City Capital Projects Total $12 Million
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THE MELVILLE $1.50 PER COPY Friday, GST INCLUDED January 22, 2021 Vol. 94 No. 51 Agreement # 40011922 PROUDLY SERVING MELVILLE AND SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1929 • WWW.GRASSLANDSNEWS.CA • 1-306-728-5448 City capital projects total $12 million By Chris Ashfield Grasslands News The City of Melville has close to $12 million in capital projects planned for 2021 that includes street paving, equipment and vehicle purchases, water and sewer projects and the expansion of the landfill. The projects budgeted to be completed in 2021 will cost approximately $11.98 million of which $6.5 million (54%) will be paid for through a loan and $3.87 million (32%) funded out of reserves, $201,000 (1.7%) will come from operations, $344,000 (2.9%) from gas tax funding, and $1.06 million (8.9%) from capital grants and other funding. The largest project the city will be undertaking is the replacement of lift station #1, which is located at the corner of Main Street and Halifax Ave. The $5.7 million project was originally planned to be replaced in 2024 but had to be moved up due to various circum- stances. “Piping repairs for lift station #1 were a part of the 2020 budget; however, due to lift station #4 failing, the funds were diverted for the replacement of this lift sta- tion,” Lynsey Swanson, the city’s Director of Finance CHRIS ASHFIELD | GRASSLANDS NEWS told council. 0LOOLRQDLUHVJHWÀQDQFLDOERRVW Lift station #1 was in need of piping repairs as well 0HOYLOOH0LOOLRQDLUHV·KHDGFRDFK0LNH5RRQH\ZDVDSSUHFLDWLYHRIWKHPLOOLRQLQÀQDQFLDODVVLVWDQFH as extensive electrical repairs which were expected to IRU6-+/WHDPVWKDWZDVDQQRXQFHGE\WKHSURYLQFLDOJRYHUQPHQW:KLOHKHVD\VWKHPRQH\ZLOOKHOS cost $250,000. Instead of spending the money to repair WKHÀQDQFLDOO\VWUXFNWHDPWKHWUXHLPSDFWRIWKHSDQGHPLFLVQRWUHDOO\NQRZ it, knowing it had to be replaced in a few years, the city decided to move ahead with a full replacement of the station in 2021 instead of waiting until 2024 as originally forecasted. City Manager Ron McCullough said lift station #1 is a main priority because it is the last station in the line SJHL teams receive $1 million that pumps everything out to the lagoon. “If that lift station failed, we would need to have vac By Travis Longman Tammy Stevenson says. “While the society and the community orga- trucks lined up just to deal with the sewage we would Grasslands News impact of the pandemic is still on- nizations such as the SJHL teams need to pump out,” said McCullough. going, we won’t know the true im- are no different; definitely helps The cost of the lift station replacement will be paid pact of it all until this is all said but we really don’t know the true for through a $3.2 million loan with the remaining $2.5 The Saskatchewan Junior and done. There are so many un- impact this pandemic will have.” million coming from the city’s reserve funding. The Hockey League remains hopeful knowns at this point and are still Rooney adds that no one really City will also be spending an additional $220,000 for that a season can be salvaged. A awaiting answers to come. Do we knows what stage of the pandemic sewer line relining, of which $184,000 will come from committee has been formed to de- get to return to play this season? we are on but everyone needs to be gas tax funding and the remaining $36,000 paid for out termine return to play options. The Do we have fans or don’t we have patient and supportive but he un- of reserves. league did receive a boost from the fans? Emotions are high and the derstands everyone is stressed and The city will also be spending $2.75 million on the provincial government, in the form kids just want to play. I believe we frustrated and this goes beyond landfill expansion in 2021; $2.55 million which will be of one million dollars to be divided will have a better picture of what hockey. financed through a loan and $200,000 coming form re- amongst the 12 teams. The money is this all looks like once we have an- The Covid-19 pandemic has serves. An additional $175,000 has also been earmarked to help clubs cope with the money swers and we know more over the changed life as we know it. The de- out of operation’s funding for industrial park engineer- lost due to COVID-19. next month.” mand for hockey goes far beyond ing, planning and development. “The support that has been re- “Any support we can get is very the return of the sport. Hockey Several recreation projects have also been bud- ceived from the government is