Yukon environmentalists applaud McIntyre Creek decision

The Yukon Conservation Society is giving the City of Whitehorse full marks for rethinking a plan to build a road through a sensitive wildlife corridor.

The society was just one of many environmental and community groups which raised concerns when the city announced plans to build a road in the McIntyre Creek area.

It says community activism was crucial in forcing the city to reconsider the road.

"I think it made a huge difference that there were so many organizations and so many individuals who expressed their really deep concern about the potential of a road across McIntyre Creek," said Karen Baltgailis, the societys executive director.

On Friday, the city announced a new study saying the road isn't necessary and won't go ahead for years or even possibly decades.

"The City of Whitehorse certainly deserves credit for re-running the transportation study, which is what a number of organizations had asked to have done, so this is really good news," said Baltgailis.

The city said planning for the next phases of the Whistle Bend and Porter Creek D subdivisions will go ahead but will not include any roads across McIntyre creek. Public consultations on those plans are scheduled to get underway during the next few weeks.