News Releases

The City of Saskatoon’s Summer Youth Centres open for the season on Friday, July 3, 2015.  The last day of programs will be August 19, 2015.  Youth ages 12 to 16 are invited to drop in for sports and games, listen to music, participate in special events, or hang out with friends in a friendly environment supervised by fun, qualified leaders.

Hours of operation, unless otherwise stated, are Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Monday, August 3, 2015).

Youth Centre Locations:

• Brownell School  (274 Russell Road)
• Confederation Park Community School (3555 John A. Macdonald Road)
• St. Peter Elementary School (202 Sumner Crescent)
• St. Volodymyr School (302 Kellough Road)

Arts Only Location:

• Albert Community Centre (610 Clarence Avenue South) Monday to Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Mè Ta Wè Tàn Youth Centre Locations:

• St. John School (1205 Avenue N South)
• St. Mary’s Wellness and Education Centre (327 Avenue N South)
• Westmount Community School (411 Avenue J North)

Sports Only Youth Centre Locations:

Basketball

• Briarwood Park Outdoor Court (beside Briarwood Park spray pad) Tuesday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Cosmo Civic Centre (3130 Laurier Drive) Monday and Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Monday to Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Forest Grove Outdoor Court (beside Forest Grove School spray pad) Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Lakewood Civic Centre (1635 McKercher Drive) Monday to Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Optimist Park Outdoor Court (beside Riversdale paddling pool) Thursday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Bike (Bring your bike and safety gear)

• Meet beside Lakewood Civic Centre (1635 McKercher Drive) Monday to Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Youth are also invited to practise their boarding with our skilled skateboard leaders who travel to different sites each day.  Equipment is provided or you can bring your own deck.  Program runs from July 3 to August 19, 2015.

Skateboard Leaders are at the following locations at these hours:

• Charlottetown Park  (behind Cosmo Civic Centre) Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Lions Skate Park (Victoria Park - beside Riversdale Pool) Monday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Morris T. Chernesky Park (beside Shaw Civic Centre) Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Umea Park (behind Lawson Civic Centre off Pinehouse Drive) Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• W.W. Ashley Park (beside Lathey Pool) Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Skateboard sites are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  For more information, please call 306-975-3378 or visit www.saskatoon.ca/skateboard

The City of Saskatoon reminds property owners that the due date for payment of 2015 property taxes is Tuesday, June 30, 2015*. Payment can be made in person at City Hall up to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30 by cheque, cash or debit.

If you would like to avoid last minute lineups, consider the following convenient payment options:

• Internet Banking Options – pay property taxes online through your bank’s internet banking options. Please allow up to 2 business days for payment processing by the vendor. Some vendors may take longer.
• Financial Institutions – property taxes may be paid while doing your regular business at most financial institutions and banks.
• City Hall Drop Boxes – you can place your property tax payment in one of the two drop boxes located at City Hall outside the main entrance or in the main foyer. Cheques only please, do not deposit cash. City Hall is located at 222-3^rd Avenue North in Saskatoon.
  
  *A penalty of 1.25% per month will be applied to any 2015 taxes unpaid after June 30, 2015.

If you mail in your property tax payment, you can check your account balance by calling our Automated Voice Response toll free at 1-800-667-9944, or
306-975-2400 to determine if your payment has been received.

Other Tax Services/Programs for Property Owners

• Tax Installment Payment Plan Service (TIPPS):  Property owners can apply to join this service that allows property taxes to be paid in convenient monthly installments. TIPPS payments are made by automatic withdrawal from a bank account.
• Property Tax Deferral Program for Low-Income Senior Citizen Homeowners: For qualified applicants, this program can provide extra financial flexibility by deferring all or a portion of the annual municipal and library taxes for the current tax year.

To apply for TIPPS or the Property Tax Deferral Program for Low-Income Senior Citizen Homeowners, or for more details on property taxes, visit the City’s website at saskatoon.ca, or call our Customer Service team at 306-975-2400 for helpful 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.

The Saskatoon Municipal Review Commission (SMRC) invites interested citizens to listen in or present their thoughts at a public hearing on three important topics:

• Compensation/remuneration for members of City Council
• Code of Conduct for members of City Council
• Municipal elections

Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Lakewood Civic Centre
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Addressing Meetings: Citizens wishing to present to the Commission at the public hearing are encouraged to register by calling 306-975-3240 or emailing municipalreview@saskatoon.ca.

