Committee Questions Making Infrastructure Cut

File Photo By Roxanne Ashe - Visual Interiors Photography

A new proposed City parking lot near the hospital had Budget Committee out with the electric hedge clippers to do some trimming but when they went to it the cord was just short.

During Monday night's Civic Budget discussions Councilor Heather Eby proposed cutting a proposed gravel parking lot around the baseball diamonds near Moose Jaw's hospital. Eby asked why should the City provide a free parking lot for the hospital.

Speaking before the Committee Daily Lennox from Parks and Recreation said the parking lot was not intended for use by people going to the Hospital but rather for the growing Moose Jaw Minor (Optimist) Girl’s Fastball League.

Since parking is limited in the area people attending the ball diamonds were parking wherever causing “ruts everywhere” as there was “no parking around the two diamonds,” Lennox said.

Due to the proposed expansion of the northeast reservoir there will be limited parking, she said.

“People at the hospital are already parking there anyway and making ruts and deeper ruts,” Lennox explained.

Councilor Brian Swanson agreed with Councilor Eby's motion going further calling for the “decommissioning the diamonds and offering them for sale” due to little use.

Councilor Crystal Froese disagreed pointing out the diamonds were not being used for slow pitch but were in regularly used by the girl's fastball league.

“Unless we can find another place for girls to play fastball,” Councilor Froese stated.

In the end the motion was defeated on a 3-3 vote. Mayor Frasier Tolmie had temporarily left the meeting.

Following the vote Councilor Swanson commented on the difficulty of finding $42 million to cut from the Five Year Capital Budget.

“If we are going to cut $42 million from that (Five Year Capital Budget) and can’t do (cut) a gravel parking lot good “ Councilor Swanson stated.

moose jawJanuary 23, 2019