Traffic bylaw amendments reflecting the new two-hour parking limits being enforced in the downtown area were passed at Monday’s council meeting in North Battleford
Among the provisions is wording regarding exceeding the maximum time allowed as well as provisions for off-street parking areas and permit parking. The motivation for the bylaw changes, said Mayor Ryan Bater, is to ensure customers of downtown businesses are able to park in an appropriate place where they can access businesses downtown.
The other bylaw voted on Monday added crematoriums as a discretionary use in the C3 Arterial Commercial District, and carwashes to the C4 Regional Commercial District. Second and third reading passed unanimously.
In new business, council voted in favour of a resolution replacing a water service connection line to the North Battleford Golf and Country Club.
“It’s an old cast iron line, it needs to be replaced very badly,” said Bater.
The project was slated to go ahead in 2017 but was put off as a result of provincial budget cuts.
What administration had sought approval for Monday was reallocation of an additional $120,000 to cover the cost of the project. About two-thirds of that amount is being reallocated from the UPAR budget, with other funds found from the downtown art project, excess funds from the 2017 downtown parking project and unbudgeted revenue from downtown parking permits and from the RCMP regarding parking lot development.
That resolution passed unanimously, so the connection line project will now go ahead.
Finally, a notice of motion was made by Councillor Kelli Hawtin at the end of Monday’s meeting pertaining to a request by the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce for the city to sponsor the Battlefords Business Excellence Awards in the amount of $2,500.
Earlier, Chamber Executive Director Linda Machniak had presented to council on the plans for the BBEX awards in 2018, which includes special 25th anniversary celebrations. The Town of Battleford had earlier approved a contribution towards BBEX of $750, so a City contribution would follow along those same lines.
A resolution to approve the BBEX sponsorship request will be on the agenda of the next council meeting on Sept. 25.
