News Releases

It’s Earth Day, and around the world events are being held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Throughout the week, the City will be participating in awareness events, sharing information about its environmental initiatives, and encouraging residents to THINK about their activities and how they affect the planet, to CHOOSE to live more environmentally friendly, and to DO something that many residents are already doing – living more green. 
The Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES) Earth Day Celebrations, with financial support from the City, will take place today, April 22, at the Farmers' Market starting at 3:00 p.m. Activities will include eco­crafts and face­ painting, outdoor activities and a concert featuring local musicians. During the event, the City will be showcasing its recycling information and other environmental programs. For more information, please visit www.environmentalsociety.ca.
The City will also take part in four days of films, workshops and events at the Saskatchewan Eco Network’s Environmental Film Festival, which runs April 24-27 at the Roxy Theatre and Frances Morrison Library. The City will present a Waste Reduction Workshop on April 27 following the afternoon films. More information is available at www.econet.ca.
Throughout the week there will be daily posts on the City’s blog, saskatooncitynews.ca, providing more details on the City’s environmental programs. These programs include: 
Household Hazardous Waste Days

This program makes disposing of hazardous household chemicals and materials convenient and protects the environment. Visit Saskatoon.ca under “H” for Household Hazardous Waste Days.
Recycling Opportunities

The blue-cart recycling program has been utilized by 97% of residents who together helped divert over 8,000 tonnes of recyclable material from the Landfill. Visit saskatoonrecycles.ca and SaskWasteReduction.ca for more details. 
Be Water Wise

The Be Water Wise Campaign supports the City of Saskatoon’s efforts to reduce water consumption in Saskatoon in all sectors. Visit Saskatoon.ca under “B” for Be Water Wise.
Green Cart - Leaves and Grass Collection Program

This program has been expanded for 2014. Now any interested household can participate in the program! More details can be found at SaskatoonRecycles.ca.
Compost Depots

Residents may take their leaves, grass, and non-elm branches, stumps and tree trimmings to the City’s compost depots free of charge. The compost depots are now open! Visit Saskatoon.ca under “C” for “Composting.”
“Yer Dirt” Compost and Mulch Sales

Purchase compost and mulch for use on lawns and in gardens at the Highway 7 Compost Depot. Visit Saskatoon.ca under “C” for “Composting.”
Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Rebates

The City has a limited number of $20 rebates available to Saskatoon residents who purchase a rain barrel or compost bin from a Saskatoon retailer in 2014. Visit www.saskwastereduction.ca/rebate-form to download a rebate form. 
Pesticide Reduction

The City supports the Be Pesticide Free campaign, in partnership with the Saskatchewan Environmental Society. Learn about alternatives to harmful chemical pesticides and how to do your part to reduce your pesticide use. For more information, visit www.bepesticidefree.ca.
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.

Spring fever is in the air for both dogs and their owners. With the weather finally warming up it is a great time to get out and enjoy the six active Dog Parks operated by the City of Saskatoon (City). With exciting plans for two more parks to open this summer, the following Dog Park’s are accessible to all licensed dogs:
• Avalon - south end of Broadway Avenue;
• Briarwood - south of Wilson's Greenhouse on McOrmond Drive;
• Caswell (open Summer 2014) - next to the Mayfair Pool;
• Hampton Village - north on Range Road 3060, near the airport;
• Hyde Park (open Summer 2014) - south end of Hyde Park adjacent to Boychuk Drive;
• Silverwood - access off Kinnear Avenue or the east end of Adilman Drive;
• Southwest - off Valley Road by the landfill; and
• Sutherland Beach - west of Central Avenue, north of Attridge Drive.

With the increase of users expected in the Dog Parks, here are a few tips to being a responsible pet owner:
• Please pick up after your dog;
• Dogs must stay ON LEASH in all areas of the City unless the area is clearly designated (signed) as a Dog Park; and
• Please be considerate and courteous to other people and children enjoying the outdoors and keep in mind that not everyone is comfortable around dogs, even friendly ones.

