News Releases

Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Friday May 16, 2014, Spadina Crescent East between 2nd Avenue South and 3rd Avenue South will be closed to accommodate the Bowl Blitz community event. The road is expected to re-open by 3:30 p.m. the same day.

For Release: Thursday, May 15, 2014

SASKATOON FIRE DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZES LOCAL TEACHER

On Friday, May 2, 2014, while out jogging with his EcoQuest class, teacher Tyler Rittinger was witness to a person in the South Saskatchewan River near the Broadway Bridge.  Mr. Rittinger was able to assist the person out of the river, call 9-1-1 and provide assistance until emergency services arrived.

Earlier this morning Fire Chief Dan Paulsen attended the Buena Vista School assembly to present Mr. Rittinger with an award that acknowledged his actions by recognizing an emergency, calling 9-1-1 and providing assistance when confronted with a life safety situation.  The SFD members involved with this particular incident were thankful for all of Mr. Rittinger’s assistance.

Calling 9-1-1 sounds easy until you are in an emergency situation.  Our Dispatcher said “Tyler was the ideal caller that we hope to get when there is an emergency happening.  He was calm and soft spoken and able to get me all the information that I needed in order to send help in a timely fashion. He was able to speak to the patient in a calm and reassuring voice”.

The Saskatoon Fire Department’s dispatch centre answered approximately 17,000 incident calls in 2013 for Saskatoon and surrounding Rural Municipalities.  This number does not include the multiple calls they receive for each emergency. They answer all calls from the Safety & Property Maintenance Hotline, 9-1-1 transfers and direct calls.

Mr. Rittinger always tells his class to “help out by being eyes on our community”. Each student has the emergency numbers with them if they need but he has also advised the class to “help out if you can, but maintain your personal safety”.

The Saskatoon Fire Department reminds the public that swimming in the South Saskatchewan River is prohibited within city limits. Strong river current, a shifting riverbed and steep, slippery banks make playing and swimming in the river extremely dangerous.

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

For Release: May 15, 2014

The City, in partnership with the Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Tribal Council and the Gabriel Dumont Institute and Radius Community Centre, is pleased to congratulate the first graduating class of its pre-employment program, Trails to Success.

“We want to connect our Aboriginal citizens with Saskatoon’s growing economy,” says Gilles Dorval, Director of Aboriginal Relations.  “We are doing this through skills training and hands-on work experiences with the City of Saskatoon, the Meewasin Valley Authority and local businesses,” Dorval says.

A total of 18 men and women graduated from Trails to Success. Fifteen have found immediate employment, while three are taking further training.

The main objectives in the program are:

· To develop participants’ workplace Essential Skills through participation in: group-based personal management, teamwork skill building workshops, short-term certificate trainings, and additional schooling.

· To develop an individualized participant career action plan that includes goal development for employment and education.

· To job coach and liaise with the workplace to support participants in work experience to further promote their connection to a job.

· To demonstrate the value of community partners working together to build better employment opportunities for Aboriginal graduates.

“As proof of the program’s 85% success rate, the City has offered jobs to four Trails to Success graduates,” Dorval says.  “We’re confident this will be the first step in their journey towards a better quality of life for the grads and their families.”

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 City of Saskatoon today announced the major road and other infrastructure projects that will lead the 2014 season. Saskatoon’s most aggressive program of road construction, maintenance and rehabilitation is underway with over $50 million targeted to projects ranging from major roadwork to residential streets and sidewalks. The investment represents 47 per cent more than was budgeted last year.

“Approximately $23.8 million will be invested in road and sidewalk rehabilitation alone,” said Chris Hallam, Director of Construction & Design for the City of Saskatoon. “That’s 178 lane kilometers of road work – which is about the same distance from here to Kindersley and 100 kilometers more than we did last year.”

Through the City of Saskatoon’s 2013 Civic Services Survey, residents identified road conditions as the single most important issue facing the city.

Although road construction, repair and rehabilitation is the centrepiece of the City’s efforts this year, a number of other infrastructure projects will be addressed this season.

Approximately $8.2 million will be spent on rehabilitating nearly 14 kilometers of water mains, and storm and sanitary sewers, throughout the city. Soundwalls will be constructed along Circle Drive near Preston Avenue. Nearly $144 million will be spent on building and developing infrastructure for Saskatoon’s new neighbourhoods.

“As always, efficiency, quality, and safety will be our focus this construction season,” said Hallam, “Working efficiently, and helping residents get around the city as efficiently as possible will be key. Using the best quality materials to fix our roads, and keep them in better condition, for a longer period of time is important. Through it all, the safety of our crews, and everyone approaching or passing work zones, will be our top priority.”

Hallam pointed to the city’s Building Better Roads website, launched earlier this week, as a way for residents to get the latest information on road restrictions and work zones that could affect their daily commutes. The site also features updates and schedules on other areas like pothole repair, street sweeping and back lane rehabilitation.

Residents can view a list of the city’s 2014 construction projects at Saskatoon.ca by clicking “Building Better Roads”.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, the intersection of Idylwyld Drive and 23rd Street will have the following lane restrictions while crews work on underground cables:

- Idylwyld Drive southbound and northbound median lanes will be closed approaching 23rd Street and through the intersection.
- 23rd Street westbound will be reduced to two lanes approaching Idylwyld Drive.
- Turning from 23rd Street onto Idylwyld Drive will be maintained.

To minimize impact to traffic the work has been scheduled to take place at night, with restrictions lifted at 6.00 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2014, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Beginning 9.00 a.m. on Thursday May 15, 2014, College Drive eastbound will be closed between University Drive and Munroe Avenue North as crews fix a leaking water main that has created a sink hole in the road. Two-way traffic will be accommodated in the westbound lanes of College Drive.

The work is expected to take two days, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.
Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The work at the intersection of Idylwyld Drive and 23rd Street East due to begin at 7.00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, has been cancelled. A new Public Service Announcement will be issued should the work be rescheduled.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Beginning at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, Circle Drive eastbound from east of the Circle Drive Bridge to Attridge Drive will have the following lane restrictions while crews apply durable lane markings:

- Circle Drive eastbound curb (outside) lane from just east of the Circle Drive Bridge to the Attridge Drive on-ramp will be closed.
- Circle Drive eastbound on-ramp to Preston Avenue southbound will be closed.
- Circle Drive eastbound on-ramp to Attridge Drive/Preston Drive will be maintained. 

