At Thursday's open house, a Granger resident said there was some concern in her neighbourhood that the territory would be going through some greenbelt space.

'But it doesn't look like it will,' she said, studying the map displaying the proposal.

Residents attending the open houses and meetings were asked to provide feedback on the latest proposal for the boulevard'sextension.

'Then we just carry on with the design and gathering more information, working on the environmental assessment and working towards another presentation of more detailed information with maps and road profiles and more specific road design later, you know, in another couple of months,' Ritchie said of how the territory will proceed.

Input is also coming from the project advisory committee made up of representatives from various interest groups like community associations, user groups such as rock climbers, the private sector and others who would be impacted by the extension.

In addition to the sessions for the general public about the extension, the territory is also scheduling meetings with each of the groups that have representatives on the committee.