News Releases

For September 29, 2014

8.2.1 Designation of Hyde Park Off-Leash Recreation Area and amendment to the Animal Control Bylaw No. 7860 (p. 3)

Council will be asked to:

*Request that the City Solicitor prepare the necessary amendments to Bylaw No. 7860, establishing 4.1 acres within Hyde Park as a designated Off-Leash Recreation Area.

8.4.1 Inquiry – Councillor Z. Jeffries (June 23, 2014) – Installation of Bidirectional Electricity Meters for New Building Construction (p. 4)

Council will be asked to receive the information.

Additional Information:

*All new residential meters are bidirectional.

*New commercial and industrial meters can be ordered as bidirectional.

*Reverse power flow from customers serviced from the 600 volt downtown network is not permissible.

*The Power Corporation Act governs the purchase and sale of electricity for SaskPower customers in Saskatoon.

8.6.1 Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (p. 6)

City council will be asked to:

*Direct the City Solicitor to apply to the Ministry of Government Relations for the Province of Saskatchewan to be designated as Eligible Assistance Area under the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program as a result of damages caused by excessive rain occurring in the period of June 14th-22nd, 2014.

8.8.1 Persephone Theatre Property Tax Abatement *Request to Speak from Jennifer Pereira, Chair, Persephone Theatre Board of Directors (p. 6)

City Council will be asked to:

*Hear Jennifer Pereira, Chair, Persephone Theatre Board of Directors

*Approve a full (100%) property tax abatement to Persephone Theatre through the Culture Grant Program for a five-year period.

-30-

Transit Administration is recommending the purchase of ten new Nova buses to arrive in May 2015, allowing Saskatoon Transit to retire ten of its buses nearing the end of their service life. The recommendation will be discussed as one of the items at September 29 City Council.

“We’re excited about this opportunity because it is a benefit for both Transit riders and our Operators and Mechanics,” says Bob Howe, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “Providing a more reliable and comfortable service to riders, while ensuring our Operators and Mechanics have the best tools to do their job remains a key value at Saskatoon Transit.”

Saskatoon Transit recently announced the purchase of five new buses that are expected to arrive in the coming weeks. The additional recommendation for the purchase of ten new buses is required to improve the median age of the fleet to the recommended industry standard of 9 years and retire some of the oldest buses that have more than 1.5 million kilometres and are 20 years old.

 “We are anxious to get Transit moving again and we remain focused on continuing to improve operations when service resumes.” says Howe. “The purchase of ten new buses will allow us to retire our ten oldest buses.”

Howe says Saskatoon Transit today does not represent what Saskatoon Transit will look like in the coming years. “Transit is currently being re-envisioned as part of the Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon initiative and is expected to include a significant Bus Rapid Transit system.  The five new buses arriving shortly will be an immediate improvement and the ten new buses arriving in May 2015 will help position Transit for long term success.”

If the recommendation for the purchase of ten new Nova buses is approved this will support the future growth of Saskatoon Transit as the City expands to half a million people. 

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 at @CityofSaskatoon and @YXEServiceAlert and on Facebook at Saskatoon City News.

For Release: September 26, 2014

Before the City began negotiations on a new pension deal, the 2012 funding status of the General Pension Plan showed an approximate $68M deficiency or deficit; that has now been eliminated following changes to the Plan enacted by City Council Monday September 22, 2014.

“If the City had done nothing, a 2012 valuation would have been filed showing a $68M deficit and taxpayers would have been responsible for paying it off,” says Marno McInnes, Director of Human Resources.

“We would have had to make special payments that would have been in the neighbourhood of $9M every year; that’s a lot of paved road, repaired water mains and leisure programming that wouldn’t be done – just dollars out the door.”

However, with much hard work and with everyone all working together at the same table, the City and eight of the nine unions in the Plan agreed with the changes.  The deficit reduced to approximately $6.7M, which remained as a result of the Transit union rejecting the changes and opting instead to push for the unaffordable old plan for its members.

“Now, because Council passed the bylaw Monday and everyone – including the Transit union – is under the new pension plan deal, there no longer is any deficit in the plan for the 2012 valuation,” McInnes says.

NEW SATURDAY
20TH ST E CLOSED EB & WB FROM IDYLWYLD DR S TO AVE E S
(Nuit Blanche)
Start: September 27, 5:00 p.m. End: September 28, 2:00 a.m.

