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T H U R S D A Y, J U LY 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
CITY OF WARMAN
S A S K AT O O N S TA R P H O E N I X
CITY OF WARMAN
CITY OF WARMAN
T H U R S D A Y, J U LY 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
J O NAT H A N H A M E L I N CONTENT WORKS
Any way you slice it, business is booming in Warman. “We had a number of key businesses opening in 2015 and already in 2016. In fact, some people are saying we’re the pizza capital of the area because we had three pizza places open in the span of two months,” said a chuckling Josh Welz, economic development officer for the City of Warman. “One of those was Ringers Original Pizza, a joint venture between two business partners from Saskatoon who are using Warman as a test marketplace for a new franchise model, which is pretty cool. “One of the big shining stars in the community is the new Co-op Gas Bar, which has 20 pumps. There are also a number of key openings still to come, including a Great Canadian Oil Change, Burger King and a Booster Juice.” Warman is located 10 minutes to the north of Saskatoon and is often referred to as a bedroom community. Warman became Saskatchewan’s newest city when it was officially The City of Warman continues to grow by leaps and bounds, as seen in this aerial photo. The city’s population increased year-over-year from 9,527 to incorporated on October 27, 2012. 10,316, as of December, 2015. CI TY OF WARM AN However, as indicated by the recent influx in business, it hasn’t taken this However, she said the dynamic has residents. Spence said the city has is designed to become our downtown. young city long to throw off the train- really shifted since she decided to call a “multi-generational appeal.” The goal is to see something similar ing wheels and grow up. Warman home. Today, the average Whether it’s grandparents movto Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon, “Growth is a primary driver for age of residents is just over 31. Spen- ing to Warman to be closer to their with smaller, niche kind of businesses Growth is a business. We’ve experienced around ce said that Warman is a “great com- grandchildren, or older people with that people come to visit. primary driver an eight per cent population growth munity with a high level of energy” no previous connection to the city, “We will have brand new lights on average over the past five years. – full of green spaces and recreation she noted that there is a vibrant senior installed this year and some banners for business. and flags along the Central Street to In December of 2015, our popula- activities for young families to enjoy. population. We’ve experienced give it downtown vibe. We’re also tion was 10,316, which is a pretty big She also highlighted the city’s qual“We have some great programjump from 9,527 the year before,” ity education. Warman currently has ming for seniors,” Spence said. “I planning a primary commercial disaround an said Welz. an elementary, middle years and high visit the Legends Centre Arena quite trict down Centennial Boulevard. eight per cent “When you’re looking for a poten- schools, and is home to a Great Plains often and there are large groups of You’ll see a mix of new businesses, tial market, you look at where the College campus. There are currently seniors who frequently exercise and including a brand new Days Inn Hotel population growth people are going and areas where two new elementary schools (private walk in that facility. The parks are slated to open this fall/early winter. on average over they’re underserviced. We’re also and Catholic) under construction. If you venture further north there are also full of people of all ages. I think doing what we can to drive business “I would also say that our grow- our seniors are kept very busy with the past five years. about 27 acres of commercial real out here. We have a five-year com- ing commercial sector has helped all the programming.” estate available for development.” petitive tax abatement program and Warman move closer to being a susThese days, a big focus for the City For Spence, a key to Warman’s one of the lowest corporate tax rates tainable community,” said Spence, of Warman is managing its growth. demographics; residential housing/ growth will be not losing sight of in Saskatchewan.” who is currently serving her tenth The city has created an Official Com- dwelling characteristics; existing and the things that make the city great. “It’s very important in a growing Warman Mayor Sheryl Spence year as mayor. “When I first moved munity Plan that is intended to guide future urban land use; infrastructure said that a changing demographic here, I was in (Saskatoon) so often growth and development for the City and servicing; and application review community to have a good balance has contributed to the growth of the because Warman didn’t have quite of Warman to a population of approx- and development regulation. of health, recreation and commercial city. She moved to Warman in 1983, the same amount of amenities as it imately 44,000 in 2034. As Welz explained, a big piece of facilities for everybody,” she said. “I when it was designated as a town. has now. Now when people move to The Official Community Plan is the plan from an economic develop- think that past leaders and the leadWhile she moved to Warman because our community, they don’t necessar- intended to identify planning and ment standpoint is the planned sepa- ers of today have done a good job of she thought it would be a great place ily need to keep going back and forth development issues, conditions and rated sectors through the community planning for the future, working to trends, opportunities and constraints that will encourage more commercial ensure that Warman remain a beauto raise her family, Spence said that it and into Saskatoon.” was still more of a mature community However, that isn’t to say that in the following areas: physical/ growth. tiful, friendly and safe community. Warman only attracts younger natural environment; population/ with an older demographic. “We’re not just going to have a As you drive around the community hodge-podge of businesses smat- you see a city that is beautiful and tered across the city,” said Welz. progressive, yet no matter where you “For example, we’re planning an are, you meet people you know or industrial area in the south with some are greeted with a friendly smile or residential. Warman’s Central Street hello.”
