News Releases

From the August 16, 2016 Meeting

7.1.2 Water Supply – Alternate Water Source

Decision

*The Committee received the report as information.

Background

*The Water Treatment Plant has many redundancy and contingency plans within the water treatment process; however, the South Saskatchewan River is currently the only water supply.
*There are several pipelines that transport crude oil, refined petroleum, and liquid natural gas across the South Saskatchewan River between Saskatoon and Lake Diefenbaker.
*Through the Emergency Measures Organization, the City has an extensive emergency plan that is able to assess a situation and escalate quickly when warranted. A Drinking Water Quality Emergency Response Plan is in place as well.
*There are several areas that an alternative water source could be considered, such as natural or engineered bodies of surface water, multiple aquifers, and the North Saskatchewan River.
*Administration will be investigating various alternative water sources and reporting the results in 2017.

August 17, 2016 Meeting

8.1.1 Saskatoon Municipal Review Commission Elections Committee Recommendations – Request of Amend Legislation

Decision

*The Committee received the report as information.

Additional Information

*In accordance with City Council’s instructions in January, the City Solicitor communicated with the Province requesting various amendments to The Local Government Election Act and The Cities Act. A response was received from the Province and the report summarizes the Province’s response.

From the August 18, 2016 Regular Meeting of City Council

8.1.10 Kinsmen Play Village – Play Structure

Decision

*Administration will start on the design and purchase of accessible playground equipment for Caswell Hill with installation to be completed no later than June 2017 to be funded from the Reserve for Capital Expenditures to a maximum of $253,000, to include the remedial work at Kinsmen Play Village.
*Gates to the Kinsmen Play Village play structure be reopened, following appropriate safety checks.
*The Kinsmen Park Master Plan will be amended to retain certain elements of the Kinsmen Play Village, such that the play structure is retained.

Additional Information

*At the August 15, 2016 meeting of the Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services, a report was considered, along with presentations and further communications.

9.3.1 Saskatoon Strides – 2015 Report on Service, Savings and Sustainability

Decision

*City Council received the report as information.

Additional Information

*The City is committed to continue to explore and implement new ways to improve service, increase savings, and grow Saskatoon in a sustainable way. Saskatoon Strides - 2015 Report on Service, Savings and Sustainability highlights the City’s accomplishments in each of these areas for 2015.

9.3.2 2015 Annual Report – Sustaining the Saskatoon Advantage

Decision

*City Council received the report as information.

Additional Information

*The 2015 Annual Report – Sustaining the Saskatoon Advantage includes a summary of the progress achieved on the 2015 Corporate Business Plan, as well as the 2015 Audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Trust Fund Financial Statements.

9.6.3 2016 Local Government Elections – Amendments to Bylaw No. 8191, The Election Bylaw, 2012

Decision

*City Council amended and passed.

Additional Information

*The amendments to the Bylaw update references to the new legislation and new section numbers. They also provide for procedures related to the programming, use, storage and transport of vote counting machines and the counting of votes necessitated by the new legislation.

Halfway through its most ambitious construction season, the City of Saskatoon has renewed 91 of 233 planned lane kilometres. Last year the City completed road rehabilitation on 220 lane kilometres.

“It’s been a very busy construction season, with some interesting and complex projects on the agenda, including the Idylwyld Drive Overpass and the Broadway Improvement Project,” says Celene Anger, Director of Construction & Design. “This is the largest Building Better Roads season we’ve had with City Council investing $59 million for road and sidewalk renewal. We’re well on the way to delivering our commitment of better roads for Saskatoon residents.”

This year, fast moving microsurfacing work is scheduled for the second-half of the season, which is why the completion rate to this point is at 40 per cent. This will increase dramatically through the remainder of August and into the fall as these projects shift into high gear.

“Microsurfacing is in full swing right now and helps us to repair roads in a way that has a minimum impact on the community while extending the life of the roadway in an economical way,” says Anger. “We’re scheduled to complete 87 lane kilometres of microsurfacing which is a 24 per cent increase over last year.”   

Around the city, work has and continues to progress well on high traffic and residential streets:  night work allows large projects to be completed with minimal disrupters to commuters.

So far this year, work has been completed on several larger projects:

• College Drive from Preston Avenue to Central Avenue
• Circle Drive West (eastbound lanes) from 33rd Street to Avenue C
• Claypool Drive from Airport Drive to Hampton Gate North
• Broadway Avenue from 8th Street to Saskatchewan Crescent East.

In addition to this road work:

• More than 139,000 average potholes have been repaired. That’s more than 2,400 tonnes of asphalt – or 5,291,094 pounds which is the equivalent of about 240 tandem truck loads of asphalt.  
• 365 kilometres of white lines and 235 kilometres of yellow lines have been painted around the city. Combined, that’s about the same distance as from Saskatoon to Calgary.
• 8,780 metres of sanitary sewer mains have been rehabilitated which is roughly the length 64 CFL football fields from end zone to end zone.
• 3,777 panels of sidewalk have been replaced. That’s equivalent to 5.67 kilometres which is like walking the Meewasin Trail from the Circle Drive South overpass to the University Bridge.

Major construction projects, such as repairs to the Idylwyld over Ruth overpass has completed ahead of schedule and the roadway construction around Attridge Drive and Central Avenue continues and is expected to be complete on budget and schedule.

Great effort has been made throughout the summer to minimize impact on residents, while maximizing work efficiencies.

“We’ve made very good progress on our projects and thank the residents of Saskatoon for their patience in following traffic detours, respecting work zones and our workers,” says Anger.

As always, residents are reminded to slow down, pay attention and obey signage around work zones at all times. For more information, please visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads. 

At the request of the Howe family, cremated remains of Gordie and Colleen Howe will be interred in the base of the statue honoring “Mr. Hockey” at SaskTel Centre. 

To make the interment possible, the City must apply to the provincial government and ask the statue and a small portion of adjacent area be declared a cemetery.

“When Gordie and Colleen Howe’s family approached us with this idea, we thought it was a fitting tribute to someone who had always remembered his roots,” says Catherine Gryba, General Manager of Corporate Performance.  “It’s only appropriate that we do what we can to remember this great athlete, Saskatonian and Canadian.”

Renowned hockey legend Gordie Howe died June 10, 2016.  While born in Floral, Mr. Howe grew up and spent 16 years in Saskatoon before embarking on a record-setting hockey career in the United States.  Numerous facilities in Saskatoon have been named in Mr. Howe’s honour, which reflect his Saskatoon origins.

“We’ve been speaking with the Howe family and will take the appropriate steps to safeguard and respect Gordie and Colleen’s ashes,” Gryba says.  “They will be encased in a special concrete vessel with a commemorative plaque on top to protect them.”

The Administration will ask City Council for a resolution at its regular business meeting Thursday afternoon, August 18.

The Saskatoon Blades and SaskTel Centre are planning other activities for September 25 to honour Gordie Howe and coincide with the statue commemoration.

SaskTel Centre will cover the costs of the project up to a maximum of $6000, and the Saskatoon Blades will cover any costs over and above that amount.

If the ashes are ever moved, the City must also ask the Province to rescind the cemetery designation at the statue location.