ATTENTION YORKTON HOMEOWNERS Inventory is Down Demand is Up Now is the time to N sell your home Call me today!
SANDI SHEWCHUK 306.621.9015 EACH OFFICE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
RE/MAX 306-783-6666 BLUE CHIP REALTY
SANDI SHEWCHUK 306.621.9015 EACH OFFICE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
RE/MAX 306-783-6666 BLUE CHIP REALTY
Sandi Shewchuk 306-621-9015
ssh sshewchuk@remax-yorkton.ca
Volume 48, Issue 26 Price - $1.52 plus GST
Your Community Connection
Return undeliverable items to: Yorkton This Week 20 Third Ave. N., Yorkton, SK S3N 2X3
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
In a pickle Pickleball Yorkton hosted a doubles tournament Saturday. The event, held at the Gloria Hayden Centre, attracted some 40 participants from Swan River, Regina, Melville, Langenburg and Yorkton. The men’s doubles was topped by the team of Johnny Greenwood of Kisbey and Sheldon Gray of Regina. Gerard Osicki and Dave Bella of Melville took silver. The Regina duo of Donna Loran and Carla Desnoyers took the women’s event. The Yorkton-Melville tandem of Danica Smith and Arlene Osicki took silver. The Mixed Doubles Division gold was captured by Regina’s team of Lonnie Dynna and Carla Desnoyers, with Johnny Greenwood and Laurin Henning finishing with the silver medals. — Staff Photo by Calvin Daniels
City passes 2022 budgets Calvin Daniels Staff Writer There was discussion. The dual operating and capital budget were split into two separate motions. But, in the end, the
documents first presented in open Council Jan. 31, was approved at this Monday’s regular meeting. The total budget increase will be 4.86 per cent. Overall, the impact to
the average residential homeowner would be roughly $8 a month. Budget preparations were begun by the individual departments in September and October of last year. These were compiled,
analyzed and adjusted through our cooperative process during October and November, noted a report circulated to Council Monday. During these meetings, departmental budgets were reviewed,
discussed, and service levels were considered in conjunction with budget. On the operations side the budget was prepared as a status quo document, meaning the budget is estimated to provide the same level of services to
the residents of Yorkton as the year prior. However, initial numbers were not good. Our initial budget sat at over a 12 per cent increase in taxes required, with one
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Another step toward Culture Plan refresh By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer The City of Yorkton will be proceeding with Phase 3 of a process to refresh the Yorkton’s Community Cultural Plan. In February 2020 a report
was presented to Council and asked for your support to start updating our 2009 Municipal Cultural Plan, explained Lisa Washington, Manager of Community, Culture & Heritage, with the City at the regular meeting of Yorkton
Council Monday. For the initial work the City “successfully applied to SaskCulture for a $5,000 Community Cultural Engagement and Planning Grant which was used to hire Prairie Wild Consulting for the
first phase of this process, the Research phase,” she said. In February 2021, an additional grant of $5,000 was obtained towards Phase 2 of the project. “So far, refreshing our Community Cultural Plan has
been funded entirely through SaskCulture grants,” noted Washington. “The update of our Community Cultural Plan continues to move forward. Although there have been
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Backyards bees approved with caveats By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer It will soon be possible to keep honey bees in your backyard in the city – if you meet an extensive list of regulations, do not live to close to a public space, have no close neighbours with a bee allergy who says no to the idea, and pay a yet undefined fee for a license. Council made the decision at its regular meeting Monday after hearing from Allison Henderson-Hunter, and her eight-year-old son Ewan who undertook a pilot project keeping bees this past summer. The pair via Zoom noted they had found it reasonable to follow proposed guidelines and achieved the required training, memberships and registration. The regulations included making hives available
Photo by Allison Henderson-Hunter
Garth Hunter and daughter Ava check a hive. for inspection, taking the Saskatchewan Beekeeping Development Commission Introductory Course, hav-
ing a local mentor and registering with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. And the project was wellreceived in the neighbourhood, which they suggested brought us closer to our neighbours, who enjoyed watching us learn. “At the May 17, 2021 Council Meeting, Council directed Administration to proceed with an Urban Hobby Beekeeping Pilot Project to determine if urban hobby beekeeping should be permitted under the Animal Control Bylaw,” noted Nicole Baptist – Bylaw & Safety Supervisor, with the City at Monday’s meeting. The pilot project was capped at five residents that would be permitted to keep bees for the 2021 season. “The City received interest from approximately five residents inquiring if they would
be able to take part in the pilot project. In two of those cases, Administration went through the process of creating LOU’s and neighbour buffer letters, but residents later backed out due to the lateness in the season,” explained a report to Council. The City also received calls and inquiries about whether residents could keep leafcutter bees, added Baptist. Under the pilot project, there were a number of regulations that beekeepers had to adhere to, including entering into a Letter of Understanding (LOU) with the City and distributing letters to neighbours within the prescribed buffer zone, said Baptist. “The permitting or approval process used in the Pilot Project was thorough, appeared to provide enough parameters to ensure safe neighbourhoods
and if the City was to allow and regulate urban hobby beekeeping through the Animal Control Bylaw, Administration assumes we would continue with very similar requirements,” she said. After the pilot project, “At the Committee of the Whole Meeting on September 21, 2021, Council was supportive of moving forward with Bylaw updates to have beekeeping allowed in the community,” said Baptist. Baptist did note the permitting process was labour intensive. Administration spent approximately six hours on the Henderson’s “permit” to keep bees between the two site visits, addressing concerns, completing the Letter of Understanding, neighbour letters, etc. She added the
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