The council package presented at council's final meeting in July included the 2011 traffic volume map from the provincial Ministry of Highways.
The report, which included the average annual daily traffic figures for the various Saskatchewan cities, confirmed what many already believed, that traffic is way up in Estevan.
According to the report, the average daily traffic on Highway 39 east into Estevan each day is 6,920 vehicles, which represented a significant increase over 2010.
The report said the average daily traffic on Highway 39 west is 3,870 vehicles. Just over 3,100 vehicles travel Highway 47 north a day while 1,830 travel Highway 47 south.
The report sparked a brief discussion about the impact of that traffic on Estevan streets. It was noted that the Highway 47 route through Estevan remains in terrible shape and the City hopes to receive provincial funding to repair the road next year. It was noted that Perkins Street is also in rough shape due to truck traffic and may also need repairs before long.
Garth Forster, who serves as the event manager in the City's leisure services division, was before council to speak about the cost recovery figures for Estevan's various leisure facilities.
Forster noted that a couple of years ago, council gave the leisure services division a mandate to increase cost recovery rates for Estevan's sporting facilities. Though he admitted Estevan's recovery rate is behind other communities of similar size, they are moving closer with small increases each year.
Sticking with leisure services, it was also noted that the City will be filing applications with the Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund in an attempt to get money for a couple of projects.
The CIIF was introduced on July 5 and will be used to help communities pay for repairs and upgrades to arenas, community centres and sports fields.
The City plans to apply for funding to aid the ICON Centre expansion project and also the paving of the Souris Valley Aquatic and Leisure Centre parking lot.
It was also noted that the City would like to hear from residents with respect to other recreation projects they would like to see in the community and that might eligible for money through the CIIF.
The 2012 building pace in Estevan continues to run well behind 2011.
The building permit report for June was contained in the council package and it noted that 13 permits, which had a combined value of $2.26 million, were issued throughout the month.
That figure is more than $2 million lower than 2011. On the year, the City is just under $9 million behind the blistering pace that was set last year.
Commercial permits were responsible for the bulk of June's total, checking in at just over $1.32 million.
The Estevan Fire Rescue Service report for June was presented at the meeting.
The department attended to just two fire calls in June but were called out to eight false alarms, one hazardous materials spill and one motor vehicle accident.
As part of the preparation for the 2012 civic election, council passed the campaign disclosure bylaw at the meeting.
The bylaw deals with such matter as campaign contributions to candidates and election expenses.
Council gave three readings to a local improvements bylaw that will clear the way for work to begin on the area of Sixth Street from Souris Avenue to Kensington Avenue.
The City has long expressed a desire to pave the road and install proper curbing and drainage.
The City's plan currently calls for them to begin the underground work on watermains and the storm sewer this year and if that is completed, paving would commence in 2013.
The cost of the project is pegged at $3.8 million.
