News Releases

As warmer temperatures near, the City of Saskatoon (City) reminds visitors to the Woodlawn Cemetery of the guidelines for gravesite memorials, which are intended to maintain a pleasant environment and respect the final resting place of loved ones.

Only approved monuments or memorials are considered permanent items and are permitted to remain in the cemetery year-round.  All other items placed on a gravesite, flowerbed, monument, or concrete foundation are considered temporary and need to be removed weekly.  Flowers and other items are permitted on the gravesite the day of the burial and will be left for a period of seven calendar days.  After this time period, items will be removed by the City.  Please note, the City does not take responsibility for any removed, damaged, or missing items placed in the cemetery by the public.

From May 1 to October 15:

• Families may establish a flowerbed at the gravesite (with the exception of Military burials in the “Field of Honour” and flat marker areas) upon approval from the Cemetery Office.  Annual flowers are allowed, provided they do not hang over the edge of the flowerbed or impede maintenance of adjacent gravesites.
• Items not allowed within flowerbeds include shrubs, perennials, decorative fencing, rocks, stones, concrete, and breakable or fragile items.
• The City assumes no responsibility for the appearance, maintenance, and fall cleanup of approved flowerbeds planted by the public.  If flowerbeds are neglected, they will be removed.

The Cemetery Office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays.  All inquiries should be directed to the Cemetery Office at 306-975-3308.

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:  April 02, 2014

On Thursday, April 3, between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., SaskPower is planning a power outage that will affect many areas of northeast Saskatoon as well as Martensville and Warman.

Areas east of Idylwyld Drive and Louis Riel Trail and north of Circle Drive, including River Heights, Lawson Heights, Silverwood, North Industrial, Hudson Bay Industrial, and Marquis Industrial will be without power for approximately three hours starting at 3 a.m. Thursday morning.  The anticipated total outage area includes the City of Martensville and the City of Warman and rural communities east of Highway 12 to the South Saskatchewan River. 

SaskPower will be turning off the power to this area for necessary system improvements, and anticipates that power will be restored by 6 a.m. Thursday morning. If you have questions about the planned outage, please call the SaskPower Outage Centre at 306-310-2220.

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 at 9:30 a.m. on April 2, 2014 there will be various lane restrictions along the Idylwyld Freeway while Saskatoon Light & Power crews work on street light repairs: 

Wednesday, April 2 – southbound curb lane from Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge to the 8th Street off ramp will be closed. 

Thursday, April 3 - southbound curb lane from the 8th Street overpass to the Taylor Street exit ramp will be closed. 

To minimize the impact to traffic the work has been scheduled to take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day. The work is expected to take two days to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Know before you go!  Find up-to-date Traffic Detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca and follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our City Blog.

 

The City of Saskatoon Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) today launched NotifyNOW, a new mass notification system. It means Saskatoon residents can receive information via direct text, voice mail, and e-mail messages in emergency situations that could affect them or their property.

“NotifyNOW will provide the EMO with the capacity to reach tens of thousands of residents within seconds of an emergency occurring in Saskatoon,” says Mayor Donald Atchison. “Public safety and security are a fundamental priority. This move is in line with City Council’s strategic goals of Continuous Improvement and Quality of Life, making Saskatoon a great place to live.”

An emergency could include any situation in which residents would be required to take some form of precautionary action as a result of a major blizzard, tornado warning, plane crash, hazardous goods spill, etc.

A past example of when NotifyNOW could have been helpful is the 2007 blizzard which ground the city to a halt, stranding motorists in their vehicles for several hours.

“With NotifyNOW, we would have been able to contact many people on their cell phones,” says Fire Chief Dan Paulsen. “We could have provided them with important safety messages and assured them that crews were working to locate them.” 

To create its contact database, the EMO purchased the phone numbers listed in the 2013-2014 Saskatoon SaskTel Phonebook. This database will be used only in emergency situations. Residents who do not have a phone number listed in this phonebook, or who wish to customize how they receive messages, can sign up on the EMO’s website.

Throughout the month of April, the EMO will run a promotional campaign to encourage residents to log in to NotifyNOW, check to see if they are already entered into the system, customize their options, or sign up if need be.  In May, the EMO will run a city-wide test during Emergency Preparedness week.  More details regarding the system test will be available soon.

Looking forward, the City plans to build on the benefits the system provides in other ways. By late spring 2014, residents will have the option to receive messages via NotifyNOW regarding service disruptions such as power outages and water main breaks occurring in their area. The notifications will complement the City’s existing communication tools which include the City’s online Service Alerts, News Releases, Public Service Announcements, and social media posts.

For more information, or to sign-up to receive notifications, please click here.

 

Attending Gardenscape at Prairieland Park this weekend? Come and visit the City of Saskatoon at booth 406 to register for the Green Cart program, a convenient and cost-effective way for you to dispose of yard waste without sending it to the landfill. Everyone who stops by can enter to win compost and mulch, and learn about other environmental initiatives you can get involved with.

 The green cart program is available to residents who receive black cart garbage collection and runs from May to November.  Registration is required to participate in the convenient curbside pick-up service program and the cost is $55 per household. The service includes bi-weekly pickup of your unbagged leaves, grass clippings, and non-woody yard vegetation.

 A healthy environment is essential to a healthy community, now and in the future. The City of Saskatoon demonstrates environmental leadership through outreach, partnerships, and community programs that help Saskatoon thrive in harmony with its natural environment, and conserve resources.

For more information and to register, visit us at Gardenscape this Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or http://saskatoonenvirostore.ca/leaves-and-grass-bin.

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 from the links at saskatoon.ca.