News Releases

The City of Saskatoon is taking precautions after trace amounts of loose asbestos containing material were discovered on the mechanical room floor at the Cosmo Civic Centre. The heating and cooling systems in the restricted access mechanical room had been under renovation starting in May 2014.

On December 18, the City's Asbestos Management Program Consultant notified the City about remnants of chrysotile, an asbestos containing material (ACM) on the mechanical room floor at Cosmo Civic Centre. The facility's pipes and fittings in the mechanical room had been insulated with ACM.

“It is the expectation that if asbestos is present at a worksite, that it should be reported and removed or shielded appropriately as the work proceeds.  It appears this didn’t happen at Cosmo Civic Centre.  We take this seriously and are continuing our investigation” says Kerry Tarasoff, General Manager for Asset & Financial Management.  “In the meantime, our priority is the health and well-being of any employee, contract worker or visitor who has questions or concerns.”

In keeping with standard protocol, the City has filed a Dangerous Occurrence Report with the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety detailing the events surrounding the detection of Asbestos and air quality testing results.

“As soon as this safety issue came to light, we acted decisively and immediately,” Tarasoff says.  “We take the health and wellness of our employees, contractors and the public seriously.  Once it was detected at the worksite, we took immediate steps to protect workers and patrons from any further potential exposure risk.”

The facility’s mechanical room was immediately sealed and labeled to prevent access.

Employees and contractors who may have come into some level of contact with the material were immediately informed and invited to contact the City with any questions and concerns.

Independent air quality testing was conducted in the mechanical room and entire facility, with testing results returned to the City the same day.

Air quality testing results came back “all clear and all clean” for the immediate area and Cosmo Civic Centre.  The safety standard for exposure to Asbestos is 0.01 fibres/cubic centimetre.  The air quality testing for Cosmo Civic Centre and its mechanical room came back at .0002 fibres/cubic centimeter or 200 times safer than the permissible level.

A certified Asbestos contractor was hired to clean the immediate area and safely dispose of any material.

The City has met with employees who may have accessed the mechanical room during the renovation, offering personal support and health information.  City Human Resources is completing and filing Workers Compensation Claims for each employee.

To avoid such incidents in the future, the City is accelerating the Asbestos Management Program.  The program reviews civic facilities and identifies those that may contain ACM.  To date, 49 of 55 buildings have been reviewed.  In August 2013, the City voluntary added the list of all the buildings to the Provincial Asbestos Registry.

Hazard signage will be immediately installed in the service areas of the six remaining buildings and formal inspections are scheduled to follow.

City of Saskatoon facilities, including Cosmo Civic Centre, are safe and open to the public.

If visitors of Cosmo Civic Centre have questions or concerns please contact Occupational Health & Safety at the City of Saskatoon by calling 306-975-3261.  More information on the health risks of asbestos can be found at http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/environment-environnement/outdoor-air-exterieur/asbestos-amiante-eng.php.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

NEW
CIRCLE DR S EB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM CLARENCE AVE TO PRESTON AVE
(Bulb replacement)
Start: January 13, 9:00 a.m. End: January 13, 3:00 p.m.
TAYLOR ST E WB CURB LANE CLOSED ON CIRCLE DR E OVERPASS
(Crash cushion repair)
Access to Circle Dr. northbound maintained.
Start: January 13, 9:00 a.m. End: January 13, 2:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

NEW
CIRCLE DR S EB MEDIAN LANE CLOSED FROM CLARENCE AVE S TO PRESTON AVE S
(Lamp bulb replacements)
Start: January 12, 9:00 a.m. End: January 12, 3:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The necessary rehabilitation of Saskatoon’s iconic University Bridge is planned for the 2015 construction season. The project is currently out for tender with a closing deadline of January, 28, 2015, at which time the City should be in a position to award the contract for the project.

“The rehabilitation of the near 100 year old bridge is great news for our growing city and will ensure the structure will continue to serve commuters for many years to come,” says Mike Gutek, Director of Major Projects. “Maintaining City infrastructure and bridges is important to Saskatoon.”

An independent engineering assessment of the bridge in 2013 identified the deck is structurally insufficient and the concrete is susceptible to rapid failure and loss of strength due to freeze-thaw action. While there is no risk of danger, the assessment concluded that immediate repairs are required.

“Deferring the project until the Traffic Bridge and North Commuter Parkway Projects are complete in late 2018 would result in further deterioration and could affect bridge use,” Gutek says. “Also, construction costs could increase by as much as an estimated 30 per cent due to further deterioration over the next three years.”