For more information or to see a map of the Dog Parks, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/dogparks.
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 moisture from the rain and snow over the past few days is causing many new potholes to form on all Saskatoon streets.  The Spring Pothole Blitz program, which started on Monday, April 14, is an aggressive program to address potholes in the driving lanes of the high-traffic streets. As a result of snow/rain and cooler temperatures, many of those same streets are littered with new holes.  This set-back requires crews to start over with the Priority 1 and 2 streets, pushing back the other streets that were scheduled for this week.  Inspectors are out checking for changing driving conditions due to new potholes forming and identifying emergency locations on all streets.   Asphalt plants were not producing over the weekend due to weather conditions and the Easter weekend; however, crews resumed pothole repairs again on Monday when asphalt was again available.
Drivers continue to report potholes online with the Report a Pothole map and these locations are inspected daily.  At this time, only the severe locations and those on the high-priority, high-traffic streets are being repaired until we can get caught up. Those locations not repaired will be completed once the spring pothole blitz has ended or in conjunction with the Accelerated Residential Street Sweeping program.
About a third of the locations currently reported on the map are another type of issue resulting from completed City or private underground utility work that required an excavation.  These are known as utility cuts and have a temporary gravel/recycled asphalt cover until they can be properly paved once ground frost is gone.  Graders are maintaining these regularly until they can be patched with asphalt.  Utility cut patching begins today on Priority 1 streets and will continue until winter.
The Street Sweeping Blitz on high-traffic streets and business improvement districts also started on Monday, April 14.  With the rain and snow, sweeping did not occur Thursday through Monday.  Sweeping resumes today and the online schedule has been adjusted.  Sweeping cannot occur when there are pools of water on the street or when sustained sub-zero temperatures are present although they can still continue with a light rain.  Grassy medians and boulevards continue to be swept and sweeping crews are following behind to collect the debris from the street.
The Spring Sweeping & Pothole Blitz schedules are available at saskatoon.ca as part of the Building Better Roads program.  The schedules are being adjusted frequently due to the challenges we have been experiencing, most notably the weather.  With weather forecasts showing stable, warmer temperatures in the coming week, we hope to establish a more productive and regular schedule.
The Accelerated Residential Street Sweeping program is scheduled to begin on May 5. 
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.
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.

Saskatoon Transit would like to remind those headed to the Black Sabbath concert at Credit Union Centre on Friday, April 18 that the concert will finish after statutory holiday transit service has ended. This means that there will be no transit connections from the Downtown Terminal Special Events Stop after the concert, and no connections from Malls serviced by the Credit Union Centre Park & Ride Services after the concert.

Credit Union Centre Park & Ride services will still be offered after the concert, however those concert goers who need to take a regular transit route from any of these locations (including downtown) are advised to make alternative arrangements.

Departures to the Black Sabbath concert from the Saskatoon Transit Special Events Stop, located on 2^nd Avenue and 23^rd Street, will be every 15 minutes between 6:45 p.m. and 7:45p.m. on April 18. Buses will depart Credit Union Centre for the Special Events Stop immediately after the concert.

Regular fares, transfers, and passes are accepted to and from the Downtown location only. Please contact Credit Union Centre for information on the mall Park and Ride Service.

For more information call Customer Service at 306-975-3100

The City of Saskatoon is taking a new approach to line painting on major roadways and high-speed freeways this year by expanding the use of durable markings.  When these types of roadways are built or rehabilitated, durable markings will be used. Durable markings are more visible and also last longer than regular road paint. 

“Winter operations, including the use of gravel and snow clearing, as well as higher traffic volumes, wear off road paint faster,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “This is why we are expanding the use of more durable markings on higher volume roadways. While the upfront cost is higher, these markings last longer and are visible year round.” 

The cost of the annual road marking program is $800,000 per year. In 2014, an additional $500,000 will be spent on durable markings. 

Road marking begins once sweeping is underway and nighttime temperatures are consistently at 5 degrees or warmer (generally late April/early May and until late October).  

There are no specific dates for painting road markings as the program is coordinated during or after other road work, and is weather dependent. High-traffic areas (such as downtown and Idylwyld Drive) are generally painted during the night to minimize disruption to traffic.  

