The full city council meeting took over two hours in discussions. (Nick Nielsen/paNOW Staff)

By Nick Nielsen

Notes from Sept. 16 City Council Meeting

Council approves closure of walkway, discusses movement of funds for new arena

Sep 17, 2024 | 12:03 PM

Monday’s city council meeting was the second to last before the municipal election will start its next campaign. With the presentation of the Terry Fox Award, the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the new events centre project, and the closing of a walkway in the city, it was a full slate of items on the agenda leading into the municipal election.

The biggest item on the docket was the announcement of the Memorandum of Understanding the City of Prince Albert has put together with the Woodland Cree Nations to work together to find funding for the proposed Convention and Cultural Events Centre. While the talk about the Memorandum was mostly positive, concerns were brought up by Councillors Terra Lennox-Zepp, Charlene Miller, and Tony Head about a few things.

Part of the discourse was around the reallocation of funds used in another city project. As part of the same motion to accept the Memorandum of Understanding, the city proposed using the remaining $845,141.89 left over from the loan used to pay for the Marquis Road West Expansion to help get the project off the ground.

During the discussion, City Manager Sherry Person commented this money would only be moved into an account for the new arena that would show the federal government they have some funds allocated already to make it more likely the city would receive a larger grant, and that the money would be recovered once federal funding is acquired. The City Manager also said they looked into other options to gain that initial funding required by the federal government, but all other options would end up costing the city more money in the end.

You can read more on the Memorandum of Understanding here.

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Another discussion involving the Yard District came when talking about a tax program for the new businesses in the district. The proposed bylaw would see all of the incremental city taxes paid by businesses in the Yard District be brought to a ‘Recreation Centre Reserve’ fund.

Money in this fund would go towards debt financing payments for construction costs from the Aquatics and Arenas Recreation Centre currently under construction as well as the proposed Convention and Cultural Events Centre. Because it is a vote on city taxes, the council had to be unanimously in agreement to pass the bylaw, and a single negative vote from Councillor Terra Lennox-Zepp was enough to shut it down.

In the public hearings section of City Council, members of a neighbourhood near the Agnew Walkway between 22 St. E and Agnew Street shared some concerns. The small walkway has become a dangerous spot for the public. The main issue brought up in closing the walkway is that it does provide city crews access to certain water lines and storm drainage, but the bylaw accounts for new construction that will allow city crews to access what they need even through future developments in the future. The bylaw was approved, and the walkway will be closed soon.

The council meeting started on a very positive note recognizing Ali Diehl as this year’s Terry Fox Award winner in Prince Albert. Staff from paNOW got to talk with Diehl after the award presentation, and a story with more details is coming later this afternoon.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com