To minimize the impact to traffic the work has been scheduled to take place at night, with restrictions lifted at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Starting at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, the intersection of 22nd Street and 3rd Avenue will be restricted while crews repair potholes. Right turns in all directions will be maintained.

The work is expected to be completed by 3:00 p.m., weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.
Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The City of Saskatoon is pleased to announce that pet owners can now conveniently purchase and/or renew pet licenses online.

To purchase a new license online, pet owners can simply visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/petsonline and provide their contact details, pet, and payment information.  To renew a license, pet owners will need to have their personal ID and license tag number, which can be found on your pet license renewal form.  Renewal notices are sent out approximately one month prior to the expiration date.  New and renewed licenses purchased online take 24 hours to take effect.
Licenses can also be purchased in person at City Hall, the Saskatoon Animal Control Agency, the SPCA, SCAT Street Cat Rescue Inc., and participating veterinary clinics and pet supply stores.

All dogs and cats over four months of age must be licensed.  Annual cat license fees for spayed/neutered cats are $16 and $32 for non-spayed/neutered cats.  For spayed/neutered dogs, annual license fees are $27 and $54 for non-spayed/neutered dogs.

Enjoy the benefits for being a responsible pet owner and licensing your pet.  These benefits include the development and maintenance of off-leash recreation areas (OLRAs) and services dealing with dangerous animals.  Licensed pet owners also receive a Pet at Large (P.A.L.) card, which allows a one-time fine totaling up to $300 to be waived if your pet is found at-large and offers a return-to-home or safe shelter for your stray pet.

Responsible pet owners deserve treats too! If you like to save money or enjoy trying new things, you will like what the My Pet Matters Card has to offer! Visit www.mypetmatters.ca for full program information.

If you do not have your Pet License Renewal notice or if you have any questions regarding the online payment option, please call Customer Service at 306-975-2400 or 1-800-667-9944, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  For more information about Animal Services and pet licensing, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/animalservices.

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 Release: Monday, May 13, 2014

The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority will be increasing outflows over the next few days from 370 cubic metres per second (m³/s) to 800 m³/s. This will result in the current water level on the South Saskatchewan River downstream of Gardiner Dam rising by approximately 1.4 m.  It’s anticipated that the higher river flows will remain in place for the remainder of May.

This increase in outflow is a proactive seasonal release in response to the above normal snowpack in the mountains and above average lake level for this time of year. No out-of-bank flooding is expected to occur as a result of this operation.

With this planned release and normal inflow over the next two weeks, WSA expects to lower the reservoir approximately 0.8 m, providing additional flood storage in the event of above normal rainfall in late May and June.

The 10-day forecast for stream flows and any other relevant updates will be posted to the WSA’s website at wsask.ca.

Saskatoon Fire Department advises residents to exercise extreme care and caution around the river throughout this period of elevated water levels.  

In an emergency, call 9-1-1.

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

The City of Saskatoon launched a new website today that will serve as a one-stop-shop for schedules, information and updates related to our roadway activities this year.

“With more than $50 million to be spent on Saskatoon roads this season, it will mean more construction projects, work zones and traffic detours than ever before,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “This site is just one of the ways drivers will be able find what they need to know about our progress and the road work that could affect their daily commutes and travel routes.”

Find the new site from the saskatoon.ca homepage by clicking “Building Better Roads.” From there, users can view updates, schedules and information on road restrictions, pothole repairs, construction projects, street sweeping, back lane upgrades, sidewalk rehabilitation, and line painting.

“With so much more road construction happening this year, we are increasing our communications to help Saskatoon residents and visitors prepare,” Gardiner says. “The site will have steady updates to schedules and display the most current road restrictions for drivers.”

“We encourage everyone to ‘know before you go’ by learning where and when road construction might affect them.”

In addition to the site, there are several other ways for people to keep up-to-date, and follow the City’s progress, through the road construction season.

- Connect with the City of Saskatoon on Facebook or Twitter and follow #BetterRoadsYXE
- Subscribe to Traffic Detour Service Alerts at saskatoon.ca
- Read our Public Service Announcements and News Releases on the media page.
- Watch the video of our weekly Building Better Roads media briefings every Thursday. These will be posted to our YouTube channel and available to watch on the Building Better Roads media page.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #BetterRoadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The work on Circle Drive eastbound from east of the Circle Drive Bridge to Attridge Drive overnight on Tuesday, May 13 has been temporarily postponed. A new Public Service Announcement will be issued when the work is rescheduled.  

Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook

Beginning Monday, May 12, 2014, Circle Drive eastbound from east the Circle Drive Bridge to Attridge Drive will have lane restrictions while crews apply permanent road markings.

Monday, May 12

- Circle Drive eastbound centre and median lanes will be closed from just east of the Circle Drive bridge to the Attridge Drive on-ramp will be closed.

Tuesday, May 13

- Circle Drive eastbound curb and centre lanes from just east of the Circle Drive Bridge to the Attridge Drive on-ramp will be closed.

- Circle Drive eastbound on-ramp to Preston Avenue southbound will be closed.

- Circle Drive eastbound on-ramp to Attridge Drive/Preston Drive will be maintained. 

To minimize the impact to traffic the work has been scheduled to take place at night, with restrictions taking effect 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. each day. The work is expected to take two days to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.
Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The following are the hours of civic services and facilities for Victoria Day on Monday, May 19, 2014:

City Hall will be closed.

Parking meters will not require payment.  Motorists are required to move their vehicles within the time period shown on parking meters, allowing for a constant turnover of parking availability.

Municipal Impound Lot will not be releasing vehicles to the public.

Saskatoon Landfill will be open with regular summer hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Compost Depots will be open with regular hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Garbage, Recycling and Leaves & Grass collection will take place as scheduled.

All Saskatoon Public Library locations will be closed on Sunday, May 18^th and Monday, May 19^th.  Saskatoon Public Library reverts to summer hours on Sunday, May 18^th with all libraries closed on Sundays until after the Labour Day weekend in September.  Sunday openings resume on Sunday, September 7^th.

Mendel Art Gallery and Saskatoon Civic Conservatory will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Admission is free.

TRANSIT SERVICES

Saskatoon Transit will operate with regular Sunday/Holiday Service.

