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PoliticsMunicipalTransportationHighways8TuesdayApril152014ByJACKDANYLCHUKAhouseboatmooredattheentrancetoBakerCreekwastruckedawaylastTuesdayanditspontoonswillfollowwhenthelakeopenssaidDennisKefalasYellowknifessenioradministrativeofcer.Thecityacceptedtheown-ersoffertosellratherthanmovethelivingquarterstoalotwithatwo-yearleaseKe-falastoldTheJournal.Thetotalcosttothecitywas12000includingthestructure.Themoveclosedthebookoneffortsthatbeganlastsum-mertoclearhouseboatsfromwaterfrontspaceonBackBaywhichthecityleasesfromtheterritorialgovernmentbutonesquatterremainsmooredinOldTown.RandySibbestonsonofNWTSenatorNickSibbestontoldTheJournallastweekthatByMEAGANWOHLBERGThemajorityofAlbertasHwy.63toFortMcMur-raywillbetwinnedbyfall2015theprovincestrans-portministerannouncedlastFriday.Hwy.63twinningonscheduleasaMtishehasarighttoliveattheedgeofabirdsanctuaryknownintheneighbourhoodasSnowKingPoint.TheareaisCommissionersLandunderthejurisdictionoftheNWTLandsdepartmentwhichisseekinganorderfromtheSupremeCourttoevictSibbestonwhocontinuestoignoreatrespassnoticepostedlastsummer.ImwithinmyrightstheterritorialgovernmenthasnojurisdictionoverthislandsaidadeantSibbeston.SibbestonhasnotsoughtlegaladviceonhissituationWhywouldIMyfatherwastherstlawyerfromtheNorthwestTerritoriesandIcanreadandiscondentthatthecourtwillagreewithhisarguments.IwonthavetomoveandthegovernmentwillpaymejusttokeepquietsaidSibbestonwhofeelsthatsincetheevictionno-ticewaspostedonhisdoorhehasbeensmearedinthemedia.IncourtdocumentsSib-bestonclaimsthelegalbattlewiththeterritorialgovern-menthasinterferedwithhisabilitytoworkanddeprivedhimof1000adayinincomeasamusicianandpainter.ThelawisnotontheirsideitwillcostthemSib-bestonsaid.Nocourtdatehasbeensetforthecase.OldTownwaterfrontsquatterdeantascitymoveshouseboatTransportationMinis-terWayneDrysdalesaid70percentofthetwin-ningonthebusyroadwaytoAlbertasoilsandswillbecompletedbytheendofnextyearwiththere-maining30percenttobecompletedbyfall2016.Budget2014putsusinasolidpositiontostayonthisaggressiveconstruc-tionschedulekeepingourpromisetopeopleinFortMcMurrayandacrossAl-bertaDrysdalesaidre-ferringtothe423millionallocatedtoHwy.63im-provementsthisfiscalyear.Thatfundingismorethandoublelastyearsin-vestmentandreflectsthe250millionintwinningcontractsawardedonthehighwayinthepastfivemonths.Bythissummerallthecontractswillhavebeenawardedandweexpectabout650workersand470piecesofequipmenttobeoutinfullforcehesaid.Morethan20percentofthe240-kmhighwayhasbeentwinnedandopenedtothepublicwhileanother60percentiscurrentlyunderconstruction.Thefast-trackedtwin-ningofHwy.63ispartofaprovince-wideroadwayupgradeandcomesafteryearsofsignificantpublicoutcryaboutthesafetyofthehighwaywhichcarrieslargevolumesofheavyin-dustrialtrafficnorthandsouthofFortMcMurray.JustlastFridayaseriouscollisiononHwy.63northofMarianaLakestoppedtrafficinbothdirectionsandredirectedvehiclesontosisterroadwayHwy.881.TheAlbertagovernmenthasinvestedmorethan1.4billioninHwy.63and881since2005inordertopro-videcriticalinfrastructurefortheAthabascaoilsandsregionaccordingtothedepartment.Theupgradesalsoin-cludeprojectswithinFortMcMurraycitylimitsin-cludinganewfive-laneAthabascaRiverbridgecrossing.PhotoJoeyPodlubnyGovernmentofAlbertaPhotoJackDanylchukThissquattinghouseboatwasremovedfromthemouthofBakerCeekandGreatSlaveCruisingClublastweekbythecity.AnAlbertaTransportationemployeedirectstrafcaroundconstructiononHwy.63southofFortMcMurray.