In 2014, some of the locations where durable markings will be installed include:
- Circle Drive – Circle Drive North to Attridge Drive overpass, eastbound
- Circle Drive – Warman Road to Circle Drive, eastbound
- 51st Street

City crews paint road markings two to three times each year:
- Lane lines, edge lines and centre lines are painted three times a year
- Crosswalks are painted at least twice a year
- Sharrows, chevrons and parking stall lines are painted once a year
- Road markings are re-painted if they have been removed due to paving, patching, etc.

More information about Road Markings is available at saskatoon.ca as part of the Building Better Roads campaign.  Saskatoon’s Road Plan is a coordinated approach to repair, maintain and construct better roads in Saskatoon.

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 #betterroads and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook. 

Deb Davies, a firefighter with Saskatoon Fire Department, credits her training with the fire department and the availability of an Automated External Defibrillator or AED at the Las Vegas airport for helping her save a bystanders life.

On Friday, April 11^th, Deb Davies and a group of her friends went to Las Vegas for a short holiday. When they arrived at the luggage carousel Deb noticed someone who was in distress. Immediately her training as a Primary Care Paramedic kicked in. Utilizing her CPR training, she started compressions while calling for others to find the AED and call 9-1-1. Other professionals assisted Deb and together they were able to shock the individual and successfully revive him.

Firefighters with the Saskatoon Fire Department are trained as Primary Care Paramedics and on the job regularly respond to life threatening emergencies. Deb recognized that as an off-duty firefighter she was a person to take control of the situation and use her training to save a life.

At their awards banquet in June, the Saskatoon Fire Department will be recognizing Deb Davies.

The Saskatoon Fire Department will also be recognizing other firefighters who were instrumental in saving a life while off-duty at a Saskatoon Hilltops football game on September 7^th, 2013.

The renovation and rejuvenation of Saskatoon’s most beloved park began today as PCL Construction broke ground at Kinsmen Park.

PCL Construction has been contracted for Phase One of the Kinsmen Park Master Plan, which is anticipated to open in time for Summer 2015.

Phase One includes the development of the PotashCorp Playland, which will be an attraction for both the young and the young at heart.  The PotashCorp Playland will include a “rides garden” with a ferris wheel and carousel, a children’s play area with water features, sandplay and natural elements, and the highly anticipated, new train.  The train will be a 1/3 scale locomotive built to resemble a modern day Dash 9 freight train engine.  There will be three carriages built to resemble modern-day Canpotex freight cars, and of course a caboose sponsored by Canadian Pacific Railway!  A special event is being planned in the coming months to give a sneak peek of the train and other exciting elements of the park, so watch for details to be announced shortly.

Highlights of Phase One, including the arrival of new rides, will be posted on the City of Saskatoon’s website throughout the year.  For more information on the Future Home of PotashCorp Playland at Kinsmen Park and the Kinsmen Park Master Plan, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/kinsmenpark

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: April 17, 2014


The City of Saskatoon’s compost depots are now open for the 2014 season. Residents of Saskatoon are encouraged to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill by bringing their leaves and grass to one of the depots:
- McOrmond Drive Depot, located just north of 8th Street East on McOrmond Drive, which is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily
- Highway 7 Depot, located at the corner of Highway 7 and 11th Street West, which is open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday to Sunday. 
The depots also accept tree and shrub material.  Due to the threat of Dutch Elm disease, provincial regulations prohibit the acceptance of elm and any other material that cannot be distinguished from elm at the compost depots.  A provincial pruning ban on elm is in effect from April 1, 2014 to August 31, 2014.  During this period, it is illegal to prune elm without a permit.  These materials cannot be accepted at the depots at any time and must be disposed of at the Saskatoon Landfill.  The Landfill is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week, including all holidays throughout the summer.
The depots are free to residents of Saskatoon.  Commercial haulers are required to purchase and display an entry permit when visiting the compost depots.  The registration fee for 2014, per business, is $200 for the first vehicle and $50 for each additional vehicle.  Registration forms are available at City Hall or online at www.saskatoon.ca and look under “C” for Compost Depot. 
New for the 2014 season: commercial hauler registrations and payments can now be accepted online at http://saskatoonenvirostore.ca! 
For timely updates, watch for Compost Depot Service Alerts at Saskatoon.ca and on Twitter and Facebook.
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.

CIVIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES FOR EASTER WEEKEND

The following are the hours of civic services and facilities for Easter weekend, Friday, April18 through Monday, April 21:

City Hall will be closed.

Parking meters will not require payment on Friday, April 18 and Sunday, April 20.  Motorists are required to move their vehicles within the time period shown on parking meters, allowing for a constant turnover of parking availability.  Parking meters will require payment on Saturday, April 19 and Monday, April 21.

The Municipal Impound Lot will not be releasing vehicles to the public on Friday, April 18 but will be open Saturday, April 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with regular operations on Monday, April 21.

All locations of the Saskatoon Public Library will be closed on April 18, 20, and 21.

The Saskatoon Landfill will be open every day throughout the Easter weekend with regular summer hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Compost Depots will be open every day throughout the Easter weekend with regular hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Garbage and Recycling collection will take place as scheduled.

The Mendel Art Gallery and Saskatoon Civic Conservatory are open every day, 364 days a year, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Admission is free.

TRANSIT SERVICES FOR EASTER WEEKEND

Transit service will operate as follows:
April 18: Sunday/Holiday service
April 19 and 20: Regular weekend service
April 21: Regular weekday service

Access Transit service will operate as follows (normal booking procedures apply):
April 18: Holiday service from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 p.m.
April 19 and 20: Regular weekend service
April 21: Holiday service from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 p.m.

LEISURE SERVICES FOR EASTER WEEKEND

Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo will be open daily.
Forestry Farm Park hours: 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Zoo hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission charges are in effect

LEISURE CENTRES HOURS FOR EASTER WEEKEND

Saskatoon Field House
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Cosmo Civic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 20: Regular hours
April 21: CLOSED

Lakewood Civic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Lawson Civic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Shaw Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Fitness Circuit & Terry Fox Track (in the SaskTel Sports Centre)
April 18 to 20: CLOSED
April 21: Regular hours

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.

The City will soon be saving energy and reducing operational costs at two major civic facilities.  City Council approved plans for two combined heat and power (CHP) projects in December 2013 and with funding support from partners, natural gas fuelled CHP units will be installed at Lakewood Civic Centre and the Shaw Centre.

“These installations help demonstrate our commitment to environmental leadership through the use of more energy-efficient practices in City buildings,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental and Corporate Initiatives.  “The project also helps ensure that existing leisure centres remain financially efficient and services can be provided more reliably.  We are extremely pleased to participate in partnership to leverage funding from other sources.  This contributes to ensuring the long-term sustainability of community assets.”

The units, which will be integrated into the existing electrical and heating systems, produce electricity and recover waste heat to be used inside a building.  The technology also offers a cleaner energy source that can reduce utility costs and provide backup electricity and heating in the event of a power outage or equipment failure.  Between the two facilities, greenhouse gas emission will be reduced by 915 tonnes, which is equal to removing 180 cars from Saskatoon roads each year.

The total cost of the project is $1.3 million.  Almost half of that amount, $600,000, is funded through Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) as a result of a successful proposal submitted in response to a request for proposals to the Market Development Incentive Payments (MDIP) Fund and the Clean Energy Fund (the Program).  Through this Program, NRCan provides up to 50% matching funding for eligible costs for projects which identify innovative applications for natural gas and make greater use of technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SaskEnergy, a supporter of combined heat and power technology, also contributed $325,000 to the project.  The City will contribute $375,000 towards the implementation of the project.

Earlier this year, City Council approved the award of a contract to Calgary-based Power EcoSystems to design, supply, build and maintain the project, the value of which was $1,116,000.

“There are other civic buildings that could benefit from moving to combined heat and power technology.  After measuring the benefits of these installations, the business case for other civic facilities could be reviewed,” says Wallace.

Installation and commissioning of the units will be completed by early 2015 with ongoing monitoring and reporting being conducted until the completion of the project in fall of 2016.

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.