With spring finally here, many Weyburn residents are enjoying the outdoors, both here in the city and in our local parks. The City of Weyburn Planning and Development department encourages residents to enjoy healthy activities but also cautions residents to stay alert to where they are walking.
With the recent growth in construction in Weyburn, many new developments are going up near parks - such as the Tatagwa trail systems - and in some cases may be modifying areas which people are used to accessing along the river.
"Several developers have brought to our attention that people are trespassing on constructions sites, using construction access roads or wandering into actively developing areas. This is a major safety concern for everyone involved. There is heavy equipment being operated and excavation going on at these sites. These situations could easily lead to tragic accidents if people continue to make inappropriate use of these areas," said Martino Verhaeghe, Director of Planning and Development for the City of Weyburn.
These concerns are not restricted to parkland areas. Verhaeghe noted that there will be construction traffic using Coteau Avenue east of 16th Street for the Creeks for several weeks and as well as ongoing construction traffic accessing 10th Avenue South. Verhaeghe advises residents to keep an eye on their children along these routes and instruct them in proper road crossing safety. "Large scale development is something new in the City. It's very exciting and will bring many opportunities for all of us but it also means a few adjustments. We want to make sure everyone continues to have a happy spring; we can do that by staying safe, being sensible and staying aware of our surroundings," Verhaeghe said.