ap- much appreciated.” says Melville is an important part of Canadian geted for in 2021, including $1.756 million for phase preciated; any and all support is Millionaires’ Head Coach Mike culture and a return of all hockey 2 of the pool replacement, which was approved last definitely welcomed at this stage.” Rooney. “The pandemic is having would provide a sense of normalcy, - SEE CITY CAPITAL PROJECTS, 12 Millionaires’ team President a negative impact on all aspects of in a very abnormal time. FREE DELIVERY Melville, Grayson & Neudorf by calling 306-728-5625 or email to [email protected] Please put CUSTOMER in the subject line 306-728-5625 Temporary business hours: 135 - 3rd Ave. E. Melville, SK Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. & Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 2 January 22, 2021 0HOYLOOH$GYDQFH:KLWHZRRG*UHQIHOO+HUDOG6XQ)RUW4X·$SSHOOH7LPHV Grasslands News Contractor works to keep history preserved By Alan Hustak Lac des Deux Montages, property. “It is always Grasslands News Quebec, a small com- a juggling act,” he says. munity in a province “You have to find some steeped in 400 centuries Don Houston is a gen- way to make these build- of history. He worked in eral building contractor ings pay for themselves. Montreal renovating im- with “a real passion for Some buildings you have portant greystone proper- restoration work,” and to sell to keep moving. ties and developed an eye for salvaging heritage Others, you take part of for the potential in oth- properties. Since moving erwise conventional run- the building and turn it to Melville from Mon- down buildings. He was into something that pro- treal 15 years ago, he has on his way to British Co- duces revenue.” At the helped renovate and save lumbia in 1999 when his same time that he was the Hebrew Synagogue on motor home broke down working to save the syn- Saskatchewan Street in near Yorkton and he dis- agogue, he bought and Melville, St. Luke’s Angli- can Church in Broadview covered Melville. The restored St. Luke’s Angli- and is the project manager small town atmosphere can Church in Broadview in charge of the restoring reminded him of Lac des which opened in 1890 the CN train station. The Deux Montagnes. and was deconsecrated century old Grand Trunk Given the political ten- in 2005. “I was moved Railway Station in Mel- sion in Quebec at the time, when I saw the memorial he considered moving to ville was about to be torn plaque in the bell tower Prince Edward Island be- down when a committee which listed all the men fore he decided to come discovered it would cost who died in World War as much to demolish it as west. “Property here was going cheap, and people I, and made up my mind it would to save it. to save the building out “When I was invited were friendly.” He bought of gratitude and respect. to work on the station, and renovated a house People began their lives it was condemned and kitty corner to the Mel- $/$1+867$._*5$66/$1'61(:6 ville Hebrew Synagogue. in houses of worship and Building on history the original architectural Ron Houston from Melville has a passion for heritage properties. He has plans were lost,” he said. The Schul was built on end their lives there. It is Work started haphaz- Saskatchewan Street in important these historic worked on many properties including Melville and Broadview. ardly from scratch, not 1919 to serve about 50 buildings are preserved.” knowing exactly which Jewish families who lived sections of the building in a row of houses across were original. Houston the street on a block of located the architectural Fifth Avenue West. A plans in Montreal and school was added in 1932. now supervises the vol- The Synagogue closed in Yes Sir, That’s unteer work. “I’m not a 1963 and was in a state structural engineer, but of near collapse when I was meant to be one. I Houston first noticed the have understanding and building. “It drew me in experience” he chuckles. like a magnet,” he says. “I love doing what I am “When I saw the inside Our Baby doing. There was some for the first time, look- money available for the ing at all the structural CN project, but most of it issues and the crumbling has dried up. Government foundations and so on, I grants have been hard to would have walked away get; there are too many if I hadn’t known it was strings attached. COVID a synagogue. That was has put a crimp in fund- what motivated me to buy raising, and work has it and save it. I was doing slowed down, but it hasn’t that kind of work in Que- stopped. I’m hooked on bec. I love history. I made that project.