The City is tendering the project for construction during the 2015 season and the deck work that will impact traffic is expected to occur between May 1 and August 30, 2015. The City will be able to provide more detailed construction timeframes once the tender closes at the end of this month.

The project tender suggests a single lane of eastbound traffic exiting Downtown remain open Monday to Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and for a single walkway to remain open at all times during construction. The contractor will be permitted to perform work 24 hours a day to ensure the project is delivered in the most efficient and effective manner with the least disruption to drivers possible.

“Until the tender is closed, and detailed traffic analysis is carried out, the details on exactly how the construction project will change traffic flow are subject to adjustment,” Gutek says.

“To that end, we’re deeply aware this work will have a significant impact on traffic flow in our City, but the repairs are necessary for the safety and longevity of this important piece of infrastructure,” Gutek says. “During construction we will encourage drivers to use alternate routes to avoid traffic congestion and delays. The opening of the Circle Drive South Bridge has increased river crossing capacity, and the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge and Broadway Bridge are also options for travel to and from Downtown.”

The University Bridge was constructed in 1916, a new concrete deck was built in 1972 and, in 1985, the waterproof membrane and asphalt surface were replaced. During a rehabilitation project in 1998/1999 the sidewalks on both sides as well as the spandrel walls between the deck and the main arches were replaced.

A comprehensive and proactive plan is already in use to work with all stakeholders and those impacted by the project to minimize disruption. The project will be discussed at the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation on Monday, January 12, 2015.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

Starting Wednesday, January 7, 2015, crews will begin pruning trees on civic property in East College Park as part of the City of Saskatoon’s (City) overall boulevard tree maintenance program.  Haultain will follow on Monday, January 12, 2015, and Forest Grove after College Park is complete.

The boulevard tree maintenance program follows a regular pruning cycle to help preserve the health and appearance of the City’s boulevard and park tree inventory. Maintenance crews will remove any broken, dead, weak, and diseased branches. Keeping sidewalks and roads free of any hazards, crews will also remove any tree parts that are obstructing pedestrian or vehicle traffic and maintain appropriate clearances from buildings, signs, streetlights, and utility wires.  Tree maintenance operations in these three neighbourhoods will continue until Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Tree maintenance often requires road restrictions.  The City reminds pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers to ensure that safety is a priority by respecting the work zone appropriately and obeying all road restrictions and signage.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook. 

NEW
BROADWAY AVE NB LANES CLOSED BETWEEN 12TH ST E & SASKATCHEWAN CRES
(Water main repair)
Use Clarence Ave. Broadway Ave SB turning lane to 12th St E EB closed.
Start: January 6, 9:00 a.m. End: January 6, 6:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Environment Canada is forecasting -28 C and colder over the weekend and the City would like to caution drivers of the affect these cold temperatures can have on driving conditions.

Roadway crews are out now and will continue to keep high speed roads clear throughout the snowfall, sanding and salting as required.  Extreme cold can create icy conditions on sidewalks and roads, especially on bridges and overpasses.  In addition:

- The very cold road conditions combined with ice crystals in the air settle and cause roadways to be more slippery than usual winter driving conditions.  Condensation, which drifts from vehicle exhaust when stopped or in rush hour traffic near intersections, may also contribute to more frost on the road.

- During very cold weather, on Circle Drive sand is applied more frequently as it does not stick to the roadway as well as it would under warmer temperatures.
- We are continuing the pilot project for the use of the magnesium chloride additive to sand as a de-icer and applying it to Circle Drive and the priority 1 streets as salt is ineffective for melting ice below -16 C.
- We take extra precautionary measures in extreme weather conditions: All bridge decks are checked and sanded every two hours.  Bridge decks are usually sanded just before rush hour because it’s very difficult to sand during peak times.

City Crews will be doing their best to keep roads sanded and salted, so please watch for equipment on the road.  The large machines used are equipped with flashing amber lights, move slowly in teams of two or more and can be found on the road at any time of day or night.  Drivers should stay a minimum of 15 metres back from the equipment and approach slowly if passing is necessary.   

When safe to do so, drivers can report icy locations to Public Works Customer Service at 306-975-2476.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

AF14 -115

Starting today, January 2, any required 2015 Assessment Notices will be mailed to property and business owners located in Saskatoon. The total value of the 2015 Property Assessment Roll is approximately $40 billion.

