SASKATOON — City of Saskatoon Planning and Development Director Lesley Anderson clarified that the project of decorating and lighting the downtown back alleys last December was held in consultation with the residents and business establishments.
Anderson made the statement after the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, through Prairie Director Gage Haubrich, said the project is a just waste of the taxpayers’ money as the city spent over $90,000.
“Shining fancy lights on back-alley dumpsters is a garbage way of using taxpayer dollars. The city of Saskatoon needs to give it is head a shake after this project,” said Haubrich.
The city installed decorative mesh balls and lightbulbs in December 2022 in an alley between 2nd and 3rd Avenues South — from the back of the Hotel Senator (21st Street East) to the side of O’Shea’s Irish Pub (2nd Avenue South).
Anderson, in a statement sent to SASKTODAY, said the city just listened to the opinion made by residents and businesses through the “Downtown Where You Belong” consultations in 2018.
“One item we heard that could be improved in the city’s centre was back alleys: making them safer, brighter and more inviting. This initiative is one way we have supported this request,” said Anderson.
She added that local business owners were part of the project and the city did not solely shoulder the cost.
“The lighting is also supported financially — for the installation and ongoing electrical costs — by entrepreneurs who work daily to keep downtown an attractive and viable business area,” Anderson said.
“They [business owners and entrepreneurs] create jobs and opportunities that keep the tax base healthy to provide the services we depend upon. The city will always support those goals.”
The project was made possible through a partnership and additional funding from the non-profit group Downtown Saskatoon, local businesses and property owners as part of the Business Improvement District.
The back alley was illuminated by programmable fibreglass mesh light orbs, which Anderson said made downtown a more attractive place to go to.
“The city and Downtown Saskatoon continue to work closely to make Saskatoon’s downtown an attractive, year-round destination. This one-of-a-kind lighting project invites residents and tourists to visit spaces less travelled and discover a side of the city they might have never seen before,” said Anderson in an earlier statement.
From the documents they obtained, CTF criticized the city for providing $91,485 in funds out of the $122,174 total project cost. The Downtown Business Improvement District and some businesses chipped in $30,6890.
CTF added over $90,000 in taxpayer dollars to the project, equivalent to an average of 37 homes that paid the property taxes. In comparison, the city is paid $17 million to purchase land downtown near the proposed site of the event and entertainment district.
The city also increased the amount for the construction of the new library to $79 million from $73 million, while the city council also voted to go into debt for the extra cost from the latest snow dump.
“The city shouldn’t be using taxpayer dollars to get people to spend more time in back alleys; the City of Saskatoon needs to commit to respecting taxpayer dollars and not wasting it on frivolous art projects,” said Haubrich.