PROUDLY HELPING WARMAN GROW
CONSTRUCTION LTD.
The Legends Centre provides recreation amenities to multiple generations. The facility includes an ice rink, two gymnasiums and multi-purpose rooms. C I TY O F WARM AN
• General Contracting • Design/Build Project Management Telephone (306) 384-5906 Facsimilie (306) 384-5907 www.d2construction.ca Nancy Heppner, MLA
Warman 306.933.2166 211 Central St. W.
Martensville-Warman Constituency Office: Warman Plaza Box 2270 Warman, SK S0K 4S0 Phone: 306-975-0284
A 14,000 square foot skate park is a major attraction at Warman’s Prairie Oasis Park. S ANDY LOCKHART P HOT OGR AP HY
MARTENS WARMAN FUNERAL HOME
• Family owned and operated • Telephone personally answered 24 hours • Arrangements can be made in the privacy of your home or at our office • New Chapel Facility
Mon.-Fri. 9:00-5:30 Sat. 9:00-3:00 John & Shirley Martens 306-934-4888
Toll-free: 1-888-963-4888 402 Central Street West, Warman, SK
www.martenswarman.ca
www.nancyheppner.com mail@nancyheppner.com
kesslerinsurance.ca
“Meeting the unique needs of every family we serve.”
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“BUSINESS OF THE YEAR” A CUT ABOVE
SASKATCHEWAN’S NEWEST CITY GROWS UP
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S A S K AT O O N S TA R P H O E N I X
Our parks and trails system provides our residences with opportunities to socialize with each other, gives their children places to play, and provides opportunities for healthy, active lifestyles.
The creative team at Passions Beauty Studio shares in the excitement of the company being named the WMBEXA Business of the Year for 2016. PAS SIONS BEAUT Y ST UDIO
J O NAT H A N H A M E L I N CONTENT WORKS
When you have a passion for your business, it really shows up in the quality of work. Over the last seven years, Passions Beauty Studio in Warman has created a culture of quality customer service that every employee has bought into. For these reasons, Passions received the Business of the Year Award at the inaugural WMBEXA Gala – a joint venture by the Warman and Martensville Chambers of Commerce – held on May 27 at the Brian King Centre in Warman. “From the beginning, our focus has been on building a team that is focused on setting a high standard in the industry. When it comes to this business culture, we’ve stuck to our
guns,” said Chelsey Kara HarderBloodworth, owner of Passions. “We were very surprised and extremely grateful to receive this award. We were up against some other wonderful businesses in the community.” Passions offers customers hair, spa and wedding services, delivered by a talented team of creative stylists and barbers, master stylists, advanced master stylists and estheticians. Harder-Bloodworth said every employee is strongly educated and the company always provides professional development opportunities. She said Passions also focuses on ensuring they have the best products in stock. “Our customers love coming here and continue to visit us on a regular basis, whether it’s for nails every couple of weeks or hair every five to six weeks,” said Harder-Bloodworth,
whose company has also been nominated for two 2016 ABEX Awards. “Because of the growth in our business, I think we can confidently say that we’ve been successful in retaining and keeping clients.” According to Jaimie Malmgren, executive director of the Warman Chamber of Commerce, the fact that Passions received this prestigious award is a testament to the strong business culture in Warman. Warman is home to nearly 300 businesses, a number that has grown steadily. “While I was not involved in the judging process, I do know that Passions Beauty Studio has grown considerably in the seven years they have been in business,” said Malmgren. “Their customers would attest to the high level of service and commitment and I expect that shone through in their application.” As Malmgren noted, the event was also a chance to celebrate the collaboration between two neighbouring communities. This was the first time Warman and Martensville came together for an awards event. The initial goal was to fill 100 seats, but in the end over 250 business and com-
munity leaders were brought together to celebrate success. “Warman and Martensville business climates are obviously healthy,” said Malmgren. “Our municipal governments work hard to not only attract new businesses to our communities, but support existing businesses as well. Working together with the Martensville Chamber of Commerce for this event allowed us to shine the spotlight on some of the fantastic businesses located in our communities and celebrate their success.” Harder-Bloodworth said she was blown away by the professionalism of the event. “It was very much a gala style. They had the tables set out and everything was very nicely decorated,” she said. “It was a very nice event to be able to network with other businesses and recognize businesses doing well in the community.” The Warman Chamber of Commerce is now preparing for its third annual golf tournament that has been growing in popularity every year. The Chamber is also assisting the City of Warman with the Warman Open for Business Expo, an annual trade show, in October.