Access Transit will operate with regular Holiday Service from 8:15 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.  Trips must be booked in advance as per normal procedures.  Customers are reminded that subscriptions do not apply on Statutory Holidays.

Transit Customer Service Centre will be closed.

Transit Customer Service phone lines will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

RECREATION & SPORT

Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo:  Regular hours of operation

Golf Courses: Regular hours of operation (dawn to dusk) for Holiday Park, Wildwood and Silverwood.

Lions SkatePark and Satellite SkateSites: Regular hours of operation (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)

Leisure Centres

Cosmo Civic Centre: CLOSED

Fitness Circuit & Terry Fox Track (in the SaskTel Sports Centre): CLOSED

Lakewood Civic Centre: Open 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

All fitness classes and child minding CANCELLED.

Lawson Civic Centre: Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

All fitness classes and swim lessons CANCELLED.

Saskatoon Field House: Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Special holiday fitness class from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

All fitness classes and child minding CANCELLED.

Shaw Centre: Open 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

All fitness classes and child minding CANCELLED.

Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre:  Open 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

All fitness classes and swim lessons CANCELLED.

For modified Lane, Public and Parent & Tot Swim times, please visit Drop-in Online at www.saskatoon.ca/go/dropinonline.  For more information on operating hours and programs, please contact the Leisure Centres or facilities.

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.

Beginning at 7.00 a.m. on Sunday, May 11, 2014, Warman Road will be closed in both directions between 7th Avenue North and 33rd Street as crews repair the road that was dug up over winter.

A detour will be in place. The road is expected to re-open Sunday evening weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Since the City of Saskatoon last week told residents about the new initiative to track our garbage collections by attaching barcode tags to black bins, people have come forward with a number of questions about the program.

We’d like to take some time to further explain the taxpayer savings we hope to achieve, how the tags will be used and why we believe they make sense for our community.

Each tag contains a barcode for our trucks to scan on collection day. The barcode links a resident’s garbage cart with their address and nothing more. The tags are similar to those used to confirm blue cart collection of recycling.

These little tags will make a big difference in how we provide residents with this essential service:

Better Service – Your assigned tag and barcode will confirm when your cart has been emptied, helping us avoid missed collections — estimated to cost Saskatoon taxpayers $155,000 a year as garbage trucks circle back to collect from locations where citizens may have a collection issue.  Confirming collection times and taking pictures of collection issues will help in the education process and reduce inefficiency. 

Cart Maintenance – We will be able to track and record carts that require repair or replacement, ensuring that your black garbage cart is always ready for use.

Cost Savings – Improved tracking of garbage carts is expected to save taxpayers many more thousands per year by reducing fuel and labour costs.  All together, these savings and eliminated missed collections are expected to save taxpayers about $200,000 a year.

While the Garbage Service Verification system will cost $1.2 million, this up-front cost will be paid back within 6 to 7 years from productivity and fuel savings and then continue to generate about $200,000 back to the City each year in savings after that. 

So, thanks to these tags and barcodes, we have a new tool to improve service, collect waste more efficiently and save money for both residents and the City.  

Commonly Asked Questions:

You say the tag keeps track of my garbage pick-ups. Does it record any other information?

No. The tag connects an individual cart to its assigned residence. That’s it.

Is the City doing this so it can it weigh my Garbage?

No.  The rationale for tagging bins is to provide benefits such as cost savings, service efficiencies, and enhanced customer service for individuals and taxpayers.  There is no Council direction to make this kind of change at this time or to weigh garbage from each home. 

Okay, so how do the barcodes work?

The technology is similar to the electronic swipe cards many people use to access offices or buildings.  On collection day, the truck’s barcode reader will scan the tag from the garbage cart and record that the collection has been successful. This information will be logged in our customer service database.

Barcodes will also help the City in tracking repairs and replacement of carts as necessary to improve customer service when things may go wrong with containers.

When will a tag get applied to my garbage cart?

Crews started applying tags to garbage collection carts on May 5, and are working on a neighbourhood by neighbourhood basis. Crews work during normal work hours and plan to work on the regularly scheduled garbage collection day when carts are out for collection.

Residents will receive letters a few days before their black carts are scheduled to have the tags applied. In order to get carts tagged, the City is asking residents to make sure theirs and neighbours’ black garbage carts are out until 5 p.m. on the scheduled collection day, giving our crews time to apply the new tag to the cart.

Please visit saskatoonrecycles.ca or call (306) 975-2486.

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.

CY-14-147
City of Saskatoon (City) crews are working on reducing mosquito populations this spring through the annual mosquito control campaign. The mosquitoes currently being controlled are primarily nuisance mosquitoes. Mosquito control will continue throughout the summer and will also control Culex tarsalis, the mosquito that is the primary carrier for the West Nile virus in Saskatchewan.

Saskatoon residents can assist with reducing mosquito populations, including Culex tarsalis, by eliminating standing water on their property. Mosquito larvae can develop in any water, even small amounts that are allowed to stand for four days or more. To help control the mosquito population you can:
• Remove any standing water from your property;
• Ensure items in and around the property like pool covers, saucers under flower pots, children’s toys, pet bowls, and wading pools are regularly emptied or replaced with clean water;
• Clean eavestroughs regularly so water does not collect in them;
• Empty and clean bird baths twice weekly;
• Ensure openings in rain barrels are covered with mosquito screening; and
• Ensure your yard is free of debris, such as old tires that can hold rainwater.

For more information on the City’s mosquito control program, please visit www.saskatoon.ca (under “M” for Mosquito Control).

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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For Release: Friday, May 9, 2014

On Friday, May 9, 2014 the City of Saskatoon joined Canadians across the country to honour the end of Canada’s military commitment in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, as the last of Canada’s troops made their way home, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared May 9, 2014 a National Day of Honour and on May 5, 2014 City Council resolved that the City would join municipalities across Canada in observing a concurrent moment of silence. 

His Worship Mayor Donald Atchison spoke at a commemorative ceremony held at 11:25 a.m. on Friday, May 9, 2014.

“Members of our community served proudly in the Afghan mission and today we honour their service, their courage and their sacrifice,” says Saskatoon Mayor Donald Atchison. “It is also a day to honour the families of those who gave their lives in the service of their country.” 

