Infrastructure
Recycling Consultation: Full Cost Analysis Indicates $3 per household/month
Jun 29th
In an effort to continue beating the dead horse that is the 2007 Saskatoon Waste and Recycling Plan (SWRP), let’s take a look at the estimated costs associated with establishing a city-wide curbside recycling program. Using the triple-bottom line cost estimates developed by the outside consultants in the SWRP and building in some conservatively estimated cost savings and revenue generation, we can get a better sense of the true cost of such a program.
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A quick primer: In 2006 the City commissioned a comprehensive report on how the City generates, handles, and disposes of its waste. Additionally, that report was given the mandate to propose a new long-term plan on how Saskatoon would eventually become a “zero-waste” city. That plan, unanimously adopted by each and every member on today’s City Council in November 2007, involved a series of working groups, stakeholder engagement, and (wait for it) public consultation/information open houses.
The crux of the plan was a three phase process. Phase I was to start educating residents on how they can reduce their waste and move every home to an individual garbage bin. Phase II (which was scheduled to be implemented this year) was to institute a city-wide curbside recycling program with More >
Committee’s At A Glance – Week of June 21, 2010
Jun 23rd
With a Council meeting scheduled for next week that means the Exec, A&F, and P&O committees meet this week (they have already met).
So let’s take a quick glance at some of the more interesting items that should be making their way to City Council next week:
Executive Committee:
1. Station 20 West Report - The committee will receive a presentation by Station 20 West giving an update on where the project stands. As background information – the City has extended the agreed sale of the Station 20 West site land for $1 on two occasions since provincial funding was pulled from the project in 2007. Station 20 West is currently undertaking a capital fundraising campaign in order to secure enough money to begin construction of their building.
Administration & Finance Committee:
1. Peak Water Usage Rules - The committee will consider a report from Utility Services outlining a proposed system that will be put in place starting this summer to reduce peak water usage by approximately 10%. During periods that the water treatment plant experiences demand above it’s capacity a three staged protocol will be initiated. The stages included I) odd/even watering days; II) one day a week for one hour watering restriction; III) complete ban More >
Altering Car Culture Not Easy – But Necessary
Jun 10th
Earlier this week a report was submitted to the P&O Committee of City Council and will appear at the regular City Council Meeting on Monday (June 14). The basis of the report was to present a $60,000 study conducted on the current state of Saskatoon’s transportation system and recommendations on how to improve it over the coming years and decades.
As Gerry Klein points out, the one portion of the recommendations that received some ink was the suggestion that parking rates downtown be raised, the Star Phoenix article can be found here and some good discussion can be weeded out amongst the comment section of a local blog here.
What has been lost in the higher parking rate recommendation is it’s intent. Coincidentally, what I believe the intent was is nicely summed up in a short video that I posted here on Friday.
The argument goes, increased parking rates lead to a higher turnover in cars (longer stays cost $$$, an incentive to not stay long), which increases the absolute number of people accessing the area and decreases traffic because there are less people driving around looking for a parking spot. Given that argument, raising parking rates in the downtown core (between 23rd and More >
Core Neighbourhood Vacant Lots, Part III: King George
Jun 7th
Today I’ll highlight the vacant lots listed for King George. It is bounded by 11th Street to the south, Avenue P to the west and the South Saskatchewan River to the east. The northern boundary starts at South Saskatchewan River and follows west down 17th Street; it then runs down the easement between Avenues M and N until 16th Street; finally, it follows 16th Street to Avenue P.
The following is a map detailing the 15 vacant lots listed on the City’s master list (as of May 31, 2010; denoted by blue markers). Where possible, I have included additional information on the status of the vacant lot. New, uninspiring, infill developments are denoted by purple markers:
View Vacant Lots in a larger map
News And Notes: August Edition
Aug 24th
Posted by Sean Shaw in City Council
1 comment
It appears that my new job has nearly zapped my ability to keep this blog upto-date over the past weeks. In my defense it has been a relatively slow summer. So, I figured now would be a good time to dump a few municipal tidbits on whatever readers I have left:
1. Possible Municipal By-Election:
Ward 5 Councillor, and Sask Party Candidate for Saskatoon-Northwest, could possibly find himself contesting a Provincial By-election this fall. Word has it that the Sask Party would very much like to see current Saskatoon-Northwest MLA Serge LeClerc vacant his seat as early as this Fall. Such a series of events may be a long shot, as the recently turned Independent MLA has been granted a medical leave of absence from his elected duties, boarded up his offices, and is residing in Ontario, seemingly content to draw on his MLA salary until the General Election in November 2011. However, should Mr. LeClerc be “convinced” to retire, Councillor Wyant stands a good chance of retaining the seat for the Sask Party in a by-election. Wyant has already indicated that he would resign his Council seat if elected to the Legislature. If this were to happen before October 2011, the More >