Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Refining the capital budget estimates

Councillors seek operating budget, more information before finalizing capital plan

Coun. Candis Kirkpatrick (left) and Coun. Dawn
Luhning are seen at the Dec. 16, 2015 capital budget
meeting in the ACT Room at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre.
Lisa Goudy/Times-Herald

By Lisa Goudy

Their decision was to wait.

On Wednesday afternoon, councillors and city administration held a second capital budget meeting in less than a week, this time in the ACT Room at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre. The current estimates face a five-year funding shortfall of $35 million.

"We're at the point where it's a decision-making point of council. They have to look at the budget presented before them and there are a number of alternatives to pursue," said Brian Acker, director of financial services.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Historic Moose Jaw Court House reopens

On Dec. 15, 2015, the Moose Jaw Court House reopened.
The top right corner was the part of the ceiling
that was hanging low and collapsed in 2013, but
the entire building has been restored.
Lisa Goudy/Times-Herald

By Lisa Goudy

On Sept. 21, 2013, the Moose Jaw Court House ceiling collapsed. Two years, two months and 24 days later, the historic courthouse has reopened.

“We need to preserve our history and part of the significant history of this province is the history of the judiciary and the history of our courts,” said Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant following the reopening ceremony of the building on Tuesday.

“So as the longest functioning courthouse in the province, I think it sends a signal to future generations about how we respect our old buildings, especially these kinds of buildings that are really a symbol of the foundation of our democracy and our respect for the rule of law.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Council keeps LIP application in the works

In a vote of 4-3, councillors defeat a motion to withdraw the application 

Coun. Don Mitchell speaks to his motion for the
city to withdraw its local improvement program
(LIP) application to the Saskatchewan Municipal
Board at the Dec. 14, 2015 council meeting.
Lisa Goudy/Times-Herald    

By Lisa Goudy

On Monday, Citizens Advocating Sensible Taxation (CAST) presented a petition with about 400 names attached.

This petition urged council to withdraw the City of Moose Jaw’s application to the Saskatchewan Municipal Board (SMB) to help fund the cast iron water main replacement program through a non-petitionable local improvement program (LIP) on abutting properties.

“The local improvement program saves every property owner in the city the equivalent of a seven per cent mill rate increase, but at what cost?” said Terry Gabel on behalf of CAST. “Using frontage supplied by the city in the application, we were able to calculate the estimated cost to the 77 properties (next year).”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Local volunteer seeks to create a pipe band legacy

Russ McKnight is looking for stories, pictures and videos of Moose Jaw's pipe bands

By Lisa Goudy

Russ McKnight is hoping to maintain the legacy of the two longest running bands in Moose Jaw.

"My intention is to get a book done for the 100th anniversary of pipe bands in the city," he said. "I've been part of it for half a century, so I want to get that recorded because I'm afraid after I pass away, there's not going to be any record of that."

The longtime Moose Jaw volunteer is putting together a book, 'Legacy Through the years: A pictorial history of treasured memories of Moose Jaw's pipe bands.'

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Lighting up the Ex

Moose Jaw Exhibition Company puts on second annual Christmas show

Thousands of Christmas lights were synchronized to
 music during the Christmas at the Ex at the Golden Mile
Arena at the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds on Dec. 12, 2015.
Lisa Goudy/Times-Herald

By Lisa Goudy

Moose Jaw Exhibition Company staff members spent hours synchronizing thousands of lights to music on a wall in the Golden Mile Arena.

"That whole wall lights up with Christmas lights synced to music and that part's only five minutes long. There are thousands of lights. I don't know how many," said George Fowler, general manager of the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company and organizer of the event, Christmas at the Ex, that took place on Saturday.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: A Christmas atmosphere for kids

Two sittings of YMCA's Breakfast with Santa were sold out

Gideon Antinuk, aged seven months, is seen
dressed as Santa at the YMCA's sixth annual
Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 12, 2015.
Lisa Goudy/Times-Herald

By Lisa Goudy

Delmer Wagner grinned the minute he saw seven-month-old Gideon Antinuk dressed in a Santa suit.

"It gives us, during this Christmas season, a great deal of joy serving families in support of the program," said Wagner, the most recent past Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus Fr. Francis Lawless No. 1534. "Just getting out and making breakfast for these kids, it's as exciting for us as it is for the people we're serving

Wagner, as well as other volunteers from the 1534 Knights of Columbus, volunteered to help out at the YMCA's sixth annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, which supports the Strong Kids Campaign.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Wrapping gifts for Jumpstart

Four Moose Jaw Warriors help wrap presents and collect donations for local program

(From left): Moose Jaw Warriors centre Brett Howden,
goalie Brody Willms, goalie Zach Sawchenko and forward
Noah Gregor were at Canadian Tire on Dec. 12, 2015
to wrap gifts and collect donations for Jumpstart.
Lisa Goudy/Times-Herald

By Lisa Goudy

Four members of the Moose Jaw Warriors were all smiles as they wrapped Christmas presents at Canadian Tire on Saturday.

“It’s fun,” said Warriors centre Brett Howden.

Howden, joined by goalie Brody Willms, goalie Zach Sawchenko and forward Noah Gregor, was also accepting donations to Jumpstart while wrapping gifts.

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