Ceremony attendees witnessed the lowering of the flag in Civic Square and participated in two minutes of silence to reflect upon the commitments made by members of our community who served in Afghanistan, as well as those who put their lives at risk each day to help keep Saskatoon safe. 

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 City has started mailing the new format 2014 Property Tax Notices for 87,000 properties in Saskatoon. Property owners should expect their tax notices to arrive over the next coming weeks. If you have not received your tax notice by May 31, 2014, please call 306-975-2400. Your 2014 Property Taxes are due June 30, 2014. 

This year, you will find your Property Tax Notice has a new shorter format that is less complicated and easier to read. The new property tax notice with fewer pages is more efficient, using two thirds less paper giving cost savings for both paper usage and postage. 

With your 2014 Property Tax Notice you will also receive a brochure insert, ‘How to Read Your New Property Tax Notice’ – the brochure explains the information you will find on your notice, and offers helpful advice and contact information should you have any tax related questions.  Both your tax notice and the brochure insert will arrive in a clearly highlighted, bottom flap envelope that also provides for more efficient processing.  

Property owners are encouraged to visit saskatoon.ca, to use the Property Assessment & Tax Tool found on the homepage of our website. This helpful and easy to use tool allows the user to look up a Saskatoon property by address to see assessment information, related market area information, 2014 property tax information, and details on how the City distributes the current year’s municipal portion of property taxes to civic services.

The City of Saskatoon is committed to the Corporate Strategic Goal of Continuous Improvement, and to placing fair, accurate, and equitable values on Saskatoon residential and commercial properties. 

Visit saskatoon.ca and click on ‘P’ for Property Tax for additional information. Or contact a Customer Service Representative at 306-975-2400; we are pleased to answer any tax related questions you may have. 

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.

 Members of the public are invited to attend a commemorative event as the City of Saskatoon joins municipalities from across the country to reflect and honour the commitment made by the men and women who served in Canada’s military in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, as the last of Canada’s troops made their way home from Afghanistan, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared May 9, 2014 a National Day of Honour and on May 5, 2014 City Council resolved that the City would join municipalities across Canada in observing a concurrent moment of silence.

His Worship Mayor Don Atchison will be speaking at 11:25 a.m. on Friday, May 9 in the Civic Square which is located at the south side of City Hall.  The ceremony will include a lowering of the flag and two minutes of silence. 

Starting at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, Saskatoon’s Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) tested the entire database of the NotifyNOW system. Data collected during the test indicated that by 11:25 a.m. more than 14,000 people confirmed they had received the message by either replying to the text message or email, or by pressing 1 on their phone.

The Saskatoon EMO appreciates everyone’s participation and feedback on the test including media assistance in getting the word out that a test would be happening. EMO received many positive phone calls following the test, including ones from people stating they were expecting a phone call.

“When an emergency happens, we need to know the system works and works well. The best way to prepare for an emergency is to do a test like this, identify possible kinks in the system and then solve them,” says Ray Unrau, Director of Emergency Planning. “We got lots of good feedback from residents and we can’t thank everyone enough for their participation.”

On Wednesday morning we were able to test the system in a non-emergency situation to make sure that the infrastructure was in place to distribute a large number of notifications. In this area as well, the test was successful and SaskTel infrastructure was able to handle the volume of calls generated by the system.

This was our first ever test of the NotifyNOW system and as expected there were a number of lessons to be learned. Some of those lessons are about the call display for telephone calls needs to be a trusted and distinctive name or number and that we need to continue our outreach to ensure  entered contact information is correct. As always, emergency preparedness education will continue throughout the City, and will incorporation information about NotifyNOW.

The Saskatoon EMO would like to remind residents to consider whether they received the notification in the best possible way. For instance, if you are often gone from home for long periods of time, receiving emergency notification on your landline may not be the most effective way for the City of Saskatoon to reach you during an emergency. By signing up, residents can customize how they receive messages to ensure that they are notified as soon as possible. Residents can sign-up by going to saskatoon.ca, clicking on the NotifyNOW logo and completing the sign up process. NotifyNOW allows you to enter up to 10 methods of contact and up to 10 addresses that you would like to receive emergency notifications about, for example your child’s school or elderly parents home. For step by step information about how to sign up please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qak-iNP8J_8&feature=youtu.be

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

City urges residents to avoid ticket and towing

City-wide residential street sweeping begins Monday in Holiday Park and is expected to continue for the next six weeks. City and contract crews will be working seven days per week to quickly move through the neighbourhoods each day. 

Approximately $605,000 of additional funding is dedicated from the road levy this year for sweeping programs including the spring sweep blitz and the accelerated residential area sweeping. This allows for additional equipment, contractor resources and maintenance support so that neighborhoods and major roadways can be cleaned quicker, and commercial and business areas will be cleaned more frequently.

Parking Enforcement
In order for sweepers to effectively clean the streets from curb to curb, parking enforcement and tow truck relocating will be used for the entire program.  New Yellow No Parking signs and relocation towing were piloted during a smaller scale fall sweep and will be rolled out city-wide to prevent people from parking on scheduled streets.

The new yellow No Parking sandwich board signs and matching yellow paper signs will be posted at the entrance to scheduled neighbourhoods and along streets at least 36 hours in advance of the sweeping.  Vehicles that remain on the street at 7:00 a.m. will be ticketed $100 under the new Street Maintenance parking bylaw and will be relocated to a nearby street or neighbourhood. If your vehicle is relocated, you can find the new location using the Find My Vehicle! application.

Neighbourhoods with grid streets will be swept in two phases - three days apart – to make parking available for vehicles that need to move.

School Zones
For the safety of students and the convenience of parking for school visitors, school zones will be swept outside the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.  Sweeping will occur up to two days in advance of or following, the neighbourhood’s scheduled date.  School zone boundaries are marked with a 30 km/hour speed limit signs. Watch for no parking signs along these streets when sweeping is scheduled.

If poor weather delays sweeping, the neighbourhood will move to the end of the schedule and new No Parking signs will be posted in advance to notify residents.

