Council reminds public to keep ATVs off Estevan's pathways

ESTEVAN - People in the Estevan area have been reminded to keep their ATVs and other vehicles off of the city's integrated pathway and sidewalk system.

Speaking during the inquiries portion of the April 8 meeting, Coun. Lindsay Clark said he has spoken with one person who has seen those vehicles on the pathways this year. Clark noted that if people respect the pathways, they will last longer.

Concrete blocks have been on the pathways in the past to keep vehicles off of them.

Mayor Roy Ludwig pointed out they have had issues with vehicles and horses on the pathways in the past.

Meanwhile, Coun. Rebecca Foord noted the pathway that runs north of Queen Street has been flooding for the second straight year due to runoff from a neighbouring farm. She noted it's not deep this year.

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Council approved the city's membership in the Upper Souris Watershed Association for $5,000 for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

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Council tabled a request from SaveStation to have an automated external defibrillator installed at parks in the community. Leisure services manager Erin Wilson noted the city has 22 such units already, including five in the Estevan Leisure.

Council members voiced concern on whether there would be an eventual cost associated with the units or if there would be a catch. Coun. Shelly Veroba wanted to know if other communities have encountered issues with damage because the units are out in the open. Several Saskatchewan communities have outdoor defibrillators through SaveStation. 

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Council hopes it has found a solution to a long-standing issue for the southeast stairwell at Affinity Place.

In a letter to council, co-facilities manager Matt Angell said the main-level exterior emergency exit door has been continuously propped open by smokers, causing over $1000 in damage to the door and the latching door closure hardware. It is designed as an emergency exit only to meet fire code and stop vandals from entering the stairwell or ice-level dressing rooms. It must be closed and locked.

Angell noted young patrons have used the area for play and hanging out, and gain access to the skybox and ice levels. After one tournament weekend, Angell said it was found that all of the hand sanitizing stations on the skybox level had been vandalized. Kids have used the stairwell to access dressing rooms when teams are on the ice.

The heater in the stairwell was once shut off as kids were playing with it, which caused the sprinkler line to freeze and blow out a sprinkler head. This was a costly expense, not only to bring in the on-call staff, but also for the cost of labour for custodial to mop up the water in the stairwell and hallway.

Council opted to install an alarm horn that will cost approximately $100 and go off if a door is propped open. Appropriate signage will be added. The alarm will cost under $100.

Skybox patrons can still access the stairwell to come down to the main level in non-emergency situations.

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Council awarded a couple of tenders during the meeting. The three-year herbicide contract was awarded to Pride Upkeep for $85 per hour for a one-person crew and $145 for two people.

The company met all five evaluation criteria. The city has approximately 76 hectares of land where herbicides are applied, including parks, greenspaces, soccer fields, baseball diamonds and other areas.

Pride will be working with the RM of Estevan to tend to their noxious weeds.

Fort Distributors was awarded the 2024 dust control tender for $.375 per litre, using a magnesium product that has been applied for several years. Total cost will be $123,750 plus tax.

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Two building permits worth $94,000 were issued in March, bringing the total for the year to six permits worth $2.379 million. One was an industrial permit worth $75,000 and the other was miscellaneous permit worth $19,000.