The City of Weyburn's various departments are all gearing up for the spring and summer season when there will be many projects on the go, and preparation made by the centennial committee for this summer's big celebration, with details provided on some of these at the council meeting on May 13.
In a report from the Parks Board, there will not a Parks Day this year, but rather plans are being made for a winter version of the celebration in February 2014.
Some of the activities being looked at include ice-carving and snow shoeing, and the locale will be River Park, with planning to fully be underway by December, said Coun. Nancy Styles.
She also noted that Prestige Developments had asked the city to cost-share on a storm drainage channel to their development, located east of Silver Heights. The cost-sharing was asked for because some of the land belongs to the Tatagwa Parkway; the Parks Board rejected the request, however, as they opposed sharing the cost on the storm drainage channel.
Later in the meeting, council gave approval for the Parks department to buy a gazebo structure for a total of $57,305; of this, $32,775 is for the materials, and $20,240 is for the installation. This gazebo will be placed on the boardwalk extension along the Souris River between Third Street and the Soo Line Historical Museum.
From the Environmental Resource committee, the tonnage being sent for recycling was recorded, along with what is being sent to the landfill.
The tonnage of paper and cardboard going to Crown Shred for recycling was 27.6 tonnes in January, 25.1 tonnes in February, and 27 tonnes in March.
Meantime, businesses and individuals are taking paper and cardboard to the landfill instead of for recycling; they recorded 15.4 tonnes in January, 11.74 tonnes in February, and 12.42 tonnes in March.
Coun. Winston Bailey, in noting the tonnage going for recycling, said there has been comments made that people believe the city is sending paper and cardboard to the landfill instead of recycling, and he noted this is not happening, as the city has not stopped recycling paper. In addition, the committee is concerned with the amounts of recyclable materials that are being dumped in the landfill.
Also, in regard to the location of the recycling bins, the city is looking to expand the water treatment plant, which is adjacent to where the bins are located on East Avenue, with construction to begin this fall or next spring. This will mean moving the bins to another site, and the committee discussed locations like the landfill, the mall, or the compound of the waste disposal company that wins the tender for the recycling bins.
The city will hold a Hazardous Waste Collection day on Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fire Hall.
SARCAN will also be open that day to accept paint and electronics; a list will be provided by the city as to what materials will be accepted at the hazardous waste collection site.
From the Building Department, an update on lots sold and building permits issued was provided.
As of the end of April, the city has sold seven lots, including six industrial.
The city issued a total of 20 building permits by the end of April worth $11.5 million; last year at this time there were 49 permits issued worth $5.6 million.
This year so far, all the construction has been commercial or residential; the commercial permits totalled six, worth $7.6 million, while there were 14 residential permits worth $3.9 million, with a total of nine dwelling units created so far. This compares to 24 dwelling units created by this time last year, worth $3.3 million.
The facilities committee met with the Young Fellows Club about partnering with the city to set up a second spray park, this one at River Park, but the club advised the committee they want to concentrate on improvements to Don Mitchell Tot Lot where the first spray park is located.
Coun. Styles said they are now looking for a partner to share the cost of $250,000 for the second spray park to benefit the families of South Hill.
Coun. Bailey reported from the Nickle Lake Regional Park committee, and noted they received good news in regards to the paddling pool at the park.
The fear initially was that the park would have to hire a qualified lifeguard for the pool in order to operate it, but they received word that they only need to fence it in, and to have a supervisor on site.
"We will be budgeting for a fence and for personnel for the summer," said Coun. Bailey, adding they will also need to spend some $4,000 for new floating docks for the waterfront, plus there will be 1,900 trees planted in Nickle Lake park this year to fill areas where they're needed, and to help create new campsite locations.
Also, the park will be replacing the gate structure with a new building, with a budget of up to $30,000 for the new structure, and around $30,000 to remove the old one.