A schedule, Frequently Asked Questions and map of neighbourhoods is available at Saskatoon.ca under the Building Better Roads icon.  Drivers are reminded to be patient and to drive carefully when they encounter slow moving street-sweeping vehicles.  You may also contact the 24-hour Street Sweeping Hotline at 306-975-2476 or streetsweep@saskatoon.ca

 Members of the public are invited to attend a commemorative event as the City of Saskatoon joins municipalities from across the country to reflect and honour the commitment made by the men and women who served in Canada’s military in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, as the last of Canada’s troops made their way home from Afghanistan, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared May 9, 2014 a National Day of Honour and on May 5, 2014 City Council resolved that the City would join municipalities across Canada in observing a concurrent moment of silence.

His Worship Mayor Don Atchison will be speaking at 11:25 a.m. on Friday, May 9 in the Civic Square which is located at the south side of City Hall.  The ceremony will include a lowering of the flag and two minutes of silence. 

For Release: Wednesday, May 7, 2014

This morning starting at 9:00 a.m. City of Saskatoon’s Emergency Measures Organization sent out a test message to everyone currently in the database. That includes everyone who has signed up AND everyone listed in the SaskTel 2013/2014 phone book.

If you have received the message please know that it is legitimate and a necessary step in ensuring that the City of Saskatoon is able to notify residents during an impending or escalating emergency.

When you receive the test, listen to the entire message and then, if possible, follow the instructions to confirm that you received it.

The purpose of the test is to introduce citizens who may not have heard of NotifyNOW to the new alerting system and to test the accuracy of the data.

Saskatoon’s Emergency Measures Organization is excited to move this project forward. The initial test is part of the process and will provide us with important technical information while demonstrating to individual residents what a targeted mass notification would sound like and how they can expect to be contacted.

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

The Neighbourhood Level Infill Strategy (Strategy) made recommendations to address concerns regarding infill development that is currently occurring in established residential areas within Saskatoon. The Strategy recommended amending the development standards contained in the City of Saskatoon’s (City) Zoning Bylaw No. 8770 for primary dwellings (one-unit, two-unit, and semi-detached dwellings), and small multi-unit dwellings (up to four units) on corner lots.  The Planning and Development Division is proposing changes to the Zoning Bylaw that will ensure that these types of infill development are more compatible with existing residential development.

Residents are invited to attend a “come and go” open house to learn more about the proposed bylaw regulations, including development standards, design guidelines, and the approval process.  Civic staff will be in attendance to answer questions, gather feedback, and provide materials.

Open House for the Proposed Regulations for Primary Dwellings and Small Multiple-Unit Dwellings on Corners Lots
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
City Park Collegiate – Student Commons
820 9th Avenue North

Following the open house, background and information materials will also be available on www.saskatoon.ca, click “I” for Infill Development Strategy, along with the opportunity for residents to submit comments online.
The Strategy is one component of the overall Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon project to help guide investments to accommodate Saskatoon’s growth 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 and Facebook.

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The City of Saskatoon today launched a city-wide public awareness campaign urging motorists to respect work zones as crews start repairing and maintaining city infrastructure this summer. The Respect Work Zones campaign will run from May to September, asking citizens to do their part to ensure the safety of work crews during the construction season.

“Our recently announced $50 million Building Better Roads Plan is the most aggressive program of road construction, road repair and road maintenance in Saskatoon’s history,” said Chris Hallam, Director of Construction & Design. “To complete this work, we need everyone to make safety a priority and respect the construction zones where our crews will be working.”

Building Better Roads, which coordinates a variety of construction projects means more construction this year than last and at times will result in up to 110 active work zones each day. According to Hallam, respecting work zones will allow the crews to focus on the job and safely complete this summer’s projects.   

“We care about the safety of our employees and everyone who uses Saskatoon’s roads,” said Hallam. “If everyone does their part, plans ahead and respects construction zones, we will be able to work through the 2014 season safely and successfully.”

Motorists can avoid delays and plan their commutes by clicking on the “Building Better Roads” button at saskatoon.ca and scanning the locations of current and future road projects.

The Respect Work Zones campaign is launching during North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (May 4-10) which promotes the importance of safety in workplaces, homes and communities.

While durable pavement markings have been used on roadways throughout Saskatoon for a number of years, in 2014, as part of the Building Better Roads campaign the City of Saskatoon is expanding the use of durable pavement markings to more high traffic roads.

The cost of the annual road painting program is $800,000 per year. In 2014, an additional $500,000 will be spent on durable markings that can last between 7 and 10 years.

To minimize traffic disruptions all work will be carried out between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

This week, durable pavement markings will be installed at the following locations:

- 1st Avenue South between 20th Street East and 24th Street East

- Central Avenue between 107th Street West and 110th Street

- Circle Drive eastbound between Warman Road and Attridge Drive on ramp

Durable markings will also be installed on other high volume roadways following rehabilitation work through the construction season.  Further updates will be provided as the season progresses.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroads and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo switched to summer hours on Thursday, May 1, 2014.  The extended hours mean that the Forestry Farm Park gates will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the Zoo will be open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  The last person will be admitted to the Zoo one hour before closing.  The public is reminded that the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo is a pet-free park.
Watch for new animals arriving this year at the Zoo, including a new feature animal in the PotashCorp Ark exhibit, which houses animals never seen before in Saskatoon. 
For more information, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/zoo.
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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For Release: Monday, May 5, 2014

Starting at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 7^th, Saskatoon’s Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) will systematically test the NotifyNOW system. The purpose of the test is to give residents the opportunity to better understand the NotifyNOW system, to let people hear what a message will sound like and to encourage people to sign-up.  

“The test will give the EMO a vital opportunity to evaluate the features and functions of the NotifyNOW system in a non-emergency situation,” says Director of Emergency Planning, Ray Unrau.

The test notification will start at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 7^th and will send notifications throughout the city one quadrant at a time. Everyone with contact information linked to an address within that quadrant will receive the test notification message. After a short pause, the process will be repeated until the notifications have been sent to the three remaining quadrants. We expect the testing period to last most of the morning.

“It is also important to give an opportunity for residents to familiarize themselves with what a notification will sound like,” Unrau says. “By taking part in the test, residents will have some familiarity with the process and be ready to respond appropriately in a real emergency situation.”

The test will use information currently entered into the NotifyNOW database. That includes publically available information from the 2013/14 SaskTel phone book as well as contact information provided by residents who have signed up.

“Once the test is complete we ask that residents take note of how they received the notification message and whether the message was delivered the most effective way,” Unrau says. “For example, if they got a voice message on their home land line but would prefer to receive a text message on their cell phone they would need to sign-up or sign-in to NotifyNOW and update their account.”

