i heard on the radio the our mayor don wants to fly construction workers from windsor to ease off the construction worker shortage. they would be here for 5 days fligh back for the weekend and fly back to saskatoon for the weekday. Does anyone think this is a little crazy, not covering our downtown with a giant reverse snowglobe crazy
but very unpractical, expensive.
here is the article
Atchison Responds To Windsor-Saskatoon Commute
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
The Mayor of Windsor says a long distance commuting program between his Ontario city and the Cities of Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon is truly a win-win situation.
The plan would apparently allow long distance commuters to travel weekly, back and forth, between western Canada and Windsor - which is suffering from high unemployment.
Mayor Don Atchison says Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis and the community would first have to be on board along with various businesses from Saskatoon to make it work.
Atchison says our city's housing shortage is a problem, so something would have to change in order to allow people to live here from out of province.
to me this seem really unpractical because of the hotels, being booked to support the workers
but it may bring new buildings/skyscrapers to our downtown, and possibly allow our airport to get its long talked expansion with increased air traffic and usage.
here are some other articles lately
Saskatoon City Council Wrap
By Benson McCulloch
Updated March 18, 2008 - 6:03am
Saskatoon City council may hold an emergency session on condo conversions.
Last night Saskatoon city council voted to hold off on approving nine condo conversions until April 21st. City Solicitor Theresa Dust says a decision on the Milroy Apartment court case should be handed down by then. But council agreed to meet and vote on the nine if a decision comes down earlier.
Council also agreed to build a new fire station on the East Side and move away from traditional phone lines and adopt a Voice Over Internet System.
City of Saskatoon's Kevin Peacock says it will cost 800 thousand dollars over four years to set up, but says it will pay for itself over the same period of time.
River Landing to become corporation
Similar to TCU Place; expected to pay for itself
Lori Coolican, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Saskatoon's most-visible redevelopment project, River Landing, will soon become an entity unto itself by transforming into a city-owned non-profit corporation overseen by an appointed board of directors.
City council voted Monday night to approve the establishment of the new corporation and to dedicate property taxes and parking revenue collected from the development's lands toward its long-term management, maintenance and operational costs. A similar corporation governs TCU Place.
The move does not leave a door open for River Landing to diverge from the city's policies regarding things like snow removal, parking and noise restrictions at some future time, city manager Phil Richards assured council
We anticipate higher standards on site. In other words, for example . . . we'll have a higher standard on snow removal . . . so that people can enjoy access to River Landing all year round."
Council also approved a motion to amend the existing boundaries of two business improvement districts (BIDs) -- the downtown's The Partnership and the Riversdale BID -- to exclude River Landing.
The boundary changes will deprive both BIDs of the levies payable to them from a portion of property taxes collected at River Landing, but council resolved to reach an agreement with both districts where the city will provide them with an equivalent amount.
The creation of a new non-profit corporation to look after River Landing came about after a review of "similar park-like organizations around the country," according to a report to council from city manager Phil Richards.
"The board could consist of two city councillors, the city manager and four to five board members from a list of applicants received from around the city," Richards wrote. "The board would then be responsible for direction, policy, budgets, and the hiring and supervision of an executive director."
Even though only portions of River Landing are operational so far, the city spent $174,600 from general property tax revenues towards its maintenance and operations last year.
Another $234,400 is budgeted for 2008 since the pavilion, children's water play feature, Isinger Park and new streets and streetscape are expected to open this year.
Ultimately, River Landing is expected to pay for itself with the costs of management, maintenance and operations funded entirely through dedicated property taxes and parking revenues.
That likely won't happen for another two to three years, according to Richards' report.
In the meantime, those costs may be charged each year to a capital project funded from the city's reserve for capital expenditures -- starting with about $400,000 this year, he wrote.
In an interview Terry Scaddan, executive director of The Partnership, told The StarPhoenix it's too soon to pass any definitive judgement on the new River Landing governance structure, but he generally supports the city's desire to treat it as a special civic feature with a budget of its own.
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