Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Council notebook

Council is seen at the June 24, 2013 meeting at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

In the 35^th update on the multiplex there were no changes from last month.

Director of parks and recreation Jody Hauta presented the report to council at Monday’s meeting. He said the close out procedures are still underway at Mosaic Place and YaraCentre within the approved budget of approximately $61.29 million. A total of $281,492 is in the project contingency, same as last month.

Other items discussed at Monday’s meeting:

• Council approved two decisions of the development appeals board for Robinson Contracting Ltd. to have variances on two properties on the 100 block of Everton Cres.

• Council approved the reports of the recent meetings of the personnel committee on June 12, 13 and 18.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Executive decides to sell 11th Avenue property

Alvin Hunter addresses executive committee
regarding why he believes the property at
418 11th Ave. N.W. should be put up for
sale by the city at Monday's meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

The city property at 418 11^th Ave. N.W. is going up for tender.

Executive committee of city council granted Alvin Hunter’s request to put the lot up for tender and make it available for purchase at Monday’s meeting. Hunter had put in his request with the business development division, who told him the city wasn’t interested in selling this lot because it is located six meters from railway tracks.

However he decided to appeal the city’s decision and Myron Gulka-Tiechko, city clerk/solicitor, informed him why the city is opposed to selling the lot but that he was entitled to attend a council meeting. 

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Council approves CPR dam replacement

Only Swanson in favour of stopping CPR dam replacement

Coun. Don Mitchell speaks about why the city should
proceed with the CPR dam at Monday's council meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Coun. Brian Swanson asked council to reconsider proceeding with the CPR dam replacement.

“I started a firestorm here a few weeks ago … I said I made the motion with great reluctance because if there is a project near and dear to my heart in the capital plan it might be that one,” he said. “If we can’t take money from the CPR dam, we can’t take money from the equipment reserve budget, we can’t take money from the multiplex contingency ... where do we get the money to do the things that are failing in this city or will our position continue to be that we wait for it to fall from heaven?”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Sidewalk Days free parking request denied

Annual festival set to hit downtown July 4 to 6

At Monday's council meeting Theresa Gillis, chair of
Sidewalk Days, makes her case for council to grant free
metered parking for visitors, vendors and entertainment
on July 4 and 5, the first two days of the event.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


There won’t be any free parking at Sidewalk Days next week.

“The free parking for the full two days, if it was really only for the patrons and they were coming and going I think it’d be great, but we do have to remember that there are other businesses on the side streets that are operating business as usual those days,” said Coun. Heather Eby. “It’s not that I’m opposed to Sidewalk Days. I love Sidewalk Days and I appreciate all the hard work that goes into it.”

Theresa Gillis, chairwoman of Sidewalk Days, made the request at Monday’s council meeting for free metered parking on July 4 and 5. Sidewalk Days, the biggest downtown event in the city that has been running for more than 40 years, will take place this year from July 4 to 6. It will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4 and 5 and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 6.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Destination-marketing fees, reassessment discussed at mayor’s caucus

Mayor Deb Higgins delivers the city mayors'
caucus meeting report from May 8 to 10
to council at Monday's regular meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


The city mayor’s caucus (CMC) will encourage implementing destination-marketing fees.

“This I think is of particular interest to the City of Moose Jaw as we’re one of the few cities that doesn’t have a hotel tax that is dedicated to opportunities in the city where it is raised,” said Mayor Deb Higgins. “Regina has this. Saskatoon has this. There’s been a number of opportunities or I guess initiatives to try and initiate a hotel tax here in the City of Moose Jaw that would be accumulated and used to promote the city of Moose Jaw.”

That was one of the outcomes included in the CMC outcomes report from the meeting in Swift Current from May 8 to 10. Higgins presented the report to council at Monday’s meeting as she and former city manager Garry McKay attended the meeting.

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Moose Jaw TImes-Herald: Executive approves multiplex enhancements

Safety, event hosting and escalator among $1.5 million enhancements

Mosaic Place and YaraCentre general manager Scott
Clark and Moose Jaw Downtown and Soccer/Field
House Facility board chair Kurt Saladana discuss
the proposed enhancements to the facilities
at Monday's executive committee meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Councillors had mixed feelings about the proposed enhancements to Mosaic Place and YaraCentre.

Immediately following Monday’s regular council meeting, executive committee of city council met and discussed proposed capital project enhancements to the facilities using the $1.5 million that had been returned to the capital fund from the projects. At the April 22 meeting council dedicated the funds for enhancements.

“The enhancements we’re suggesting we believe will create a safer, more comfortable environment … They’ll create substantial annual subsidy relief,” said Scott Clark, general manager of Mosaic Place and YaraCentre at the executive committee meeting. “We’ve developed a great awareness of the facilities’ operational limitations and acute awareness of customer’s needs.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Offering from gospel service to help flood victims

By Lisa Goudy


On Sunday there will be a music sing along raising money for Alberta flood victims.

“We run a monthly country gospel sing-a-long service at Church of Our Lady and this Sunday night is the regular one,” said Rev. Doug Shepherd. “All of a sudden this came up and it just seemed that this was too good a thing to miss. You can’t ignore this. This is just absolutely horrific what’s happening.”

At 7 p.m. on Sunday evening the church, located at 566 Vaughn St., will hold a one-hour country gospel sing-a-long to favourite gospel tunes. All of the offering collected in the evening will go to the Canadian Red Cross to support the flood victims.

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