Mayor Has Two Out Of Three Motions Pass

By Robert Thomas

Mayor Clive Tolley was likely dreaming about an old Meatloaf classic song as he slept on Monday night after having two out of three of his motions passed by Council earlier in the evening.

Mayor Tolley had given notice at the April 25th regular Council meeting he would be bringing three motions at the next regular Council meeting.

The motions dealt with the possibility of angle parking on the 100 and 200 blocks of High Street East, accessing the Hillcrest Sports Centre (Country Club) from Main Street North and finally putting the 16th Avenue Bridge SW bridge as a budget item in 2023.

Converting the 100 and 200 Blocks of High Street East to Angle Parking

Mayor Tolley said he was asking for Administration to look into the feasibility of changing the 100 and 200 blocks of High Street East from the present parallel to angle parking.

At the present time the zero ( 0 ) block of High Street East is angle parking with meters.

Presently the 100 (pictured above) and 200 blocks of High Street East are parallel parking - MJ Independent photo

“I have noticed High Street is the widest street in the city and angle parking is working effectively on the zero block of High Street East. And we are going to need increased parking Downtown for major events including hockey games and concerts, Sidewalk Days and events at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre,” Mayor Tolley said about his reasoning for the change.

“For a variety of reasons we are going to need more parking,” he said.

He said the new pool and redeveloping the Natatorium just one block a way would also drive the need for more parking in the area.

“Angle parking provides us with additional space as opposed to parallel parking so therefore I’m proposing we ask our City Administration to look at the feasibility to do this,” Mayor Tolley said, adding “I have no intention of putting parking meters there. I have had some calls about that.”

Councillor Dawn Luhning said she was hopeful any report coming back would also include cost implications in making the change.

“If we can get more parking Downtown this seems like a simple way to do it for at least those two blocks I will vote in favour to at least get the information,” Councillor Luhning said.

“I can make an informed decision at that time,” she said.

The motion passed 6 - 0. Councillor Crystal Froese was absent from the meeting.

Accessing the Hillcrest From Main Street North

In his second motion Mayor Tolley proposed providing access to the Hillcrest (Golden Ticket Event Centre) by turning an impromptu used access trail into a proper permanent thoroughfare instead of a drive through the rough.

The present illegal entrance trail more than a few drivers are using through the ditch and into the Hillcrest and Golden Ticket Event Centre site - MJ Independent photo

Mayor Tolley’s motion was to create an access and egress from the 1500 block of Main Street North to the existing service road.

In 2016 there was a major controversy involving the elimination of a set of lights on Thatcher Drive East and access into then what was then called the Hillcrest Sports Centre. The City closed the intersection to left of the Hillcrest by installing a median. The changes at that time were attributed to safety concerns.

“If you go up Main Street North and you look to your right at the Hillcrest Golf Course many people are driving through the ditch on their way to the Hillcrest parking lot or using the Golden Ticket facilities or other facilities that are at the Hillcrest Sports Centre building,” he said.

He continued since the City had blocked off the left hand access from Thatcher Drive East that serves the Co-op Pharmacy and Hillcrest Dental offices “there are limited ways to get into and out of that particular facility.”

“See if it makes sense so you can leave Main Street (North) and return to Main Street in that area of Main Street North.”

Councillor Heather Eby said the proposed access was something she could not “support the cost of.”

She went on to state that accessing through the ditch should be stopped.

“If driving through the ditch is happening perhaps a better solution is fencing or some bollards to stop people from driving along there…at this point of time just what we know about construction costs anything like this would not be a cheap venture. And I am not sure if it is actually necessary,” Councillor Eby said.

It needs to be noted just north of the trail in use now there is a set of wooden bollards to stop drivers from using the ditch for access.

Mayor Tolley responded the Moose Jaw Co-op had sent a letter supporting the motion.

“They want to have more access to their pharmacy…they are interested in this access and egress to try and get more people into their facility.”

The motion was defeated 5 - 1 with Mayor Tolley the sole member of Council voting in favour.

16th Avenue SW Bridge

The third and final bridge dealt with getting a proposed 16th Avenue SW bridge built over the CPR tracks. The bridge would join Coteau Steet West with Thatcher Drive West.
Although the motion if it passed would move the proposed bridge to 2023 - 2024 Budget discussions it would not be built in the near future.

The purpose of the motion was to get the ball rolling and the bridge on the radar for the future when traffic and growth warranted it.

The probable location of a proposed 16th Ave SW Bridge - MJ Independent file photo

“We currently have a huge amount of money invested over the next few years in repairing the 4th Avenue Bridge (Thunderbird Viaduct) and this is a distant agenda item for our capital fund. But I believe we should start to get it into discussions about Capital Budget because we are going to have more and more homes built in the southwest of the city,” Mayor Tolley said introducing his motion.

He said he did not foresee the bridge being built quickly but he wanted to get it onto Capital Budget discussions.

Councillor Eby asked what impact and priority would the bridge have on capital discussions. The City has a budget policy where capital works are completed based upon a priority structure thereby better ensuring the most important projects are undertaken first.

City Manager Jim Puffalt said when it came to budget the City would be looking at a new transportation master study done as the last one done was in 2012.

The study will be funded through the Province’s Urban Connector Program and it should not cost the City anything, Puffalt said.

A Transportation Master Plan looks out 25 - 40 years to better allow the City to prepare road infrastructure to meet future growth and development.

Councillor Jamey Logan said he could support the motion as the Master Plan did not entail a cost to the City and would allow a better understanding on any proposed bridge project.

The motion passed 6 - 0.