Can’t attend? Visit Saskatoon.ca/SMRC before June 30, 2015 to complete an online submission. 

For more information on the Commission mandate or other relevant topics, please go to Saskatoon.ca/SMRC or follow SMRC on Facebook and Twitter.

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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At its meeting on Monday, June 22, 2015, City Council passed recommendations of the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation regarding an increase to the number of seasonal taxi licences, and also approved the recommendation to amend Bylaw No. 9070, The Taxi Bylaw, 2014. A report on the changes to temporary wheelchair accessible licences will be submitted to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation in the near future with the recommended changes to Bylaw No. 9070, The Taxi Bylaw, 2014.

City Council approved an increase of 6 temporary seasonal licences to make a total of 24, to be allocated to taxicab drivers only - through the process of an open lottery. Drivers must fill out an application form, and pay the non-refundable $50 fee charge to enter the draw. Application forms for the taxicab licence lottery, general rules for the draw and information on the lottery process can be found on the homepage of saskatoon.ca  under Services for Business or Announcements. Lottery Applications are also available at Corporate Revenue, main floor City Hall and the 2 Saskatoon taxi companies. 

The terms of the temporary licence season will be: September 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016, September 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017, and September 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018. The annual seasonal licence fee will be $375. A licensed seasonal taxicab driver will be required to notify City Administration if they move from one company to another, and payment of a $25 transfer fee will be required.    

City Council also approved an increase to the cap on the number of temporary wheelchair accessible taxi licences. Five additional licences were added to make a total of 21 licences. These licences will be in effect for 5 years, and will revert back to the City of Saskatoon at the end of the 5 year term. The allocation of the temporary wheelchair accessible licences was based on fleet size; 3 licences to Comfort Cab, and 2 licences to United Cabs. 

Taxi regulation supports the City of Saskatoon’s long-term plan for optimizing the flow of people and goods in and around the city, under the corporate Strategic Goal of Moving Around. One of the stated purposes of Bylaw No. 9070, The Taxi Bylaw, 2014 is to ensure that taxi service in Saskatoon will be available, safe, and economical to use for both citizens and visitors to our city.

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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Over 1,000 blue “Recycle with Cosmo” containers have been delivered to apartments and condos as Saskatoon’s multi-unit residential recycling program is now fully implemented. The multi-unit recycling service provider is Cosmopolitan Industries (Cosmo), a non-profit organization that enhances the quality of life of adults with intellectual disabilities.

“With the implementation of our new multi-unit program, residential recycling service in Saskatoon is now city-wide,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental & Corporate Initiatives. “When done correctly, recycling reduces the amount of garbage sent to the landfill. Unfortunately, we’re finding that about 20% of the material in multi-unit recycling bins is garbage and we want to remind residents to put waste in the right place.” Wallace adds.

The City and Cosmo remind residents in multi-unit buildings like apartments and condos, that the same materials accepted through the curbside recycling program, with Loraas Recycle as the service provider, are accepted in the multi-unit recycling program. This includes paper and cardboard, plastic containers with number 1 to 7, milk jugs, laundry jugs, tin cans, aluminum trays and glass. The clean recyclable material does not require sorting or bagging – simply toss it loosely into the blue outdoor “Recycle with Cosmo” bin for the building.

“Resident participation is important for an effective recycling program and education serves as the foundation for success,” adds Wallace. “The City of Saskatoon and Cosmo have collaborated to develop an education program to increase participation in the multi-unit recycling program, and decrease the amount of garbage placed in the outdoor bins.”

“Cosmo is working closely with Building Managers by providing ongoing support, education and promotional materials to help them engage residents in their buildings and complexes in how and why to recycle,” says Sharlene Duquette, Executive Director of Cosmopolitan Industries. “Building Managers play a key role in addressing the challenges and opportunities of multi-unit recycling.”

For information on program details and collection schedules, call Cosmopolitan Industries at 306-955-9100. For recycling tips and program information, visit Saskatoon.ca/recycle. For information on recycling charges on utility bills, call the City of Saskatoon Corporate Revenue at 306-975-2400.

By recycling paper and packaging, and putting waste in the right place, together we grow a greener Saskatoon.

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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