Mayor Gives Notice Of Three Motions

By Robert Thomas

At last Monday evening’s regular meeting of Council Mayor Clive Tolley put forth three notices of motion which, if all three pass, could result in major changes and spending for the City.

Notices Of Motion are given by individual members of Council that they have an initiative they would like Council to approve. The initiative could be - but not limited to - spending, policy changes or renaming a street. The notice of motion is debated at the next regular meeting of Council.

The first ,motion was about Angle Parking on High Street East.

“That City Administration investigate the feasibility of installing angle parking on the following streets. High Street East from 1st Avenue NE to 3rd Avenue NE inclusive including the 100 and 200 blocks of High Street East,” the proposed motion read.

The second proposed motion was about access to the Hillcrest Sports Centre.

Mayor Tolley put forth a notice of motion which would re-open west bound traffic on Thatcher Drive East having the ability to access the Hillcrest Golf and Country Club.

The entry was previously eliminated as a safety concern and a median erected costing over $150,000 at the time.

The safety initiative was controversial with area business owners raising their concerns and threatening legal action.

The notice Mayor Tolley proposed read “that City Administration investigate the creation of an access and egress from the 1500 block of Main Street North to the Hillcrest Sports Centre parking area and the existing service road connecting the Hillcrest Sports Centre to Thatcher Drive.

Mayor Clive Tolley’s proposed motion would see Administration look at providing more access for the Hillcrest Sports Centre potentially where a controversial safety median was constructed - MJ Independent photo

The final proposed motion deals with alleviating a major traffic bottleneck accessing the southwest corner of the city. The mayor would like to see Administration look at the potential to building a new bridge to South Hill.

“That the matter of planning a new bridge connecting Coteau Street West and Thatcher Drive NW be referred to capital budget discussions,” the proposed motion reads.

It needs to be noted the City long ago started what was suppose to be the 16th Avenue Bridge but the project was later abandoned. The bridge was known as “Moose Jaw’s bridge to nowhere.”

The last estimate given - many years ago - to build a new bridge to South Hill was in the tens of millions of dollars.

A look at the area where the ill-fated 16th Avenue Bridge would have been built - MJ Independent photo

As with all things discussed by Council the City encourages citizen feedback on the proposed motions.