We also expect that some residents will notice that they did not receive the test notification. In those instances, we will ask them to create an account by following the prompts on saskatoon.ca and provide their preferred contact information so we can reach them in the future.

Saskatoon’s Emergency Measures Organization is excited to move this project forward. The initial test is part of the process and will provide us with important technical information while demonstrating to individual residents what a targeted mass notification would sound like and how they can expect to be contacted.

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

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Drinking Water Week is May 4 to 10, 2014; a time to reflect on the critical role that water plays in our daily lives and the quality of life we enjoy.  

“Saskatoon tap water is safe and healthy,” says Reid Corbett, Director of Saskatoon Water. “We are able to consistently deliver high quality water to our customers.”

The average person in Saskatoon uses 230 litres of water per day (5 year average). Using water responsibly reduces our impact on the environment as the energy required to treat and distribute drinking water is associated with a significant amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Implementing simple water conservation practices can save energy, reduce greenhouse gases, and protect our water supplies.

Water Conservation Tips:

- Water the lawn once a week and avoid watering during the heat of the day or during windy times.

- Repair leaky faucets and toilets immediately.

- Run your dishwasher or washing machine only when you have a full load. This can save as much as 1,875 to 3,000 litres every month.

- Use low-flush fixtures such as water-saving shower heads and ultra low flow toilets.

Be Water Wise!  For more information, visit www.saskatoon.ca and click on “W” for Water.

Starting Tuesday, May 6 at 9:00 a.m., the median lanes of 11th Street West, west of the Dawes Avenue intersection will be closed. The other traffic lanes will remain open. The median lanes are expected to re-open by Friday May 9, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Crews are installing new centre medians along 11th Street for the new Dawes Avenue construction in the area as part of the Circle Drive South Project.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroads and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 3rd , 2014, Spadina Crescent will be closed between Pembina Avenue and Pinehouse Drive in order to accommodate the Bridge City Duathlon. Ravine Drive will also be closed between Assiniboine Drive and Spadina Crescent. The roads are expected to re-open by 1:00 p.m.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

For Immediate Release:  May 2, 2014

Starting at 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 2, 2014 until approximately 4:00 p.m. Monday, May 5, 2014 two tax applications on the City of Saskatoon’s website, saskatoon.ca, will undergo a temporary service disruption:

The Property Assessment & Tax Tool, found on the saskatoon.ca homepage requires software upgrades to accommodate the updating of new property tax data for 2014. Also, the Property Tax Search & Certificates (ePTSC) application (dedicated access for banks, realtors, lawyers, mortgage companies) will be reconfigured and not be available for use during this time.  

The mail-out of the 2014 Property Tax Notice to residents will start next week, and the updating of these tax applications will support this, allowing website users access to the new 2014 tax data.

The City of Saskatoon is focused on continuous improvement and aims to provide the best high-quality services to meet the high expectations of our citizens. We apologize for any inconvenience to residents over the weekend updating of these applications.

Visit saskatoon.ca and look under ‘P’ for Property Tax for an overview of 2014 Property 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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Beginning 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 5, 2014, 8th Street East between Circle Drive and Acadia Drive will require lane restrictions as crews work on sanitary sewer and storm sewer connections.

Monday, May 5, 2014
- Eastbound traffic will be reduced to two lanes and westbound traffic will be reduced to one lane.
- The left turn bay into Circle Park Mall westbound will be closed.
- The work should be completed and restrictions lifted by 6:00 p.m., weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Tuesday May 6, 2014
- The 8th Street East westbound curb lane and centre lane between Acadia Drive and the Circle Park Mall Entrance will be closed.
- This work should be completed and restrictions lifted by approximately 4:00 p.m. weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Beginning at 3.30 a.m. on Sunday, May 4, the eastbound lanes of Circle Drive South will be closed between 11th Street West and Highway 11 to accommodate the Wings for Life World Run. Idylwyld Drive southbound will also be closed between the Sid Buckwold Bridge and Circle Drive South. The roads are expected to reopen by Sunday at 6:00 a.m.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

For Immediate Release: April 30, 2014

Starting May 1, 2014, a section of roadway along McOrmond Drive between 8th Street and College Drive will be closed until October 31. A temporary closure is required to complete area grading, water/sewer, and roadway work as part of neighbourhood development within the Holmwood Sector Plan. Signage will be posted to advise motorists of detours.

Through access from 8th Street to College Drive will be restricted. Local access to businesses along McOrmond Drive, the off-leash dog park, and McOrmond Drive Compost Depot will be maintained. 

A new permanent roadway will be constructed as part of the neighbourhood to allow through traffic between 8th Street and College Drive. This roadway is expected to be completed by October 31, 2014, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances

Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroads and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Starting at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday May 1, 2014, 11th Street West between Chappell Drive and Highway 7, will require lane restrictions to allow for testing to be conducted on the roadway. Within the vicinity of the testing, lanes will be restricted to one-way only, where flag people will direct traffic flow.

Lane restrictions are expected to be lifted by end of day Thursday, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroads and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

As part of a new initiative, the City of Saskatoon will be applying small plastic tags to black garbage carts across the city, which will allow the City to confirm garbage collection.

Each tag contains a barcode for our trucks to scan on collection day. The barcode links a resident’s garbage cart with their address and nothing more. The tags are similar to those used by Loraas Recycle to confirm blue cart collection of recycling.

These little tags will make a big difference in how we provide residents with this essential service:

- The assigned tag and barcode will confirm when carts have been emptied, helping us avoid missed collections. Missed collections are estimated to cost Saskatoon taxpayers $155,000 a year.

- We will be able to track and record carts that require repair or replacement, ensuring that a resident’s black garbage cart is always ready for use.

“This little tag will let us make a big improvement in how we provide this service to people across the City,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental and Corporate Initiatives. “Our initial research suggests that this entire project could save the City approximately $200,000 per year, and we are hoping for even more savings in the future.”

In order to get carts tagged, the City is asking residents to make sure theirs and neighbours’ black garbage carts are out until 5 p.m. on the scheduled collection day, giving our crews time to apply the new tag to the cart.

If you have any questions about these tags or how they work, learn more at saskatoonrecycles.ca or call (306) 975-2486.

