ESTEVAN - Estevan city council has offered its backing for a bid from the Rural Municipality of Estevan to resurface a portion of Kensington Avenue.
Council approved a motion at the Oct. 18 meeting. The letter, from Denise Bell with the Southeast Sask. Economic Partnership (SSEP), says the SSEP is working on an application from the RM to Western Economic Diversification Canada to receive funds for paving Kensington Avenue from the north city limits to the bypass.
Kensington Avenue from Fourth Street to the city limits has been resurfaced in different stages within the past 15 years.
The letter states that paving this road connector will provide a direct link between the commercial and industrial businesses on the north side of Estevan and Highway 39.
“At present during the current state of the connector road, drivers use alternate, longer routes to the bypass. The upgrade will shift traffic back to an appropriate road specifically built for heavy truck traffic, and alleviate up to a mile of additional travel for drivers.”
It will also increase traffic efficiency and public safety, while it decreases travel distances for large trucks, thereby reducing costly wear and tear on roads built for less and lighter traffic.
•••
The City of Estevan will contribute to the upcoming Festival of Trees hosted by the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation.
Traditionally the city has had a corporate table at the festival’s gala dinner, but the gala won’t happen this year. Instead, the city will provide $1,000 to the foundation, which would be the cost of the corporate table.
This year’s Festival of Trees will have a mixture of in-person and virtual activities, with most of the events happening from Nov. 15-25.
•••
The city will proceed to request title on 30 properties in the community with property taxes owing. This is one of the steps for the second phase for tax enforcement.
Councillor Travis Frank wanted to know how many properties the city has moved on. He noted there aren’t as many as people might think.
City manager Jeff Ward said this process often triggers something for property tax collection.
•••
Council tabled a proposal from land development services manager Richard Neufeld for a second access point for Sigma Place, a mixed commercial and multi-family residential property on Kensington Avenue.
Currently there is only one access point to the property on Kensington.
The two options considered were a second access point from Kensington, or a laneway adjacent to the building.
Councillor Shelly Veroba said there was concern from the property owners about proximity of the laneway to the residence. Those who reside in the northeast corner of the city are also concerned the laneway would be another shortcut, and those who use the back lane would be speeding.
Councillor Kirsten Walliser noted the laneway proposal was reviewed by engineering, land development and the fire department, but she wanted to know if it’s been considered by the traffic review board.
Mayor Roy Ludwig said it hasn’t been before the traffic review committee, which resulted in the motion to table.
•••
Council approved a permit for a cannabis retailer at the location of the Shell gas station, convenience store and car wash on Souris Avenue South.
The current convenience store on the property would be divided roughly in half to accommodate the cannabis retailer, and there would be no indoor access.
This would be the fifth cannabis retailer for Estevan. There is no limit on the number of stores allowed in the community.
Three written responses were received. One family did not want to see more stores open, believing Estevan now has enough. Another voiced opposition, but did not explain why. And a third believes the store would be harmful to children, exposing young people to drugs, and attracting “drug-addicted people.”
It was noted that the Estevan Police Service has not responded to a call from any of the Estevan cannabis retailers since the first one opened in the fall of 2018.
•••
Six building permits worth $322,060 were issued in September, bringing the total for the year to 36 worth more than $2.16 million.
All six permits for September were classified as miscellaneous.
