Budget Briefs

BYE BYE SATURDAY BUSES

After a 5 - 2 vote it is the end of Saturday bus service.

Council was told the Dial A Bus service, which replaced the 80 minute routes on Saturdays, did not have a reasonable uptake so the service was not economical and needed to go.

NEW BUS ROUTES

Council was advised Administration was looking at making changes to the existing bus routes in order to better service transit users.

One addition Administration is looking at providing is to include the Yara Centre as a new bus stop.

Initially the Yara Centre stop was promised by the Moose Jaw Multi-Plex Builders Inc but the “promise" fell through when Council said no due to the cost of a dedicated run. Plus no agreement had ever been reached with the Builders to provide said service.

This time around the City is looking at working in the stop at the now City of Moose Jaw managed facility within the 40 minute route regime.

PICKLEBALLERS REJOICE

It came as a late addition to the budget but sometime in the 2022 there will be six new pickleball courts adjacent the Kinsmen Sportsplex.

The courts will be leased to the 100 member Pickleball Moose Jaw with times made available for non-members.

Cost of the new courts is $285,000 with funding for the new courts coming from the General Parks Dedication Reserve.

It is estimated there are 300 active pickleball players in Moose Jaw with the numbers expected to grow with the addition of the new outdoor courts.

TOO MUCH MONEY

Council debated the merits of increasing the areas where snow is picked up but in the end decided it was too expensive.

The best plan would have seen the City extending the areas where they plow and haul away snow.

Presently snow is only hauled away in the Downtown area and in front of Sask Polytech on Saskatchewan Street West.

The cost of the premium or best snow removal policy was stated to be $2.5 million for five snow events.

The $2.5 million would equate to approximately an eight percent tax hike if adopted.