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 Spring Pothole and Spring Street Sweeping Blitzes resumed in full force on Wednesday upon the return of warmer weather and dry streets. The moisture from the rain and snow over the past week and a half prevented us from performing much of the planned sweeping and interrupted the repairing of potholes.  The snow, rain, cooler temperatures and frost coming out of the ground caused many new potholes to develop on all Saskatoon streets. 

Spring Pothole Blitz

The City has been repairing potholes along the high-traffic streets since the start of the Spring Pothole Blitz on April 14.  As a result of the recent snow/rain and cooler temperatures, many of those same streets are littered with new holes.  Standing water on the streets has a significant impact on the formation of new potholes. In order to make up for the delays due to weather interruptions, additional City and contractor crews will be engaged for the next two weeks patching potholes in the driving lanes of the priority one and two streets.  A schedule is available for the Spring Pothole Blitz on the City’s website.

The online Report-a-Pothole map usage was up 40 per cent over the past seven days, as the collection of potholes grew.  We thank those who are reporting these locations and remind everyone to please call the Customer Service Call Centre to report the dangerous locations so that we may address them immediately.

“The blitz program for patching potholes in the driving lanes of the major streets and bus routes is designed to improve the safety and ride comfort of motorists,” says Director of Public Works Pat Hyde.  “Tackling these existing and new locations that arise will prove to be a benefit for all.” 

Gravel-covered areas from construction and water main breaks (Utility Cuts)

Asphalt patching is occurring along priority streets where water main breaks occurred over the winter months.  Other gravel-covered areas caused by construction or other underground utility work will be repaired beginning in June.  The utility cuts on the priority streets are monitored daily.  Maintenance grading is performed as required and in many cases is done daily.  Graders will continue to maintain these gravel areas until they can be permanently repaired with asphalt.  Residents are reminded to please call our Customer Service Call Centre at 306-975-2476 to report utility cuts that are severely rutted.  

 Your Tax Dollars at Work – Building Better Roads

Part of the new 4.29% dedicated tax levy is for improved roadway repairs and maintenance.  Residents and businesses will see improvements as a result of an additional $605,000 for the street sweeping program which includes the Spring Street Sweeping Blitz and the Accelerated Residential Sweeping programs; and an additional $550,000 for the Spring Pothole Blitz program. Learn more about Building Better Roads.

Spring Street Sweeping Blitz

Prior to moving into the residential areas, City and contract street sweeping crews are cleaning up along the high-traffic priority streets.  Since April 14, the focus has been sweeping centre medians where grass or trees are located, in order to promote growth and improve street aesthetics, and as well sweeping on the priority one and two streets.  The moisture over the past week also impacted and delayed this program. Extra staff are being assigned and contractors were called in to help move the sweeping along.

The Spring Sweeping Blitz is designed as a quick pass through in order to remove the heavier dirt and debris so that once the Accelerated Residential Area Sweep program commences later in May, it will enable a more effective and complete curb-to-curb sweep program.  As a result during the Spring Sweeping Blitz the sweepers will be going around parked vehicles and focus mainly on the driving lanes of the roadway. 

Accelerated Residential Street Sweeping and Pothole Patching

Upon completion of the Spring Sweeping Blitz, the Accelerated Residential Area Street Sweeping program begins.  This is designed as a six week program where every street will be swept curb-to-curb by neighbourhood including the business improvement districts and also those streets that were done during the Spring blitz.  This program will also see applied for the first time a city wide application of parking enforcement.  This will include both a relocation towing and a $100 fine that will be applied for parking on a scheduled street.  The yellow ‘sandwich style’ No Parking signs will be used during day time operations and augmented with yellow replica paper signs throughout the program where on-street vehicle parking is an issue. 

Weather permitting, the scheduled start of the program is Monday, May 12.  Further information and schedules will be provided closer to the launch date of the Accelerated Residential Area Street Sweeping program.

Schedules and more information are available at saskatoon.ca as part of the Building Better Roads campaign.  Saskatoon’s Road Plan is a coordinated approach to repair, maintenance and construction, Building Better Roads in Saskatoon.

The Neighbourhood Level Infill Strategy (Strategy) made recommendations to address concerns regarding infill development that is currently occurring in established residential areas within Saskatoon. The Strategy recommended amending the development standards contained in the City of Saskatoon’s (City) Zoning Bylaw No. 8770 for primary dwellings (one-unit, two-unit, and semi-detached dwellings), and small multi-unit dwellings (up to four units) on corner lots.  The Planning and Development Division is proposing changes to the Zoning Bylaw that will ensure that these types of infill development are more compatible with existing residential development.

Residents are invited to attend a “come and go” open house to learn more about the proposed bylaw regulations, including development standards, design guidelines, and the approval process.  Civic staff will be in attendance to answer questions, gather feedback, and provide materials.

Open House for the Proposed Regulations for Primary Dwellings and Small Multiple-Unit Dwellings on Corners Lots
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
City Park Collegiate – Student Commons
820 9th Avenue North

Following the open house, background and information materials will also be available on www.saskatoon.ca, click “I” for Infill Development Strategy, along with the opportunity for residents to submit comments online.

The Strategy is one component of the overall Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon project to help guide investments to accommodate Saskatoon’s growth 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 and Facebook.

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Having fulfilled their purpose and as part of the agreement with the artists, two short term art installations, Found Compressions One and Two and INFRA are being removed today, April 30, 2014.

Intended as a short-term installation, Found Compressions One and Two, by Saskatoon artist Keeley Haftner, is a sculpture of two cube-shaped cellophane wrapped bales of recyclable materials.

“The artwork has realized its full potential in terms of generating dialogue,” Haftner says and adds she now wants to think about a venue to show a new rendition of the work to discuss the project in its entirety.

INFRA, by Toronto artist Tonya Hart, was originally installed November 2013, on College Drive near Bottomley Avenue and was later relocated to the Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink.  The artwork is a group of sculptures comprised of eight life-sized wolves created with fiberglass.  A fluorescent pigment gives the wolves their bright colours during the day and LED lighting provides their glow at night.

Both installations were placed within the City as part of our Placemaker Program, which aims to promote contemporary arts in a public space, by leasing artworks from the artist. The artwork is adjudicated by the City of Saskatoon’s Visual Arts Placement Jury.

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.

Beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2014, sections of 7th Street between Preston Avenue and Early Drive will be closed for sanitary sewer upgrades. The sanitary sewer construction will be staged by the following sections:

- Preston Avenue to Argyle Avenue (including the Argyle Avenue/7th Street intersection)      

- Argyle Avenue to Campbell Avenue  (including the Campbell Avenue/7th Street intersection)

- Campbell Avenue to Early Drive (including the Early Drive/7th Street intersection)

- Preston Ave/7th Street intersection (affecting Northbound traffic)                   

Following the sanitary sewer work, road restoration will occur.

“No Parking” signs will be posted in advance of when the work will commence. Signs will also be posted to advise motorists of detour routes.

This project is part of the City of Saskatoon Flood Control Strategy and is designed to provide added protection against sanitary backup in basements during intense rain events.  This project is partially funded by the Government of Saskatchewan through the Canada Saskatchewan Building Canada Fund – Major Infrastructure Component.

All restrictions are expected to be lifted by June 27, 2014, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

The City thanks everyone for their patience during this time.

Motorists are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook 

To accommodate a marathon event on Sunday, April 27, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., no parking signs and lane restrictions will be in place along marathon routes in the downtown area and along Spadina Crescent. The main road restrictions will include:

- Full closure of 4th Avenue between 22nd Street and 23rd Street
- Full closure of Avenue A between 19th Street and Spadina Crescent
- Spadina Crescent northbound between 20th Street and 33rd Street (including the exit from University Bridge) 
- 25th Street westbound curb lane from University Bridge to 6th Avenue

Drivers are reminded to drive carefully, watch for participants and officials and to be aware of “no parking” signs along the marathon route. The City thanks everyone for their patience.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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The City of Saskatoon Municipal Golf Courses are now open for the season with the exception of the Holiday Park Executive Nine and the Silverwood Front Nine, which will open on Wednesday, April 30, weather permitting. 

Holiday Park (Phone:  306-975-3325; 1630 Avenue U South)
• Driving Range now open
• Holiday Park 18:  now open
• Holiday Park Executive Nine:  opening Wednesday, April 30

 Silverwood (Phone:  306-975-3314; 3503 Kinnear Avenue)
• Driving Range now open
• Silverwood Lake (Front) Nine:  Wednesday, April 30
• Silverwood River (Back) Nine:  now open

Wildwood (Phone:  306-975-3320; 8th Street East)
• Now open

Online tee time reservations are now being accepted at www.saskatoon.ca/go/golf.  Golfers are able to book 9 or 18 holes of play for groups of 1-4 players up to ten days in advance at any of the three municipal golf courses.  Online tee time reservations are not available for same day bookings.  Same day bookings can be completed by phone or in person.  A valid email address is required to make tee time reservations. 
For more information on the City of Saskatoon golf courses, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/golf.

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.

Saskatoon Transit customers using Google Transit for trip planning assistance over the next week may receive incorrect information when using the application while we work to update the database.  

While City Information Technology staff are working quickly to correct the issue, they anticipate that it will take a week to correct due to Google processing times. Google has strict requirements on how data must be sent for our information to be integrated in their system.  Prior to each data upload a validation process is performed to try and avoid this situation. Unfortunately, for the most recent upload some errors were not identified and the City must restart the process.

Customers requiring a trip plan during this time should use the Click & Go service on the City’s website, which is unaffected, or phone Customer Service at 306-975-3100 where a representative can help you. Customers are also always welcome to visit us in person at our downtown bus terminal located at 226 23rd Street between 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends.

Saskatoon Transit would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  

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.

As part of its Earth Day celebrations, the City is pleased to announce the winners of the Assistance to Community Groups – Cash Grants – Environmental Component for 2014.

“These grants are handed out each year to recognize local non-profit organizations implementing initiatives that support the City’s strategic goal of Environmental Leadership,” says Brenda Wallace, Director, Environmental and Corporate Initiatives. “Funds are allocated to community groups for protection of the environment, conservation of natural resources, environmental communications and education, and environmental research, and our grant recipients this year are certainly deserving of their awards.”

Projects that will be funded in 2014 include:

• Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. ($1,000): Outreach and educational programming to increase awareness and appropriate responses to injured or orphaned wildlife in the city.
• SOS Elms Coalition, Inc. ($1,250): Revision and reprinting of the educational booklet, "Saskatoon Tree Tour - A Guide to the Unique and Unusual Trees in Saskatoon.”
• Safe Drinking Water Foundation ($1,400): Hands-on educational kits for schools, focusing on drinking water quality issues and solutions.
• Saskatchewan Environmental Society ($1,425): Earth Day Celebration to inform and educate the public about sustainable initiatives and how they, in turn, can live more sustainable lives.
• Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin ($1,425): Education on the importance of aquatic and riparian ecosystems through the curriculum based "Stan the Sturgeon Fish Habitat Program.”
• Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-operative Ltd. ($1,750): Educating inner-city youth on concepts of environmental responsibility, nutrition, gardening and general healthy living through the Community Seed Harvest Initiative: Part of CNYC's Growing Our Future program.
• FH Canada ($1,750): Collection, recycling and refurbishment of locally donated medical equipment and supplies, as part of the International Medical Equipment Distribution program.

More information on the City of Saskatoon’s environmental initiatives can be found at www.saskatoon.ca, and click on “E” for “Environmental Services”.

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.

Following the power and website outage on April 21, 2014 the City continues to improve its communications procedures.

The power outage allowed us to identify a vulnerability with the Fire Department’s radio systems.

“The Fire Department will be reviewing its protocol for switching to a more basic radio system during momentary outages that may be caused by a massive power outage,” says Assistant Fire Chief Morgan Hackl.

Further analysis revealed that radio communications were lost for 20 minutes in total, while the system switched to and from a back-up power supply.

The outage also caused the City’s website and e-mail systems to go offline.

“The City already has a plan in place to provide residents with an alternate online location to access information. This will work along with other digital information sources, such as Twitter and Facebook,” says Corporate Performance General Manager Catherine Gryba. 

Additionally, a plan is already underway to move an emergency generator from the “old” Police Headquarters on 3rd Avenue to City Hall.

In preparation for the City’s new website, the Information Technology Division has been creating alternate data centres, which will provide additional back up to essential online service such as Fire Computer Assisted Dispatch, Saskatoon.ca, corporate email and VOIP telephone service.

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.