The ongoing and future growth of the city and area is partly due to the expanding growth in the oil industry, but also of other businesses and industries, said Martino Verhaeghe, director of planning and development for the City of Weyburn.
The ongoing and future growth of the city and area is partly due to the expanding growth in the oil industry, but also of other businesses and industries, said Martino Verhaeghe, director of planning and development for the City of Weyburn.
"We know we are centred in the southeast region, which is driving the province's economy. As a centre within that region, we are watching the oilfield expand around us with new oil-bearing formations being found," said Verhaeghe, adding there are future developments coming also in the potash industry which may have an impact on Weyburn's economy as well.
"When it comes to the local economy, it's hard to pinpoint just one thing - but that's a good thing. It also comes with different problems that we need to work on to get solved," he said, adding the new developments aren't just centred on building accommodations, but new retail and industrial facilities, with businesses spinning off of bigger ones (such as for agriculture or oil).
Some of the commercial developments have included the Co-op's Suds City expansion on the First Avenue NW service road, the start of construction of Brown's Socialhouse near the Microtel Hotel, and The Creeks are preparing their highway-commercial lots for new businesses to set up on the city's east end of First Avenue.
"I'm expecting to see more developments in the coming year, such as in The Creeks," said Verhaeghe, noting they have 17 acres of land for development. He pointed out this is equal to the land on the west side, taking in the developments from Wal-Mart over to the hotels, only now there will be development on the east end, for everything from retailers to restaurants.
"The city is working with The Creeks and The Meadows, which is just to the north of The Creeks, that's a major arterial area," said Verhaeghe, noting that many commercial/industrial lots in the city are being filled up, and the city will need to invest money in developing more in the next few years.
Verhaeghe noted that the city used to have lots available on Coteau Avenue West and Regina Avenue - those are now all being bought and filling in the areas that used to be vacant in the area between Highway 13 and Highway 39.
The areas in the RM, such as Evanston Park on the south side, and Minard's industrial park and the lots by Main Track on the northwest side, also show the continuing growth just outside of the city boundaries.
All five of the industrial permits for this year were for contractors shops, "which are being proposed at an increasing frequency as contracting companies continue to expand as they deal with the increasing influx of construction with residential and industrial/commercial developments," said junior planner Drew Bakken.
