The mushrooming Whistle Bend subdivision would receive not one but two electoral districts under changes proposed by the Electoral District Boundaries Commission.

As well, Dawson City and Old Crow would become parts of the same electoral district, and the Watson Lake riding would undergo major alterations.

Many of the changes would be encompassed in three new sprawling ridings named Yukon North, Yukon South, Yukon Centre and Yukon East.

Those are some of the major boundary redrawings laid out in the commission’s interim report released last Friday.

An estimated 4,000 people live in Whistle Bend, and it could be home to some 8,000-10,000 people by 2030, the Yukon government has forecast.

Whistle Bend North would include residents of Whistle Bend north of Keno Way.

This is one of two new electoral districts in Whistle Bend. Its establishment is based on current elector populations and anticipated major growth over the next six years.

The current numbers show an overrepresentation representation in the legislature.

However, anticipated updated information on numbers of people and voters, based on current known and planned development, is expected to bring the numbers to within a 25-per-cent variance within the next year or so (see more in story below).

It corrects significant under-representation in the Whistle Bend area, which is currently represented by Porter Creek Centre MLA Yvonne Clarke of the Yukon Party.

Whistle Bend South would include the population in Whistle Bend south of Keno Way.

Its establishment is based on current elector populations and anticipated major growth over the next six years.

A redrawn Porter Creek Centre would include the Kulan industrial area, Raven’s Ridge, Fish Lake Road, Valleyview.

This district would abut Whistle Bend North. It includes communities on the west side of the Alaska Highway north of Sumanik Drive.

The proposed change is because of the creation of the Whistle Bend districts and the resulting reduction in population in the Porter Creek districts, as well as the resulting adjustments of the other Porter Creek district boundaries.

Porter Creek North would include Crestview, the Taylor industrial area and the area north of Wann Road.

The proposed change is because of the adjustments resulting from the creation of the Whistle Bend districts.

Porter Creek South would also change because of the creation of the Whistle Bend districts and the adjustments of the other Porter Creek district boundaries.

The riding would include parts of Wann Road, Whistle Bend Way, Mountainview Drive and part of Range Road.

Takhini-Kopper King includes parts of Mountainview Drive, part of Range Road, College Drive, Two Mile Hill, Marwell, Waterfront Place and part of Ogilvie Street.

The proposed addition of areas of Whitehorse Centre and Porter Creek to this district is an adjustment for actual and anticipated growth in downtown Whitehorse.

Whitehorse Centre would include the downtown area south of Ogilvie Street.

The move of the area north of Ogilvie Street to the Takhini-Kopper King district reduces the number of people and voters because of actual and anticipated growth in downtown Whitehorse.

Riverdale North and Riverdale South would not change.

The proposed riding of Mountain-view includes Granger, the undeveloped area of Valleyview, McIntyre, and Hillcrest.

The proposed boundary has been adjusted to remove the developed part of Valleyview due to the adjustments to the Porter Creek boundaries.

Whitehorse West includes Arkell, Logan, parts of Ingram and Copper Ridge.

The boundaries are adjusted to include part of Copperbelt North to correct an underrepresentation situation.Copperbelt North includes parts of Copper Ridge and Lobird.

The northern boundary was shifted south to move a section of Copper Ridge south of Lazulite to Whitehorse West.

Copperbelt South includes Golden Horn, Cowley Creek, Mary Lake, Wolf Creek, Spruce Hill, Pineridge, Mount Sima MacRae, and Whitehorse Copper.

The northern boundary was adjusted slightly to the north because of the change to Copperbelt North.

In rural Yukon, the electoral district of Pelly-Nisutlin is proposed to be split, and the Watson Lake riding would become Yukon East.

Faro and Ross River would be merged with Watson Lake.

“This district recognizes the Kaska community of interest,” the report says.

“It also recognizes the geographic and community of interest connection between Ross River and Faro, and the geographic connection between Ross River and Watson Lake, acknowledging the poor condition of the road linking those communities.”

The Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes district would become Yukon South.

The riding would now include Mount Lorne, Marsh Lake, Carcross, Tagish, Teslin, and Johnson’s Crossing.

“The proposed addition of Johnson’s Crossing and Teslin recognizes the Carcross-Tagish-Teslin community of interest, the community of interest around the Southern Lakes, and the geographic proximity of Teslin and Johnson’s Crossing to the rest of the district,” the report says.

Kulane would include the Ibex Valley, Mendenhall, Haines Junction, Burwash Landing, Destruction Bay, and Beaver Creek.

“The proposed addition of Ibex Valley to the intersection of the Alaska Highway and North Klondike Highway is a logical extension of the district and the only way to address the previously low number of electors within the region,” the report says.

Lake Laberge includes Hidden Valley, MacPherson, the Takhini Hot Springs Road and Takhini River Road, Grizzly Valley, Fox Lake and Braeburn.

“The move of the boundary to the intersection of the Alaska Highway and North Klondike Highway and the resulting inclusion of the Ibex Valley in the Kluane district is the effect of increasing the numbers within the Kluane district,” the report says.

The proposed Yukon North riding would see Vuntut Gwitchin merged with Klondike to form a single electoral district that include Dawson and area and Old Crow.

“This is to address the significant variance of 89 per cent that currently exists in Vuntut Gwitchin,” the report says. “It corrects significant overrepresentation.”

That recommendation prompted concerns from Whitehorse city councillor Kirk Cameron at last weekend’s Association of Yukon Communities’ annual general meeting.

The AYC plans to seek a meeting with members of the commission.

Mayo-Tatchun would become Yukon Centre.

Mayo-Tatchun would include Mayo, Carmacks, Little Salmon, Pelly Crossing, Keno, and Elsa. This district boundary would be adjusted to extend to the west of Faro.

Although this district remains outside of 25-per-cent variance, it’s considered a special circumstance based on geography and community of interest within the area.

The boundaries commission is comprised of:

Suzanne M. Duncan, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Yukon and chair;

• H. Maxwell Harvey, the chief electoral officer;

• Patricia Cunning, the representative of the Yukon Liberal Party;

• Warren Holland, the representative of the Yukon Party; and

• Elizabeth (Liz) Hanson, the representative of the Yukon New Democratic Party.

As the Star reported last Friday, the commission has scheduled a series of public hearings around this territory this month and in June to discuss the recommended changes.