Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Lisa's Corner: Appreciate and enjoy our parks in and around the city

By Lisa Goudy

I was at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park for the first time this week.

I was impressed with the greenery, the lake, the pool and the beach. It was such a hot day, I’m sure if I hadn’t been covering something for work I would’ve jumped in the lake for a swim.

It’s definitely something we shouldn’t take for granted, just like Wakamow Valley and all of the other many parks in and nearby our city.

I’ve lived in Saskatchewan all my life and even while living in Regina, Buffalo Pound Provincial Park isn’t that far away.

Yet I’d never been to it before and there is one simple reason for it. I had a different park and lake I used to go to regularly and still do visit at least once a year.

Up until a couple of years ago, my grandparents owned a prestigious lakefront cabin at Lac Pelletier, which is approximately 30 kilometres south of Swift Current. 

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Moffat Family Fund helps six local non-profit groups

By Lisa Goudy

On Wednesday six local non-profit organizations received grants under the Moffat Family Fund administered by the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation (SSCF) at a ceremony at the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery. (From left): Christy Schweiger of the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery, Carol Acton of Hunger in Moose Jaw, Jess Wiberg of Joe's Place, Cindy Chamberlin of the SSCF, Sharon Bourdeau of the Early Years Enrichment and Moxie Club Summer Camp and Kailee Brennan of the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

Through the Moffat Family Fund, Hunger in Moose Jaw can continue to provide milk.

“We’ll be able to enhance the program and just increase the number of times we can provide milk and milk products,” said Carol Acton, executive director of Hunger in Moose Jaw. “Without this money we can’t afford milk.”

Hunger in Moose Jaw was one of six local non-profit agencies that shared a total of $37,669 in grants. A ceremony was held presenting the organizations with the cheques on Wednesday at the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery (MJMAG).

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For my Times-Herald slideshow on the Moffat Family Fund ceremony, go here.

Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Council notebook

City hall is seen this week.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


With Motif this weekend, Coun. Don Mitchell said there are a few difficulties because of ground moisture.

“Currently the plan is to proceed with Motif on its regular weekend,” said Mitchell at Monday’s council meeting while reporting on the minutes of the cultural diversity advisory committee. “There’s a challenge at Happy Valley Park because we’ve had spring flooding and recent heavy rain so there’s a challenge to prepare the park.”

He added there would be a meeting sometime this week to discuss the challenge further and to prepare for the weekend festivities that begin Friday at 3 p.m.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Study reveals a Natatorium floor is viable

The Natatorium pool is nine feet deep in the deep end.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


The Natatorium is able to have a floor.

“We’ve invested about $700,000 in the last five years into this building and the facility’s used for the city’s cold storage. In January of last year we received significant interest both from community groups as well as private groups in using this facility,” said heritage advisory committee chairperson Ira Dales at Monday’s council meeting while presenting the committee’s minutes.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Council grants noise bylaw exemption to Bobby’s Place

Robert Haakenson, manager of Bobby's Place, stands in
front of the establishment on Tuesday. Bobby's Place
will hold an outdoor live music event on July 27 with
bands on the lower roof of the building.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Council approved a noise bylaw exemption for an event at Bobby’s Place.

Kevin Haakenson, owner of Bobby’s Place, made a presentation to council at Monday’s meeting requesting the exemption for an outdoor event at Bobby’s Place with live music and a beer garden on July 27 taking place between 5 p.m. and midnight.

“We’re going to take over the bus depot’s one lane, put a couple bands up on the roof, the lower roof of our pub so it’s a little bit unique and try and create such a cultural thing that we can do year-round as a charity fundraiser for different charities in town,” said Haakenson.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Council votes to tender some multiplex enhancements

Mayor Deb Higgins shares her views regarding
the proposed enhancements at Mosaic Place
at Monday's council meeting at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

All five Mosaic Place enhancements and contingency approved

By Lisa Goudy


Council overturned only one of executive’s decisions regarding possible multiplex enhancements.

During Monday’s meeting Coun. Brian Swanson requested a revote on executive committee’s decision to approve the proposed capital project enhancements at Mosaic Place and YaraCentre using the $1.5 million that council voted to return to the capital fund from the multiplex projects.

Each item was voted on separately at Swanson’s request. The five enhancements and the contingency on those projects were approved.

Council did, however, reverse executive’s decision to sole source Hockey Capital Moose Jaw Ltd. to complete the escalator, event power upgrade and rope lighting on the corporate box level. It will instead be tendered.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Gathering opinions from residents on city issues

Executive approves proceeding with citizen survey this summer

City clerk/solicitor Myron Gulka-Tiechko explains the
background behind the citizen survey at
Monday's executive committee meeting at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

A citizen survey will allow residents to provide input on how they think the city is doing.

At Monday night’s meeting executive committee approved a request from city administration to sole source Praxis Research/Strategy to perform a community survey for the City of Moose Jaw at a cost of $22,000 by Aug. 31.

“It would be nice to hear some thoughts of the people that we serve,” said Mayor Deb Higgins. “Over the next few months we’re going to see a number of positions that are going to change and I think it gives us a good sense of the direction that we need to be going because we would be hearing from the people we represent and what their views are in the city.”

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