The potential creation of the McIntyre Creek park is continuing to bother the Yukon Party.

On Apr. 12, Yukon Party MLA Yvonne Clarke once again questioned the government on how it plans to handle some complicating factors, such as mining claims.

Clarke asked similar questions about three weeks ago, and clearly wasn’t satisfied with the responses she received.

“In the 2021 election, the Liberal party committed to creating McIntyre Creek park,” she recalled.

“We are aware that the planned park is much bigger than many people realize, and stretches from the mouth of McIntyre Creek all the way down to the former Whitehorse Copper Mine.

“There are many overlapping land interests in this area and several active or pending quartz claims. Is the minister considering expropriating mining claims or private land dispositions in the proposed McIntyre Creek park?”

Environment Minister Nils Clarke said the government has initiated discussions with the City of Whitehorse. It will follow up with the affected Yukon First Nations, Yukon University and local stakeholders, he vowed.

“The McIntyre Creek area supports a diversity of habitats important to wildlife, including wetlands,” the minister said.

“It is also known to be an important cultural area for both the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.”

Yukon University also recognizes the importance of the area to support field-based learning and research, he added.

“We acknowledge and respect that this is an area with several concurrent planning processes already underway. This includes, but is not limited to, the development of the City of Whitehorse’s new Official Community Plan — Whitehorse 2040 — the development of the Yukon University campus master plan, and the Łu Zil Män Fish Lake local area plan.”

He said the government “will continue to work with the affected parties to discuss the park’s development and ways to ensure the environmental protection of McIntyre Creek moving forward.”