The City of Weyburn's facilities committee is proposing to make improvements to the Riverfront and River Park areas as the prime use for the Centennial legacy grant the city is eligible for this year.

Coun. Ray Hamm said the committee considered a number of options after the announcement was made Weyburn would be eligible for a grant of just over $190,000 to help build a legacy project to mark the province's Centennial.

He explained the criteria for this grant include that it provides a legacy to the community, it must be visible and must provide a benefit to the community at large.

The committee considered whether to divide the grant into a number of smaller projects, or to put the monies towards one major project; in the end, the decision was to go for one large project instead of a number of smaller ones, a project that would take up the full amount of the grant without need for further financing by the city.

"The city will apply for the grant for Riverfront area improvements and River Park improvements," said Hamm, noting this project was the best match for the funding that's available.

"It's highly visible and will benefit the public, and it fits in with the city's long-term Tatagwa plan. It will improve the city's public image to the travelling public and has potential of attracting tourists into the city," he added.

A further condition for the grant funding is that it will need to be completed by July of 2006.

Coun. Hamm said this doesn't mean the other projects they looked at were without merit, but the committee felt this one fits the grant criteria better. The proposal will now go on to the parks board for their input before it comes back to council for their approval.

Hamm also noted three new members have joined the facilities committee, including Linda Porth, Don Anderson and Todd Lawrence.

Plans for the Homecoming celebration for the Centennial are coming along, said Coun. Rob Stephanson, including plans for the official date of the province's 100th birthday on Sunday, Sept. 4.

The city's main celebration and Homecoming will be the first week of August, coinciding with the annual Weyburn Wheat Festival.

Lately the organizing committee for the event has been looking into the need for souvenirs and merchandise related to the Centennial, including getting such items as shirts and other clothing being used for the Centennial and adding Weyburn's logo to them.

Also there will be a central information-sharing area set up for that week, said Coun. Stephanson, so people coming in for family reunions, class reunions or just to visit the city during that week can find out what events are planned for the week, and who is back in town for the Homecoming.

Invitations are going out this week to all the former residents who are in the city's database, to come both for that Homecoming week and also for the official Centennial celebration on Sept. 4.

"There's lots of planning going on for Sept. 4. We're looking at a day when everybody will want to make sure they're in Weyburn. It will be action-packed from 9 a.m. (Sunday) through to Monday morning," he said, adding the committee is also open to any suggestions for events or activities that could be held as part of the celebration.

The city will be taking part in the Communities In Bloom national competition, after Weyburn won its population category at the provincial level last year, and this will also be a part of the Homecoming week plans.

Stephanson encourages all residents or anyone interested in the upcoming festivities to check out the city's website, where people can send in their family's information or info about any past resident of the city. If someone does not have computer access and needs information about the Homecoming dates and plans, they can contact Stephanson or tourism coordinator Donna Hastings at City Hall and the information will be sent out.

With the Royal Bank Cup national junior hockey championship coming up in May, Coun. Stephanson sounded the call for volunteers to step forward as they did for the Summer Games last August.

"I know people say, 'here goes the broken record.' But as we know, it will take a great number of people needed to pull this event off. The committee is still looking for volunteers. We all know how painless and how much fun and excitement it is. I would encourage people to come in to City Hall and put your name in," he said, adding areas that need people include for security, hosting and hospitality.

"We do need volunteers out there to help the organizing committee to get the job done and make this event a big success," said Stephanson.

In other council business:

· The city collected a total of 96.4 per cent of the taxes by the end of December of 2004, up slightly from the year before when 95.9 per cent of the taxes had been paid. The total tax levies collected for 2004 were $4.624 million, along with $333,237 in arrears, up from $249,185 in arrears collected by the end of last year.

· Fire Chief Denis Pilon presented an award for Wayne Satre for 35 years of service as an auxiliary fire fighter. "It's been an interesting and rewarding experience, being what most boys dream of doing," said Satre.

· Attendance at the Leisure Centre for the month of January was 4,546, up 15 per cent over January of last year, when the attendance was 3,938; the numbers were also up for Signal Hill Arts Centre, with attendance totalling 931, compared to 617 a year ago.