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16TuesdayMarch42014ByJACKDANYLCHUKSometimethissummerFletcherandMirandaStevenswilljumpintothedeependofthepoolwiththeirbaby-an85-seatrestaurantandbrewpubinYellowknifesOldTowndistrict.Afterayearofsearchingforasitethatwouldmeetcitydemandstoprovideadozenparkingspacesthecouplegotapprovalfromcouncillastweektoopenat3905FranklinAve.Thenewhomeforthepro-saically-namedNWTBrew-ingCo.isaformerindustrialbuildingnowundergoingextensiverenovationswhiletheStevensawaitarrivalofbrewingequipmentorderedfromPortlandOr.FletcherisanamateurbrewerwholearnedthecraftaftermovingtoYellowknifeinreactiontohighbeerpricesintheNorthandMirandahasnurturedadesiretorunarestaurantbutneitherhasanyhands-onexperienceinthehospitalityindustry.Onlineblogpostsestimatestart-upcostsforabrewpubandrestaurantaremorethan1millionbutthecoupledidntwanttocommentontheir-nancialoutlaynancingorthecostoftherenovations.Thepubwillhavethecapac-itytobrewaround850hecta-litresannuallydependingondemandanddistributionsaidFletcherwhowantstoexpandthepubsmarketbeyondYel-lowknifeandtheNWT.WealreadyhavetwocraftbeerbarsinCalgaryrequestingourproductandhopetosupplybothHayRiverandFortSmith.Itsjustwhenyoucombinethecostofshippingwiththeterri-torialtaxtomanufactureitllbenexttoimpossibletoafforditFletchersaid.NWTliquorlegislationdoesnotallowoverthecoun-tersalestothepublicforcon-sumptionawayfromthepubandourtaxestomanufac-tureperlitrearethehighestinCanadabyquitealargemarginFletchersaid.Thecouplesaidtheywillbelobbyingthegovernmentforchanges.MichaelMilten-bergerministerresponsiblefortheNWTLiquorCom-missiontoldTheJournalthatthegovernmentisworkingonamendmentsthatcouldallowdirectsalesbythissummer.OldTownbrewpubfacesregulatoryandtaxhurdlesIndustrySmallBusinessFortSmithplaguedbywaterandsewerproblemsColdweatherchallengesSmithworkcrewsstrugglingtostopleaksByMARIACHURCHDONJAQUEFortSmithwashitbyasi-multaneouswaterlinebreakandsewermainblockagelastweekleavingpublicworksandcontractcrewsscramblingtorepairthedamageduringextremewinterweather.Thesourceoftheproblemsnowbelievedtobeafaultyvalveburiedbeneaththein-tersectionofMcDougalRd.andConibearCres.wasnallydiagnosedonMondaywithheavyequipmentandworkcrewsonthescenediggingdowntocarefullyisolatetheleakinghighpressurewaterlinesoitcouldberepaired.ThetownsmainsewagelinehadbeenpluggedonMc-Dougalcausingrandombackupsandsewage-contaminatedgreywatertooodbasementsfortwoblocksalongthemainstreet.Severalresidenceswerehitaswellastownhalltheli-braryandthefederalbuilding.Afterfivedaysofchal-lengingproblemsMondaymorningstartedoffwithgoodnewsthattheproblemofthesewermainblockageadam-agedmanholenearthewaterleakhadbeentemporarilyrepairedsothatthesewagesystemcouldfunctionagain.Towncrewsbelievethemanholewasunderminedbythehighpressurewaterunder-groundwhichpushedsandintoitpluggingthesewermainandstoppingtheowtowardthesewagelagoon.ThewaterthengotintothesewerlineandbackedthingsupalongMcDougal.Coldweatherhamperedtherepaireffortsthrough-outlastweekandovertheweekend.Workcrewsoftenfrustratedandfatiguedastheyworkedlongintobit-terlycoldnightsstruggledwithfrozenequipment.TownHallwithitsdeepbasementwasoneoftherstplaceshitbytheoodingsend-ingcrewsscramblingtorescuestoreddocumentsrstthingWednesdaymorning.Flood-ingatthefederalbuildingshutitdownalldayWednesdayuntilitcouldbedrainedandcleaned.Thetownlibrarywhichhasalargebookcollectiondown-stairsavoidedcostlydamage.AllbuildingswereopenagainonThursdayandcouncilisexpectedtoholditsTuesdaynightcouncilmeetingthisweekasusualinitsbasementcham-bers.Thecostofthecleanupandrepairshasyettobecalculated.UntilwegettherepairsdonetheresnowaytoevenhazardaguessFortSmithse-nioradministrativeofceJimHoodtoldTheJournal.WaterhadtobeshutoffonConibearleavinganumberofbuildingswithoutwaterincludingthehighschoolwhichremainsclosedaddinganextendedbreakfollowinglastweeksprofessionalde-velopmentdays.AsofpresstimeonMon-daytheplanbytownofcialswastogetasmuchprepworkdoneaspossibleatthesiteoftheleakingwaterlinesothatwhenitcametimetoshutoffwaterinalargeareaoftowntherepairtothewaterlinecouldbecarriedoutquicklyaffectingresidentsfortheshortesttimepossible.FortSmithdirectorofMu-nicipalServicesKeithMor-risonpraisedtheeffortsandcooperationbyeveryonedur-ingsuchachallengingtime.Hesaidtowncrewsandlocalcon-tractorsaswellasHayRivercontractorswhoarrivedwithsupportequipmentallsteppedupanddidwhatwasneeded.Eventhoseresidenceswhohadbeenimpactedbythesewerproblemswerecoop-erativeandunderstandingheadded.Ithasbeenagreatteameffort.Wehavereceivednoth-ingbutsupportfromevery-oneMorrisonsaid.InfrastructureMunicipalWealreadyhavetwocraftbeerbarsinCalgaryrequestingourproductandhopetosupplybothHayRiverandFortSmith.FletcherStevensNWTBrewingCo.PhotoDonJaqueUntilwegettherepairsdonetheresnowaytoevenhazardaguessaboutcosts.SAOJimHoodTownofFortSmithCrewsdigatthejunctureofMcDougalRd.andConibearCres.tondwhattheythinkisafailedwaterlinevalveattheheartofalltheproblems.