Regina Construction III

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by Festivus

In all seriousness he should go to jail for abusing public trust and taking advantage of power.

And he should be forced to reimburse the RM for all fees incurred (maybe they're already considering that?).

[Rodo Regina Lover]

Isn't it a little odd that CIBC is opening another branch on Gordon Rd., when they have just opened the new building on Gordon Rd. at Southland Mall? The foot print of the building in Harbour Landing seems rather small for a bank. I'm hoping for a place where one can get a cappuccino or latte rather than a bank. I know on the Harbour Landing map it states CIBC is going on that S.W.corner of Lewan and Gordon Rd. I'm hoping that is an error of some sort, I guess we'll find out as construction progresses.

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by Rodo Regina Lover

Isn't it a little odd that CIBC is opening another branch on Gordon Rd., when they have just opened the new building on Gordon Rd. at Southland Mall? The foot print of the building in Harbour Landing seems rather small for a bank. I'm hoping for a place where one can get a cappuccino or latte rather than a bank. I know on the Harbour Landing map it states CIBC is going on that S.W.corner of Lewan and Gordon Rd. I'm hoping that is an error of some sort, I guess we'll find out as construction progresses.

The one in Grasslands might not be a full service branch. It could be Woody Gundy and the investment arm or business banking, not the retail portion. The southland branch specializes in ESL, I think.

[Dan0myte]

Originally Posted by Rodo Regina Lover

Isn't it a little odd that CIBC is opening another branch on Gordon Rd., when they have just opened the new building on Gordon Rd. at Southland Mall? The foot print of the building in Harbour Landing seems rather small for a bank. I'm hoping for a place where one can get a cappuccino or latte rather than a bank. I know on the Harbour Landing map it states CIBC is going on that S.W.corner of Lewan and Gordon Rd. I'm hoping that is an error of some sort, I guess we'll find out as construction progresses.

The closeness of the two is very odd, but I guess for someone who lives in Harbour Landing who banks with CIBC, the new location will save you a 5 minute jaunt down Gordon to the Southland location. Slightly more convenient I guess. Maybe it's a visibility thing too. The Scotiabank opposite it has a very large sign and bright red colors and being right on the corner of the entrance to the Grasslands, there may be some jealousy & need for competition there.

The building next to the CIBC would make for a great coffee shop though. Great visibility from the Lewvan and very easy for contractors going to Lowe's to pull in there and grab a cup on their way out. The Tim's around the corner isn't nearly as convenient and the tight turns they made into their parking lot and out of their drivethru are infuriating.

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by Dan0myte

The closeness of the two is very odd, but I guess for someone who lives in Harbour Landing who banks with CIBC, the new location will save you a 5 minute jaunt down Gordon to the Southland location. Slightly more convenient I guess. Maybe it's a visibility thing too. The Scotiabank opposite it has a very large sign and bright red colors and being right on the corner of the entrance to the Grasslands, there may be some jealousy & need for competition there.

The building next to the CIBC would make for a great coffee shop though. Great visibility from the Lewvan and very easy for contractors going to Lowe's to pull in there and grab a cup on their way out. The Tim's around the corner isn't nearly as convenient and the tight turns they made into their parking lot and out of their drivethru are infuriating.

I found it odd, given the 500 layoff notices CIBC just issued, and given the proximity to the recently built Southland location.

[Dan0myte]

Originally Posted by Drofmab

I found it odd, given the 500 layoff notices CIBC just issued, and given the proximity to the recently built Southland location.

Originally Posted by Huffington Post

“Even with these changes we will continue to be a significant net recruiter in 2015 and expect to hire more than 5,000 employees in the next year,” wrote Dove in an email.

Sounds like they're just cutting out middle-management fat from regional offices. They're still growing the locations and low paying jobs (i.e. tellers, admin assitants, bank managers, etc)

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by Dan0myte

Sounds like they're just cutting out middle-management fat from regional offices. They're still growing the locations and low paying jobs (i.e. tellers, admin assitants, bank managers, etc)

Nothing pushes an economy forward like dropping high-paying jobs and adding low-paying jobs.

[Davidson]

Originally Posted by Dan0myte

Sounds like they're just cutting out middle-management fat from regional offices. They're still growing the locations and low paying jobs (i.e. tellers, admin assitants, bank managers, etc)

Well Google says CIBC has 44,000+ employees, so laying off 500 staff is roughly 0.01% of their workforce. I bet that many people are hired or let go from CIBC on a weekly basis, hardly think it's going to impact their plans to build and open branches.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Davidson

Well Google says CIBC has 44,000+ employees, so laying off 500 staff is roughly 0.01% of their workforce. I bet that many people are hired or let go from CIBC on a weekly basis, hardly think it's going to impact their plans to build and open branches.

Actually it is in excess of 1%.

