I'm a big fan of a good downtown area.
When it is done right, you'll find a variety of shops, businesses and other attractions. It should be physically attractive. And it needs to be pedestrian friendly.
It's a place where people want to spend some time, and it's a drawing card for businesses, and for residents and visitors alike.
Nearly three years ago, the City of Estevan embarked on downtown revitalization efforts. Meetings were held, surveys were developed, opinions were sought and finally a report was completed, including conceptual designs, a video and different phases. Lots of people supplied feedback once the report was out. But the caveat, all along, was simple: this wasn't going to proceed until the city had federal funding, no matter how much proponents wanted it to proceed.
Much like the master sidewalk and pathway project of 2021, and just like the water intake project that shifted our primary water source from Boundary to Rafferty Dam in 2020, nothing more would happen without support from other levels of government.
The federal money for downtown came in on Feb. 29, 23 months after the video was posted. Council approved the project on March 11. And the concerns have grown ever since.
The Concerned Citizens Estevan Sk group has started a petition, to the surprise of nobody. They released a video earlier this year panning the project. And there was a healthy contingent of their members at the March 11 council meeting.
My problem is not with the opposition by the Concerned Citizens and others, or the petition now circulating in the community that's calling for a referendum on the project. People have every right to their opinions. But I've heard and seen some comments that are erroneous.
Property taxes aren't going up this year because of this project. I'm getting a two per cent increase, but that has nothing to do with Fourth Street improvements.
(If I was on council, I wouldn't have voted in favour of a property tax increase this year, but that's because I would have looked at it and said let's cut spending in other areas, so that we can go an entire four-year term without a community-wide property tax increase. There aren't many cities in the Prairies that can say they've held the line on the mill rate for four years).
If you think the city shouldn't go for this funding, that's one thing, although it's not money that can go to a new rink, a field house, an expansion of the Estevan Comprehensive School, a new nursing home or a much-needed MRI scanner. That's the reality of grants. And if you think the federal government shouldn't fund a project like this, that's your call.
If you think this project isn't going to have an impact on economic development, or you think this project should look differently, again, that's your call.
Some have criticized the lack of public consultation. Three open houses and three surveys is a lot. As I've said before, when the city, or anyone else, provides you with the chance to provide feedback, then take advantage of it. Let your voice be heard. Do it in the proper fashion. Don't pretend yapping on social media is sufficient.
If you're given the chance to give your thoughts, and you don't, then don't complain when you don't like the end result.
COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were largely lifted when Estevan city council awarded the contract for design work to George Harris Collaborative in October 2021. And there were multiple surveys for those who didn't want to venture out.
Maybe people have forgotten about these efforts. After all, the city had to wait about 23 months for the government to approve the funding for the project to proceed. They might have forgotten about a meeting they didn't attend, or a survey they didn't respond to.
(I've criticized council in the past on a lack of transparency. But this is not one of those occasions).
The city has until March 31, 2025, to spend the federal money. Any work they do after that will have to come out of taxpayer dollars. If the fed money runs out before next March, because something comes in over-budget, then it means sacrifices will likely have to be made.
We'll see what happens with the other seven potential phases. I'd like to see something happen on Fifth Street from 13th Avenue to Souris Avenue South. It needs attention, not just from an infrastructure perspective but from an esthetics standpoint. But if you're going to do something beyond infrastructure (ie: undergrounds and road resurfacing), then federal funding would again be needed.
The two blocks of Fourth Street are pretty good right now but could also use improvement. The design isn't great for pedestrians. It's an area to drive through, or to make one stop and leave.
The vacancy rate for Fourth Street is pretty low right now but upgrades will make it more appealing to fill those vacancies, and to bring in businesses in the future if the vacancy rate climbs.
If you have questions or concerns about this project, then reach out to city administration or a member of city council. Get the questions answered. Get the facts.
Yapping on social media is never the answer.
