The City of Weyburn’s new reservoir has been completed and has begun to be commissioned, city council was told on Monday evening.
The major infrastructure project has taken over a year to complete, and will almost triple the capacity of the reservoir available to the city’s residents and businesses.
The commissioning process will take about a week to complete, then the new reservoir facility and distribution system will come on line.
Council was also told that the city’s source of water, Nickle Lake, is currently at full capacity and is overflowing, compared to last year’s level when it was below full.
• In other council business, the line painting tender was discussed and approved, but not before councillors criticized the low quality of the water-based paints involved as they fade in a short time.
Coun. Winston Bailey asked if the city had looked into the plastic-based paint rather than water-based, but was told it would be much more expensive.
“We’re putting $100,000 into something that doesn’t last. I’d like us to see if we could a different product to see if it would work,” said Coun. Bailey, adding he has been told other cities have gone to this other type of paint.
Coun. Jeff Chessall noted that sometimes the new line painting doesn’t cover the old lines but goes beside it, which can be a problem for drier.
The lines are painted twice a year, the first time in May and the second around the end of August or September.
Coun. Dick Michel noted as Government Road will get fully paved in June, maybe the line-painting should wait until the road has been paved.
City engineer Nader Keshta said if the line-painting was delayed until then, the city would only get one round of line-painting this year.
Asked if this was a multi-year contract, Keshta said this is a one-year contract that could be extended to three years, but Mayor Marcel Roy didn’t think this would be a good idea.
The mayor pointed out there was one year when the company didn’t show up, and council wanted to wait and see if the company fulfills the contract properly this year.
The tender was awarded to Line West Ltd. of Okotoks, Alta., which had the lowest bid of $97,651 for traffic markings such as centre lines and crosswalks, $1.12 per metre for curb marking (such as “no parking” zones) and $10,642 for airport taxiway and main runway markings.
• Council also approved the tender for the watermain replacement on Mergens Street between Coteau Avenue West and Prairie Avenue, which is the last stretch of cast iron piping in Weyburn.
The project received seven proposals, and the lowest bid was accepted from JJ Trucking Ltd. of Arcola, totaling $84,000, including taxes.
Funding came from the city, and from the National and Regional Projects Fund.
The project calls for the replacement of 178 metres pf 150mm cast iron watermain, a reconnection to nine residences and Crescent Point Place, as well as the provision of temporary water service to those properties while the work is ongoing.
• City council also approved a rate increase for leisure facilities, with an average five-per-cent increase over the next three years, with increases in the first and third year. The largest increase for most rates will be in the first year.
“There are people out there who are struggling financially. Will this be affordable for them?” asked Coun. Dick Michel.
“I believe with the schedule we set out, we’re taking into account the economy, and we want to keep the facilities available for everyone. Unfortunately we have to make the increases to keep up with our costs,” said Andrew Crowe, director of leisure services.
He noted there are some free and subsidized opportunities for families, such as free public swimming throughout the year (many paid for by sponsors), parent-and-tot $2 swims, and $5 family swims on Sundays, along with free public skating at the Sports Arena throughout the winter season.
Crowe also pointed out that the Leisure Centre rates have not been increased since 2013, and the rates for Crescent Point Place, the Sports Arena and Signal Hill Arts Centre were last increased in 2016.
