Archive for November, 2009
Council to Consider New Art Gallery on November 30th
Nov 26th
The agenda for the next City Council meeting, scheduled for Monday, November 30th, is now available online (here).
On the docket is a report from administration recommending that City Council approve, in principle, the proposed Destination Centre with an expanded art gallery (i.e. the move of the Mendel to River Landing), a proposal with an initial price tag of $58 million. Of that cost approximately $18 million will come from City coffers.
Personally, my wife and I usually end up at the Mendel for each new exhibit and we throw in $10 – 20 to the donation bin. I think an expanded Mendel would be a great addition to the City, either at its current location or a new larger location.
However, I strongly believe that the residents of Saskatoon as a whole should be given voice on any decision given the large tax dollar numbers attached to a new art gallery. $58 million is a healthy chunk of taxpayer dollars (Federal, Provincial, and Municipal) and we should be well aware with recent examples that budgets on paper tend to be exceeded in reality (i.e. River Landing ballooning from $35 million to nearly $90 million, and growing). Not to mention the added year-to-year More >
The On-going Walkway Closure Debate
Nov 26th
At the Nov 14th City Council meeting, three walkway closure petitions were on the agenda. It seems that there are closure petitions on almost every Council agenda these days (two new ones coming forward on Nov 30th) and if you attend the meetings you will likely hear the same debate being replayed over and over.
Currently, once a petition has been filed, residents surrounding the walkway are petitioned (generally by mail) for a yes or no to the walkway closure. In order to be considered for closure 80% of the surrounding residents must be in agreement – residents who do not respond to the petition are counted as being in favour of the closure. Should the closure guidelines be met, public notice of the closure hearing is given and it eventually comes before City Council for debate. There is a $1,000 application fee and a $1,000 land purchase fee for those looking to close the walkway.
In a few cases (lately centered on Ward 3), the closure involves a walkway that leads to nowhere and the final decision by Council makes perfect senses. Others have the full support of the area residents. However, a good number of these closure hearings quickly turn More >
Lake Placid comes up short – again
Nov 23rd
Just heard word back from a couple sources who were able to attend Executive Committee this afternoon.
Top of the agenda was discussion around a report from Administration with regards to the way forward on Parcel “Y” – better known as the (former) Lake Placid development.
Mr. Lobsinger of Lake Placid Developments confirmed to Committee that he has still not received his financing, despite assurances to the contrary last week at City Council and afterwards in the media scrum (story here). He once again cautioned Councillors that sending the process back to the beginning and issuing another Request For Proposal would result in a long delay for any shovels being put in the ground at Parcel “Y”.
Several Councillors spoke to moving ahead ASAP, including Councillors Penner, Wyant, and Heidt. Councillor Clark spoke on the potential opportunity being presented to the City to take a fresh look at what is intended for Parcel “Y”, while Councillor Paulsen suggested engaging the local development community (those not interested in developing Parcel “Y”) to see what the City could do to open up the zoning to make things more palatable for potential developers.
No decision was made on how to proceed with the future of Parcel “Y” and More >
Proposal: Downtown Plan
Nov 23rd
Today the Executive Committee will have an Administration report brought forward that outlines a proposal to develop a new plan for the downtown. It looks like the seeds for this plan arose after Council roundly rejected the proposed concept plan for the downtown bus mall back in August and the plans to expand the main library. The plan indicates that with a number of “fundamental changes” on the books for the downtown – Library expansion, Cycling Plan, City Yards, new police station, warehouse district, 3rd Ave, the bus mall, and the diversion of traffic from Idylwyld once the South Bridge is completed – that an opportunity to re-vision the downtown was available.
Through a request for proposals (RFP) to consultation firms, nationally and internationally, the proposal sets out an ambitious plan that includes 14 issues to be addressed: 1) Conduct a study of public space and pedestrian activity in the city centre to examine the level of street activity, user satisfaction, comfort, and propensity for pedestrian attraction and movement; 2) provide a benchmark and process to evaluate future trends and activities and monitor the progress and success of people-oriented improvements in the city centre over time; 3) design coordination and overall More >
Group Home Debate Strikes A Chord
Nov 19th
(*** I have edited this post for content and have attempted to make my commentary a bit more clear)
On Monday night two applications submitted by Eagle’s Nest Youth Ranch to increase the number of clients (10-18 yr olds) from five to six youth came before Council for approval (stories here and here)
The Provincial Government has identified the large and growing need for these type of Youth Group homes. Their mandate, to integrate youth into a stable environment and community, is designed to help those most in need and help steer them in a direction so that they can become contributing members of society.
The first, located in Kelsey-Woodlawn (Ward 1), was approved with very little opposition from council. (Edit: I have removed the vote breakdown as my count wasn’t accurate – given I was at the meeting this is yet another good example why we need recorded votes at Council)
The second, located on 33rd St. W. in Westview (Ward 4) was not approved.
Before the vote, the debate surrounding the Westview home hit on a few key points that deserve further attention by City Administration:
1. That there is an apparent concentration of these type of group homes (youth) west of Idylwyld Drive; and
2. More >