The Assessment Notice is not a tax bill. It lets owners know the assessed value of their property, which is then used to determine how much property tax must be paid.

Since 2013, property owners have been paying property tax each year based on the value of their property as of January, 2011. Province-wide revaluations take place in Saskatchewan once every four years. The next province-wide reassessment will take place in 2017.

An average single residential property in Saskatoon now has an assessment value of $325,000. “Our goal is to create and conduct property assessments that place fair, accurate, and equitable values on properties,” City Assessor Les Smith says. “Increases or decreases to the amount of property tax a resident owes due to the 2013 revaluation are phased-in over the four year assessment cycle – 2015 marks the third year of the phase-in process,” adds Smith.

The Customer Assessment Appeal Period runs January 2 until February 6, 2015.

As this is a non-revaluation year, property owners have 30 days to appeal their assessment. Customer Assessment Appeals can be made from January 2 until February 6, 2015 by completing the appeal form included with your assessment which can be mailed or delivered with the required fee to:

The Secretary, Board of Revision
c/o City Clerk's Office, City Hall
222 - 3rd Avenue North
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K 0J5

If any information about a residential property or business premise needs to be changed or updated, or if customers wish to discuss their assessment further, they are encouraged to contact Assessment and Taxation at 306-975-3227 or visit the Assessment and Taxation Division in person at 4-325 Third Ave N, located one block north of City Hall.
The City of Saskatoon collects property taxes on behalf of the City, the Provincial Government for the Public and Separate School Boards, and the Saskatoon Public Library. Each taxing authority establishes its annual budget, and after taking into consideration other sources of revenue, determines the total revenue required through taxation.

Property Tax Notices will be delivered in May 2015, once education rates are determined as part of the provincial budget.

The City uses a valuation approach that ensures property values are a reflection of the fair market value on a given date.  Factors like location (neighbourhood) of the property, traffic patterns around the property, views, and the property structure are all used to determine an assessment value. Adjustments are also made for other factors including size, age, style, garage, etc.

Property owners can also find useful market and assessment information about their own property by using the Property Assessment & Tax Tool located under Online Services on the homepage of saskatoon.ca, or by clicking on ’A’ for Assessment for more detailed tax information.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

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Saskatoon Transit and SGI have partnered to bring Saskatoon residents free bus and Access Transit service on New Year’s Eve. Enjoy yourself this New Year’s Eve, and don’t worry about driving because the ride’s on us!

The free bus service will run on Wednesday, December 31, from 8:00 p.m. to 2:45 a.m. (may vary slightly by route) on a weekday evening schedule.  To ensure everyone has a safe ride home, customers will be able to flag down their bus at any point along the route, not just at specified stops.  Please remember to be safe while flagging a bus, stand on the curb and raise your hand to get the operators attention.

For people heading to the New Year's festivities at Prairieland Park, Saskatoon Transit will be providing shuttle service from the Downtown Bus Terminal. We will be picking-up party goers in front of the south entrance of 2nd Avenue Lofts on 23rd Street. Please note departure times from this location only will be every 30 minutes starting at 8:00 p.m.

Route 14 - Will not be running to the North Industrial area after 7:00 p.m.

For more information about Ding in the New Year schedules call 306-975-3100 and speak to a Customer Service Representative (phones are available until 11:30 p.m.) Access Transit customers can call 306-975-3555 (normal booking procedures apply).

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

 

For Immediate Release: Monday, December 29, 2014

City residents can drop off live Christmas trees for recycling at the following locations now until January 31, 2015:

• Primrose Drive Recycling Depot (adjacent to Lawson Civic Centre)
• Lowe Road Recycling Depot (Attridge Drive & Lowe Road)
• Wildwood Golf Course parking lot (8th Street East)
• George Ward Pool parking lot (1915 5th Street East)
• Doukhobor Cultural Society of Saskatoon parking lot (525 Ave I South at 17th Street)
• Meadowgreen Recycling Depot (Witney Avenue & 22nd Street)

Please remove all decorations, ornaments and plastic bags before you drop off your tree to be recycled. Trees should be dropped off unwrapped and unbound. Artificial trees, garbage, recyclables or other yard wastes will not be accepted.

The City reminds residents not to put discarded Christmas trees in either the black garbage carts or the blue recycle carts. The City will not pick up Christmas trees from back lanes or street fronts.

For more information about recycling and waste handling, visit SaskatoonRecycles.ca. 

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.