ESTEVAN - The service road that is adjacent to Highway 47 North in Estevan is going to be named after Estevan’s first police officer.
The service road, which runs from Wellock Road to the north boundary of the city, will now be named Dryden Road. In a letter to Estevan city council at the Nov. 14 meeting, land development services manager Richard Neufeld said it has been very difficult to deliver to addresses along the service road.
A notice was sent out to the property owners along the service road, asking them for feedback on a possible address change. The two landowners who replied were supportive.
Currently those south of Drader Street have a Souris Avenue North address and those north of Drader Street are on Highway 47 North.
According to the Estevan Police Service history, S. Dryden was the first police officer back in 1906. He also worked as a liquor licence inspector. Mayor Roy Ludwig noted that Dryden’s name was on the list to honour people with street names.
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Estevan city council denied a request from the Estevan Bruins to waive ice rental fees for a game against the Melfort Mustangs on Nov. 11.
The Bruins have not paid ice rental for Affinity Place since the events centre opened in 2011, but they do have a cost for home games on statutory holidays. The cost for the Remembrance Day game amounted to $952.38.
Councillor Tony Sernick, who is the council representative on the Bruin board, said the game had to be played because of the condensed Affinity Place schedule for this year.
Affinity won’t be accessible for hockey for more than three weeks in January and February due to the Viterra Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial women’s curling championship and the SaskTel Tankard men’s provincial championship.
Councillor Lindsay Clark voiced support for the request, saying the city caused the problem of the challenging ice schedule.
Councillor Rebecca Foord wanted to know why the Bruins brought the request forward after the game, even though the club knew this would be a problem. Sernick said he didn’t know why.
Councillor Shelly Veroba, meanwhile, cited concern with precedent.
“If we reimburse the Bruins, we’re going to have minor hockey (Estevan Minor Hockey Association) and any other organization that played in the rink that day looking for a refund as well,” said Veroba.
Clark and Sernick voted in favour of the motion.
Council also tabled a motion to grant the Bruins access to land near the airport for a crop fundraiser. Similar efforts supported the Centennial Cup and the Scotties-Tankard.
Mayor Roy Ludwig noted the city had many costs covered to make the fundraiser a success. It was great that it happened, the mayor said, and those partners might be able to come together again. But the earliest the fundraiser would occur would be 2025.
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Council denied a request for a tax abatement from the West Valley Village subdivision in southwest Estevan. City manager Jeff Ward said this is an area that has been trying to sell units and transfer title for a couple of years. There appears to be interest in one unit, and to help move them, there was a request to reduce the amount owing by $50,000. The balance owing on Nov. 10 was $139,837.25.
A report states foreclosure proceedings are also in place on 60 of the 72 units in West Valley Village.
Councillor Travis Frank said council hasn’t granted abatements in the past, and this would create a precedent if they did.
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No building permits were issued in October. So far this year, 38 permits worth just shy of $6 million have been issued. There were 43 permits worth $4.2 million issued in the first 10 months of 2021.
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Council gave second and third readings to its new zoning bylaw. The comprehensive document was first brought forward earlier this year, before first reading was given several weeks ago. Neufeld noted work on the document started back in 2018.
The bylaw will be sent to the province and Neufeld hopes it will be fully in place next year.
