It is always interesting to listen to people in our community, especially when it comes to how the City should be investing our taxpayer dollars.
There are those fully onside with the plan to redo Broadway Street, others less so.
Some look at the City's aging grandstand and foresee the day in the not so distant future it will need replaced to remain a gathering point in Yorkton as it was in 2005 for the province's 100th birthday.
Others will argue its use is too limited to invest in replacement.
There are still those who would mortgage the farm as they say to move the railway tracks out of the city.
Others see that as folly.
A third ice surface would be on the list of some others.
Where and when any of the above projects might be carried out is of course at the discretion of Council, but since the City has finite financial resources to work with, a plan is essential.
Former Mayor James Wilson held what was essentially a community think tank bringing together people in the city to provide a very broad idea of what was wanted in our city.
Not surprisingly the collective wanted a safe city.
They wanted a city with access to health care and education.
They wanted a City flexible enough to enjoy reasonable economic growth.
It was in the end a lot of rather obvious things we want as a community, but it did at least set a foundation to work from.
That effort is now years behind us and Bob Maloney is now Mayor, in his second term in that role. It might be a good time to build the next level upon the foundation set.
As stated there are many visions of what is most required as our city grows toward the future.
Some needs, like a dog park, are going to be met through community involvement.
Others, like the Broadway rebuild, will not.
But they are all part of a list for what people living in Yorkton see as important in the years ahead to make the city a fulfilling place to live.
With access to technology such as the website, Facebook and similar social networking platforms there is ample opportunity for the City to start a discussion with residents over creating a priority list from the viewpoint of the taxpayer.
Public meetings can add to the process as a list is developed.
It is not to suggest Council would be bound to follow the list, as there are elements of cost, system threats and requirements, but it would at least provide a general road map to set Council moving forward on the direction taxpayers, those supplying the dollars to invest, want to most see in the years ahead.
