Hilary Gough

The Reconciliation flag was raised in Civic Square this morning, and events are taking place across the City over the next month to celebrate our community's diversity and strength, and the work ahead - culminating in the Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation on June 21st. Find this and other community events in the 'community news' section below. Also included below are some updates on the major transportation files from last month and thoughts about improving the condition and accessibility of our sidewalks. I hope that you have an excellent weekend. I look forward to bumping into many of you at the many community events that make spring such a wonderful time in our city. Continue reading

I hope that you had a nice long weekend with the beautiful spring weather we were treated to. There are two major transportation files on Council's agenda this month. These files form part of Transit and Active Transportation strategies developed to move our transportation system toward one that provides safe and convenient options for everyone. Balancing transportation modes to equitably serve all can help to reduce traffic congestion and reduce environmental impacts. See below under city-wide updates to get a sense of the options in front of Council regarding the routing of future Bus Rapid Transit corridors and Bike Lanes in city center. Continue reading

Spring is here! I hope you're enjoying these warmer and longer days as much as the grizzlies at the zoo and I are! With Spring's arrival come some major operational switch-overs and also provides an opportunity to review winter operations and plan improvements for next year. Read on for some of these considerations.  If you've been considering applying for one of the City's Boards/Committees with a current vacancy, the deadline has been extended to April 7th. Full details here. Finally, I've had some questions about City involvement in a number of projects lately, so I've done my best to provide some details and clarity below under 'city wide policy updates'. Continue reading

I hope that 2019 is off to a good start for you and that there is much to look forward to this year. I'm excited at the possibilities that this year holds and look forward to hearing from you about where you feel City Council's attention should be directed. Wild weather this weekend has got roadways crews out and travellers feeling cautious, but there've been a number of opportunities to think differently about Winter in our city this week. The WinterCity Shakeup conference brought attendees from across the global North to discuss winter planning and winter fun. Winter Bike to Work Day encouraged people to ride their bikes to work and provided warm up stations to support and celebrate. Winterruption gave endless reasons to leave our homes for great shows and more, and WinterShines is now off to a strong start with ice sculptures, activities, and even a soup cook-off! How are you embracing winter this year? Check out great options for outdoor fun at WinterShines here. Finally, don't miss details below about a consultation on Jan 31st regarding the City's growth plan.  Continue reading

As the year comes to a close, its a great time to reflect on what we've accomplished together, and look ahead to what more we can achieve in the new year. Check out some of the results of our 2018 investments here, and give your feedback about performance and priorities here. Budget 2019 was debated and passed late last month. Focus was maintained on improving infrastructure assets, with additional investments in sidewalks maintenance, parks maintenance and snow & ice management. Measured investments were also committed for: - Tackling the root causes of crime through smart growth at Saskatoon Police and through the Safe Community Action Alliance- Enabling valuable partnerships for excellent recreation amenities in our community- Reducing our community and corporate greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) through planning around smart infrastructure upgrades, green energy production, waste diversion and more Warm wishes to you and your loved ones this Holiday season! I hope that the season provides an opportunity for some extra time together.  Continue reading

Winter is officially here and along with equipment changeover and some winter facility hour implementation, we're getting ready for year-end and all of the opportunities that 2019 holds. Council is resuming debate on the proposals for changes to waste services and how they're funded on Monday. In addition, debate on Budget 2019 will take place Nov. 26-28th. More on these under 'city-wide updates' and also 'city council' sections below.  Continue reading

I hope you're all enjoying this 'second fall' we seem to be getting. Everywhere I go I see crews and homeowners fervently working to get those late season tasks and projects complete. Just yesterday we learned that with excellent weather this year, more road and construction work was completed this year than projected. I hope you've found the season to be equally productive!  As many will know already, Council is resuming debate on the proposals for changes to waste services and how they're funded on Monday - more about that under 'city-wide updates' and also 'city council' sections below.  Continue reading

With students of all ages back at school, Saskatoon is buzzing with energy. Even more of us are moving about the City at the same time of day and are feeling the pinch during our morning commutes. The timing couldn't be better to be opening two new bridges and thinking hard about how to improve our City's Transportation system in other ways. Read on for tips about avoiding bus congestion, when you'll be able to drive, walk and ride the new bridges, and what's next on some other big transportation projects. Also under way right now are appointments to City advisory Committees. I encourage you to take a look and consider putting your name forward for appointment to a committee that aligns with your interests. More below under 'on the go this month'.  Continue reading

I hope you've been having a great summer and have taken time for some of the things that are best enjoyed when the days are longer and the weather warmer. As Fall draws nearer and the pace of work ramps up to full speed I'm eager to catch up with you about what's been going on at the City and what is to come this fall. Fall is a transitionary time for many. To everyone returning to school or striking out on a new venture - all the best to you! To everyone hanging on to every available moment of sunshine, I'd love to hear from you about the best thing you did in Saskatoon this summer! One of my favourite summer time activities is noon-hour lane swims at Riversdale pool - there aren't many more days left for that (see below)!  p.s. Taking the bus to school? Wish your stop was in better shape? Check out news about the #BusStopBluesYXE campaign below Continue reading

Happy Summer!  June is an exciting time for events and celebrations. So far, this month has included National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in Victoria Park along with the Rock Your Roots walk for Reconciliation (over 4,000 joined!), the naming of the new bridge: Chief Mistawasis Bridge (thanks for your input!), Pride events (parade today!), and much more. Congratulations to everyone wrapping up another school year or making a transition at this time. I hope you're all taking a bit of time to plan a day in the sun, some time in your garden, or an extra long visit with family, friends, and neighbours during these precious long summer days. Continue reading