WMBEXA GALA WINNERS 2016 Business of the Year: Passions Beauty Studio Marketing: Marla Janzen Century 21 Realty Customer Service: Warman Small Animal Hospital Community Involvement: Lakeview Insurance New Business: Warman Small Animal Hospital
RESIDENTS CAN PARK THEMSELVES IN WARMAN PAT R E D I G E R CONTENT WORKS
If Hasbro was ever to create a Saskatchewan version of Monopoly, it’s a safe bet that Warman would be situated at Park Place. Warman is known for its incredible access to parks and recreation facilities. There is a total of 17 parks within the community including: Prairie Oasis Park, Centennial Park, Crystal Lake, Diamond Hill Park and Lions Park. Eleven of these parks have playgrounds and four have ponds or lakes. The city also has nearly 12 kilometres of asphalt walking paths. Paul McGonigal, recreation and community services manager for the City of Warman, said the city invests heavily in recreation because of the benefits it brings to its residents. “We think that we’ve got a great network of parks and trails in our community, which are all important because they serve different folks in our community,” said McGonigal. “Our parks and trails system provides our residences with opportunities to socialize with each other, gives their children places to play, and provides opportunities for healthy, active lifestyles.” With the number of businesses in Warman expanding, residents can do their shopping close to home and not always travel to larger centres like Saskatoon. In that same vein, the city is hoping that its residents can stay and play close to home, as well. “When people are buying a home and looking at a prospective city, they want to know what you have in terms of recreation opportunities. It’s important for parents, after a long day of work, to not have to pack their children up and take them to the larger centres to realize these opportunities,” said McGonigal. “Our council understands that in order to build this community, they need to have recreational opportunities available for residents.” McGonigal noted that city officials are always considering new recreation opportunities. Recently, the city resurfaced its spray park and added a 12-acre off-leash dog park. The city is also undergoing a major renovation to one of its original parks: Prairie Oasis. An exciting new feature of Prairie Oasis is the 14,000 square foot skate facility that opened last year. Over the next couple of years, the city will be adding two ball diamonds to the park, replacing the playground equipment and finishing the lake, stocking it with fish for catch-and-release. In Warman, recreation opportunities aren’t limited to the great out-
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doors. In December of 2011, the Legends Centre opened and McGonigal describes the 100,000 square foot facility as the “hub of the city.” The Legends Centre boasts an arena with nearly 1,200 seats; two large gymnasiums containing nine badminton courts, three volleyball and junior basketball courts; one regulation basketball court; and
one non-regulation soccer pitch. There are three meeting rooms and three activity rooms also within the facility. Six businesses also operate from the Legends Centre, offering a complement of services. “We offer a ton of programming, from toddler programs like Move It, to children’s programs such as Kids in the Kitchen, to cake decorating,
to fitness classes for all ages and skill levels,” said McGonigal. “We try to do as much as we possibly can to keep people in our facilities and keep them coming back.” Moving forward, McGonigal said an item that will continue to be high on the city’s agenda is to ensure there is no shortage of recreation opportunities.
“It can be anything from just going for an evening stroll on our walking paths, taking your furry buddy to the dog park, or going to play tennis. The option for participation is key,” he said. “The opportunities that we provide our residents allow them to participate and make that choice for a healthy, active lifestyle. As a result, you have happier residents.”
Diamond House
Personal C are Home
• Wa r m a n , S K
nnnnnnnnnnnn Soccer is a popular activity in Warman, with the soccer pitch getting a lot of use. BI L LY BAT PRO D U C T I O NS
Diamond House, located at 700 Ballesteros Crescent in the beautiful city of Warman, SK is opening Sept 1st as an“Aging in the Right Place”licensed personal care home. Providing all the care and services our residents require, our unique environment has 6 homes under one roof. Each home has large windows for residents to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the beautiful peaceful views plus a familysized dining room, living room, family room, sun room, laundry room and spa. This smaller environment provides residents with a warm residential home instead of institutional living.
Weddings Banquets Conferences Anniversaries Dances Conventions Main Hall Seating - 600 Kitchen and All Amenities No Catering or Corkage Fees Wine Glass Rentals Available Meeting Rooms Bookings 7 Days a Week Banquets - up to 400 Ice Machine &Walk-In Cooler Stage
306-933-2210 Email: csr@warman.ca
For more information on Diamond House call Ashley at 306-373-5587, email hauph@sasktel.net or check our website at www.goldenhealthcare.ca