[TannerF]

Originally Posted by Dan0myte

Some of the key points I see in the report:

• The RM banked on the fact that Kal Tire was going to open a large warehouse on their land, and when Kal Tire backed out of the deal the RM quickly put together this development idea to spur financial development.
• Eberle & the developer refused to produce non-redacted documents showing the details of their deal to the investigator. It took weeks and weeks to finally break down their barriers and discover what money exchanged hands in this deal.
• The RM of Sherwood and Eberle both use the same lawyer. Although it isn't illegal, it's very sketchy and looks really bad for all parties.
• High employee turnover at the RM offices, with the clear reason people were being fired was their opposition to the Wascana Village devlopment. This caused RM council members to be influenced to vote a certain way on this development for fear of losing their jobs.
• Eberle sold a quarter section of his land to Marathon Developments for $25,000 per acre ($4,000,000 total) in 2012. Once the Wascana Developments plan was approved in 2013, he then provided a valuation of his land to Great Prairie Developments of $43,000 per acre.

Jist of it is he railroaded this plan through without any due diligence and using his power as Reeve to ensure it succeeded.

It seems like the perfect time for the province to split the RM of Sherwood up between the surrounding RMs or at least give the city of Regina some kind of veto power on anything inside the Regina bypass.

[BrutallyDishonest]

Originally Posted by Rodo Regina Lover

Isn't it a little odd that CIBC is opening another branch on Gordon Rd., when they have just opened the new building on Gordon Rd. at Southland Mall? The foot print of the building in Harbour Landing seems rather small for a bank. I'm hoping for a place where one can get a cappuccino or latte rather than a bank. I know on the Harbour Landing map it states CIBC is going on that S.W.corner of Lewan and Gordon Rd. I'm hoping that is an error of some sort, I guess we'll find out as construction progresses.

Harvard has a connection with CIBC, as seen by their downtown and Normanview locations. It's not really surprising. It's a prime location.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Dan0myte

[*]Eberle sold a quarter section of his land to Marathon Developments for $25,000 per acre ($4,000,000 total) in 2012. Once the Wascana Developments plan was approved in 2013, he then provided a valuation of his land to Great Prairie Developments of $43,000 per acre.[/LIST]
Jist of it is he railroaded this plan through without any due diligence and using his power as Reeve to ensure it succeeded.

That last one is not correct. The report says Eberle sold one quarter of land to Marathon back in 2007 for $400,000. Marathon agreed to sell it to GP for Wascana Village for $4 million in 2013 but the deal fell through because GP could not come up with the cash.

[Davidson]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Actually it is in excess of 1%.

Whoops, my bad, you are correct! Clearly math is not my strong suit. Guess I won't be applying for any jobs at that new CIBC branch

[BrutallyDishonest]

Originally Posted by Stormer

That last one is not correct. The report says Eberle sold one quarter of land to Marathon back in 2007 for $400,000. Marathon agreed to sell it to GP for Wascana Village for $4 million in 2013 but the deal fell through because GP could not come up with the cash.

That's not why it fell through.

[Udon'tknow]

Interesting plans for the shopper's stores in Regina:



Indeed, as Shoppers prepared to extend its food pilot into eight Regina stores this May, it’s not hard to envision the beginnings of a conceptual shift in convenience retailing, both in terms of the retail players and the fresher food assortment.

http://business.financialpost.com/2015/02/06/shoppers-drug-mart-prescription-for-food/

credit: National Post

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Udon'tknow

Interesting plans for the shopper's stores in Regina:



Indeed, as Shoppers prepared to extend its food pilot into eight Regina stores this May, it’s not hard to envision the beginnings of a conceptual shift in convenience retailing, both in terms of the retail players and the fresher food assortment.

http://business.financialpost.com/2015/02/06/shoppers-drug-mart-prescription-for-food/
credit: National Post

This is great. 8 of 10 Regina Shoppers will be included in the pilot. The other 2 are in hospitals. I assume they picked Regina because their massive food distribution centre is here. This means 2 small grocery stores downtown. This could be a huge boost to downtown residential development.

[jigglysquishy]

If handled well this could be the best thing to happen to downtown Regina in decades. We see consistently in North America that the biggest hindrance to downtown living is access to fresh food.

I wouldn't be surprised if this kick starts a residential boom.

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

If handled well this could be the best thing to happen to downtown Regina in decades. We see consistently in North America that the biggest hindrance to downtown living is access to fresh food.

I wouldn't be surprised if this kick starts a residential boom.

Wonder if the Cornwall Shoppers will need extra space - they've been re-arranging their food section over the past couple weeks, but I don't see enough space for fresh food.

The (former) medical office next to them (facing SaskTel) is empty.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by Drofmab

Wonder if the Cornwall Shoppers will need extra space - they've been re-arranging their food section over the past couple weeks, but I don't see enough space for fresh food.

The (former) medical office next to them (facing SaskTel) is empty.

That'd be interesting and would definitely change that forgotten side of the mall (I'm guessing there'd be secondary checkouts (or at the least, an entrance or glass windows like the rest of shoppers).

I would definitely pick up quite a few things here on the way home if the prices weren't too outrageously higher than a regular Superstore, though I know that'd be a difficult proposition considering rents would be much higher.

[Dan0myte]

Investigation into Wascana Village debacle has cost the Provincial Government $900,000 (all which could be billed to the RM) and the RM of Sherwood has spent $425,000 in legal fees, for a total of $1.325 Million.

http://www.newstalk980.com/story/investigation-rm-sherwood-wascana-village-tops-1-m/534382