The City of Weyburn is in a good position as a municipality, riding high from its high rating by MoneySense magazine, said Mayor Marcel Roy in an address to the Weyburn Rotary Club on Thursday, with some major challenges coming down in the next while.
In giving a mid-year update to club members about how the city is doing, he noted with pride that Weyburn was ranked fifth highest in the country, well ahead of many other same-sized or larger communities, and the best community to live on the Prairies.
“What has made Weyburn really great? I always like to explain, really it’s the community. We have a great community, great schools, a great place to raise children. It’s a safe community; you can be anywhere at any time and feel safe,” said Mayor Roy, adding the rating also takes into account the level of taxation in the city compared to other communities.
Asked about the proposal for a fieldhouse to go along with the new elementary school to be built in Weyburn, Mayor Roy noted this city was one of only two communities in the province to be approved for a new school, with planning money forwarded to the school division to plan for the school which will be built on the site of the former Weyburn Junior High School.
The mayor said the junior high building will likely be demolished in September, and commented that one of the problems with this building is there was no foundation under the gymnasium. The new school will combine the students from Queen Elizabeth, Haig and Souris Schools, which will all be subsequently closed.
The city council has talked with the Southeast Cornerstone board about the fieldhouse, and the proposal is to have it built adjoining the new elementary school but be under the control of the city, as opposed to the Cugnet Centre, which is under the school’s control.
Asked if the new school will be built as a P3 project (which is a combined private and public project), Mayor Roy replied, “I’m hoping not. The only thing the city will be involved with is the fieldhouse which will be attached to it,” adding that he hopes it will be similar to the fieldhouse in the Battlefords, where sports can be played indoors all year around.
The mayor noted that city taxes only pays for about 35 to 40 per cent of the cost to run the city’s services and facilities, with the rest covered by federal and provincial government grants — however, he warned, the provincial grants are going to disappear if this past year has been any indication.
Mayor Roy said there have been hints from leaders, including Mayor Fougere of Regina, that the provincial government may change existing grants and combine them into one no-strings-attached payment, and tell the municipality it will be up to them how the money’s spent — and there would be no more money. That grant would contain all of the funding they could expect to see from the province.
