ESTEVAN - The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 7606 will have first right of refusal for future benches along Estevan's pathways.
Estevan city council granted the UMWA's request during the Oct. 10 council meeting. The UMWA will donate 10 benches and garbage cans to be located along the pathways, taking care of the remaining benches for the walking areas. This is in addition to the 12 benches the union already purchased.
The existing benches that were not purchased by the UMWA will not be affected.
The request was made at the Sept. 25 council meeting, but council tabled the ask, as the UMWA had initially asked for exclusivity. Coun. Kirsten Walliser said there was some confusion over what would happen if, in the future, the city decided more benches were needed.
"Would we then come back to the United Mine Workers and ask for sponsorship at that time, or if more benches are needed in the future, is it okay for us to give those to other individuals?" asked Walliser.
Mel Murray, the vice-president of UMWA Local 7606, responded the union should get right to first refusal, just like they have for the recycling containers at Affinity Place.
Coun. Rebecca Foord thanked the UMWA for the initiative they have taken, and added it is "beautiful" to see the benches on the pathways and the tributes to local UMWA members who have died. But she said the first right of refusal takes away an opportunity for people to sponsor a bench on the pathway.
"I've had a couple of comments from people in the past two weeks now who said 'We weren't quite sure if putting a memorial bench up was a good idea for our family, but now we've been thinking about it,'" she said.
Murray said there are other areas in the community where benches can go.
Council approved the request but Foord voted against it.
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Council approved rescinding the city's policy for the Glen Peterson Industrial Park. The document was approved three years ago, with a hope of filling the remaining vacant parcels.
Coun. Travis Frank said this was a program the city tried out. It hasn't worked out as well as the city wanted, but they're excited about opportunities and initiatives that have come forward.
"We would love to see a lot of construction in that area," said Frank.
According to a report from land development services, the policy was intended to offer a greatly reduced price for a property in return for development of a building that met certain objectives of Estevan's economic development board.
The report went on to say that since its inception, the policy has generated a number of phone inquiries and one serious offer. To protect the public interest, the policy included benchmarks that needed to be met, or a portion or all of the original lot cost would have to be remitted to the city. Lenders have viewed it as a penalty.
"As a result, a new buyer would have to secure the full price of the lot in security calculations for a mortgage on a new building rather than only for the building itself," the report said. "This has proved to be a major barrier for a new start-up business or a business expansion."
A new policy will be coming in the future. In the meantime, the city would accept anyone who wants to build in the industrial park under the existing incentives.
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Two building permits for $50,000 were issued in September. One was for a garage and the other was classified as miscellaneous. So far this year 31 permits worth more than $2.4 million have been granted.