NEW SUNDAY

CIRCLE DR OVER IDYLWYLD DR OVERPASS ONE LANE CLOSED
(Microsurfacing/seal coating)
Start: September 28, 6:00 a.m. End: September 28, 3:00 p.m.

51ST ST OVER IDYLWYLD DR OVERPASS ONE LANE CLOSED
(Microsurfacing/seal coating)
Start: September 28, 6:00 a.m. End: September 28, 3:00 p.m.

MCKERCHER DR OVER COLLEGE DRIVE OVERPASS ONE LANE CLOSED
(Microsurfacing/seal coating)
Start: September 28, 6:00 a.m. End: September 28, 3:00 p.m.

BROADWAY AVE SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN 12TH ST & 11TH ST
(Utility maintenance)
Start: September 28, 7:00 a.m. End: September 28, 6:00 p.m.

3RD AVE NB CLOSED FROM 20TH ST TO 21ST ST
(Connection valve repairs)
Start: September 28, 7:00 a.m. End: September 28, 6:00 p.m.

8TH ST EB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT GOODWIN AVE
(Asphalt work)
Start: September 28, 8:00 a.m. End: September 28, 12:00 p.m.
ONGOING
11TH ST W CLOSED FROM HIGHWAY 7 TO CHAPPELL DR
(Patch paving)
Sections of the road will be closed for patch paving. Access to businesses will be maintained.
Start: September 23, 9:00 a.m. End: October 14, 6:00 p.m.

CENTRAL AVE NB CLOSED FROM 110TH ST W TO GRAY AVE
(Phase 3: Streetscaping)
NB traffic accommodated in SB lanes. SB traffic detoured via Egbert Ave & Bryans Ave  
Start: September 23, 7:00 a.m. End: October 5, 6:00 p.m.
TAYLOR ST E CLOSED FROM MUNROE AVE S TO MCKINNON AVE S
(Water Main Lining)
Start: September 8, 8:00 a.m. End: October 8, 7:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 25TH ST TO 24TH ST
(Streetscaping)
Right turn from 25th St EB to Idylwyld Dr SB maintained
Start: September 2, 9:00 a.m. End: September 26, 6:00 p.m.

33RD ST W EB LANES CLOSED FROM AVE Y N TO AVE W N
(Water main lining)
Two-way traffic accommodated in WB lanes
Start: August 22, 10:30 a.m. End: September 26, 6:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR NB LANES CLOSED FROM GATEWAY BLVD TO THE AIRPORT
(Roadway improvements)
Two-way traffic accommodated in SB lanes. 45th St W closed from Airport Dr to Koyl Ave
Start: August 20, 1:00 p.m. End: October 29, 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.

NEW
33RD ST WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN AVE P & EDMONTON AVE
(Concrete work)
Start: September 29, 8:00 a.m. End: October 1, 6:00 p.m.
CIRCLE DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN PRESTON AVE & 108TH ST
(Paving)
108th St off-ramp closed. Speed limit reduced to 60 km/h
Start: September 29, 10:30 a.m. End: September 29, 3:00 p.m.
ONGOING
11TH ST W CLOSED FROM HIGHWAY 7 TO CHAPPELL DR
(Patch paving)
Sections of the road will be closed for patch paving. Access to businesses & compost depot will be maintained.
Start: September 23, 9:00 a.m. End: October 14, 6:00 p.m.

CENTRAL AVE NB CLOSED FROM 110TH ST W TO GRAY AVE
(Phase 3: Streetscaping)
NB traffic accommodated in SB lanes. SB traffic detoured via Egbert Ave & Bryans Ave  
Start: September 23, 7:00 a.m. End: October 5, 6:00 p.m.

UPDATE: IDYLWYLD DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 25TH ST TO 24TH ST
(Streetscaping)
Right turn from 25th St EB to Idylwyld Dr SB maintained
Start: September 2, 9:00 a.m. End: October 3, 6:00 p.m.
TAYLOR ST E CLOSED FROM MUNROE AVE S TO MCKINNON AVE S
(Water Main Lining)
Start: September 8, 8:00 a.m. End: October 8, 7:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR NB LANES CLOSED FROM GATEWAY BLVD TO THE AIRPORT
(Roadway improvements)
Two-way traffic accommodated in SB lanes. 45th St W closed from Airport Dr to Koyl Ave
Start: August 20, 1:00 p.m. End: October 29, 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.