Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Working on improving parking for Scotties

There are two five-hour parking lots on River
Street East, one block away from Mosaic
Place, as seen here on Jan. 21, 2015.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

The city is trying to make it easier for people to park for the 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

“Parking has always been a topic of discussion,” said Mayor Deb Higgins. “We have tried to do a couple of things with the Scotties coming.”

The Canada Cup of Curling, which took place from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2, 2012 at Mosaic Place, was what Higgins called “a bit of a trial run.” There were a few issues with parking that the city is trying to ”be more proactive” regarding parking for the Scotties, said Higgins.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: A taxation predicament

Moose Jaw Ford owner's taxes tripled to develop new dealership

The new dealership location of Moose Jaw Ford,
under construction at 1010 North Service Rd
west of Ninth Avenue Northwest and across the
 Trans-Canada Highway, is seen on Jan. 20, 2015.
 Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

Scott Evans didn’t expect his taxes to nearly triple on the lot he’s developing for a new automobile dealership.

“I’m the guy going out and developing it and I’m still getting charged triple tax until my building is complete, which, I mean,       hypothetically it could take two years,” said Evans, owner and general manager of Moose Jaw Ford.

“The whole idea of this triple tax thing was to spur development, but if all the people out there developing land know that as soon as they clear out their land to put something up, they’re going to be triple taxed, I don’t think that’s something that’s going to spur development.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Increased charges for sewer, water replacement

Budget committee votes to increase rates to meet user pay model

Budget committee meets on Jan. 19, 2015.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

Residents will have to pay more to the city for sanitary sewer and water line replacement services provided to the public, effective Feb. 1.


“The City of Moose Jaw pays for any water line from the main to the property line, but from the property line to the house, that is what the property owner’s responsible for. On the other hand, when it comes to sewer, the property owner is responsible for the full connection from the main to the house,” said Duane Grado, public works manager.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Dealing with immediate water mains

By Lisa Goudy

Duane Grado went three weeks without water three years ago.


“The intensity of that was very severe,” he said. “We don’t normally find that, but last year with the cold weather we did experience several blocks that were out for a week.”

Residents living in three areas are scheduled to have water mains replaced this year.

At Monday’s budget committee meeting, the committee authorized the engineering department to complete the replacement this year at a cost of $500,000 from the capital budget.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Lisa's Corner: Working towards a utopia of peace

By Lisa Goudy

On Jan. 16, 2015, it was 24 years since the United States launched a massive air assault against Iraq.


This operation, Operation Desert Storm, was in response for Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990. The assault started the day after a United Nations-imposed deadline expired for Iraq’s withdrawal from Kuwait.

It marked the beginning of the Gulf War. Canada also played a role in this war during the Canadian operation Friction that included about 4,000 personnel participating in the intervention. Canada was one of 35 nations involved in military operations sponsored by the United Nations to push Iraq out of Kuwait.

War is an all-too-common act in our history and our present. In the cases of the Middle East, it is accompanied by a wealth of complex background. I think it makes it easy to dismiss or pretend it isn’t happening.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Clearing up snow route questions

Duane Grado, public works manager, talks 

about snow signs at the Jan. 10, 2015 

budget committee meeting at city hall. 

Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

Duane Grado had a few words to say about snow removal.“

The first time we did our snow operations, I did not tow and I think I advised council I was going to do it the next time and we just completed it (Friday),” he said at Saturday’s all-day budget committee meeting at city hall.

“I think that has a success story to it. We’re still bumbling through it and correcting things.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Looking back on council: Vol. 4

By Lisa Goudy

Mayor Deb Higgins talked about infrastructure right from the start.


The final installment of the four-part series looking back at councillors’ platforms and what has been done will focus on Higgins.

In 2012, she stated she wanted to tackle infrastructure, such as streets, sidewalks, water lines and sewage, as well as recycling and other public services.

For her, the priority was to “put in place a long-term plan for the renewal and replacement of infrastructure, something that is reviewed yearly and renewed for where the priorities need to be.”

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