POLL: City gives $40K cash jolt to downtown improvements

Two downtown Prince Albert storefronts bear the mark of vandals, who used loose bricks from nearby trash containers to smash windows.

Calypso Bay Clothing is one of those businesses. The store had the outer pane of one of its windows broken overnight on Nov. 10, according to Coun. Rick Orr, who represents the downtown core as the councillor.

He pointed out that there are loose bricks falling out of 30 to 40-year-old garbage bins in the downtown — which were used to break the windows in these instances.

During a second day of budget deliberations on Saturday, Orr told the committee members of the Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District (PABID) pays twice the amount in taxes that businesses in the Cornerstone shopping area do.

“They’re not asking for a lot. They’re asking for the money to be reinvested in the downtown, which is our City, which is an improvement,” he said.

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Last week, the PABID requested the City take 10 per cent of the gross revenue– that is revenues before expenses are factored in – from parking tickets and meter fees and put it in a fund for their use. Based on projected revenues for 2015, that would have been about $70,000 designated for the next year.

The budget committee acknowledged the need for upgrades to City-owned infrastructure in the downtown, but instead chose a flat $40,000 to put in a reserve.

The PABID has already put forward what they’d like to do with the funds in a multi-year plan. This includes replacing light standards, replacing benches, upgrading signage, developing a splash park or playground and investing in floral displays. That package and budget recommendations came to the City in September for consideration during the 2015 budget process.

The agency views the parking meter fees as a user fee for those who use the downtown area, saying a portion of it should therefore be reinvested into the area.

To Coun. Martin Ring, the City is already making investments in the downtown area. He pointed to the money set aside in the budget for sidewalk rehabilitation and a separate line item in the budget for downtown snow removal.

After deliberations wrapped up for the day, Mayor Greg Dionne echoed that statement, making note of the investment it set aside for the capital projects downtown, which he said will move forward. He said the City doesn’t have a formula yet when it comes to how much it invests in the fund.

Mayor Greg Dionne told the committee that he had no problem providing the funding – so long as the money is controlled by the City. He said he is willing to put money into an account under the condition that the City controls it.

Ring also called for more discussions with SaskPower regarding improving the lighting downtown, which he said would change the area’s image.

But the City has been getting mixed messages from downtown business owners about the parking meters in front of their businesses, Ring said.

“Some want them, some want them gone, but they sure want them if they can get the profits from them. They don’t want them if they’re not going to get any money from them.”

Ultimately, Ring called for another meeting with the PABID.

The City will meet with the PABID to address some of the concerns expressed by the agency. Dionne said they have ongoing meetings with them “all the time.”

“We’re in the downtown, so we see lots of their concerns and we’re going to continue to work towards that.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames