Updates to the City of Weyburn's Waterworks & Sewer Service Bylaw received their first reading during tonight's meeting of Weyburn City Council. Changes include language being updated to be gender neutral, as well as a slight increase in the City's utility bills, beginning in January of 2025. See the changes in detail HERE.
"It's subjective of course, but the the reality is water has a value and that value is very high, and what we're finding, as with everything, the cost of the service is just getting more and more expensive. So the only alternative we have is to put the rates up," commented City Councillor Jeff Richards.
"It is a losing proposition for us. The Utility Fund doesn't really replenish itself well," he explained. "We want to try to keep the rates as low as we can, but, of course, we have to charge. It's an unfortunate reality, but it is what it is."
Richards echoed Engineering Director Renee Cugnet's statement during the meeting, that Weyburn still has among the lowest utility rates in the province.
"When we look at the value or the cost of water and sewer services in our City, compared to other cities in the province, we're still very, very affordable, you know, among the lowest, but it's still an increase, and we have to watch that. But we're we're pretty comfortable with where we are for rates."
Other regular business was tended to during the meeting, including Councillor Laura Morrissette being appointed to the Weyburn Board of Police Commissioners following the retirement of long-term board member, Mel Van Betuw.
An exciting announcement was made during tonight's Council meeting. Following approval of a draft design for a park set to be built on the site of the old Haig School, Leisure Services Director Andrew Crowe announced that the Young Fellows Club of Weyburn will be providing $200,000 for naming rights to the park, along with $20,000 as work-in-kind toward the park's development.
"We're super excited to partner up with the City of Weyburn to develop this Haig School park. It's a really good investment for us. The community supports us so much, and we're really happy to give it back," shared Todd Bedore with the Young Fellows.
He said it is something the service group has been working on for a while, and signs will soon be going up in the future Young Fellows Park.
Councillor Richards said it's a great announcement for our community, given that the park will offer new features we don't already have in place.
"The pump track, the cricket pitch, great additions to our community, and the Young Fellows do so much for our community. It's so exciting to have them on board for another project, to contribute and to just make life better in Weyburn, as though it could somehow get better, I don't know, but we're pretty excited to work with these guys."
Crowe noted the tax-payers won't have to be overly concerned with funding the park's construction, as the Leisure Services Department will seek out as much sponsorship, grant, and community funding as possible to look after the costs associated with it.
"So it'll be a lot of work on our end, but the goal is to limit the burden of the taxpayer."
He added the park's concept design was the result of feedback from more than 900 community members from an online community engagement survey.
Councillor Richards added a kudos to to City staff for bringing this park to fruition.
