Estevan still may not be that pretty, but we're certainly gaining ground and making the right moves.
There may have been some stumbles in the past, but our city's green spaces and getaway spots are now ubiquitous.
Strategically placed walking paths are part of our lives now and we welcome them and notice they are being well used.
Our playparks are well kept and well used, pretty well year round now as even a good dump of snow can't keep small kids away from swings and slides, it seems.
Estevan's ball diamonds, soccer pitches and football fields are looking much better now that some recovery work has been carried out following last summer's devastating floods. Even the hard-hit Woodlawn Regional Park and its Phase 2 cousin, Woodlawn 2 at Boundary Dam, are coming along nicely in terms of recovery and reconstruction as is the Woodlawn Golf Club. We wish them well in their efforts and that includes the necessary fundraising efforts.
The plans for these traditional getaway facilities are extensive and impressive. We can hardly wait, but we also have to understand that bouncing back from Mother Nature's temper tantrum requires time as well as attention. But rest assured, the natural beauty, enhanced by helping human hands, will allow these parks and golf course to come back even better than before.
We have a tiny quiet space in the heart of downtown that came up for some recent criticism due to its lack of use, but in this instance, the park is a welcomed addition compared with what was there before and it does see some use as does the traditional rest spot, the courthouse lawn that isn't too far away.
The City of Estevan even launched a weed eradication project, attempting to defeat the unwanted growth that was cropping up between the cracks in the curbs, pavement and those walking paths. That is to be applauded.
More frequent street sweeping has helped keep the cap on flying dust this summer.
An ambitious mosquito eradication program has kept those pesky insects pretty much at bay too.
The grass has been cut, the trees have been trimmed, the Spectra Place parking lot may finally be paved and the planters and flowers along our main boulevards are a welcome sight. The fact that the spindly saplings that were planted along these boulevards about 15 years ago are now stately trees helps create a more scenic city.
Plans in the future include development of more subdivisions that will be balanced with designated green spaces since we now "get it." A neighbourhood is only as good as its occupants and its ability to have them enjoy a little air time outside and to do that, you need a local park or green zone that will take them away from traffic.
We still have too many rutted and rough streets, but they too are being tended to.
All this is being accomplished without additional provincial or federal assistance and it is being done during a period of rapid growth in our city. That should be applauded because it would be so easy to forgo these beautification mandates by using growth as an excuse. Our city hasn't done that and that should be recognized.
We're beginning to understand that it's just not economics that make things spin in the Energy City. We've learned that esthetics ... some of the nicer things in life ... our cultural and recreational spaces and programs are just as important as the business events when it comes to attracting and keeping people. We've learned that we can have it both ways. We can be a big resource and business hub while maintaining a pleasant and presentable city for a growing population.
