Regina Minute: Accessible Elevator, Transit Payment, and the Aquatic Centre Budget

Regina Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Regina politics

This Week In Regina:

• The Accessibility Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday at 4:00 pm. The Committee will receive a progress report on Administration’s efforts to implement Regina’s Accessibility Plan. Administration will also provide a presentation regarding the Regina Transit Master Plan accessibility recommendations.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 1:00 pm, there will be a meeting of City Council. The agenda includes a new Fire Services Agreement with the Regional Municipality of Sherwood, and a request to increase the City's debt limit for various projects, including the Indoor Aquatic Facility (more on that below!) and a Geothermal Heating Facility. Additionally, there will be discussions about renaming Dewdney Avenue, establishing respectful communication protocols among Council members, and proposals regarding property management for nuisance and underutilized properties. On Thursday, at 2:00 pm, the City Centre Core Development Advisory Committee will meet. The Committee will receive two Business Improvement District Reports.
  
  
• The cost of building a new indoor aquatic facility to replace the Lawson Aquatic Centre in Regina is sitting at $245.1 million. City officials noted that an additional $84.4 million is needed to complete the project as originally planned. To move forward, the City may need to increase its debt limit, which would require approval from the Saskatchewan Municipal Board. The Executive Committee voted to delay a final decision on the budget until they explore other funding options, including federal and provincial support and potential sponsorships. Council will revisit the matter in October, just before the municipal election.

Last Week In Regina:

• The City has launched the first phase of a new cashless payment system for City buses, replacing the old R-cards. The Umo system allows transit riders to pay using a mobile app or reloadable smart card (and cash too!). A second phase in 2025 will introduce additional payment options like credit cards and mobile payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Current R-cards can still be used until October 31st, with balance transfers available until the end of the year.
  
  
• Mayor Sandra Masters denied claims that the City of Regina is ignoring development proposals for the Yards in favour of a new sports facility. Muscowpetung First Nation submitted a proposal in 2022 to develop an Indigenous business incubator on the site, but they claim it has stalled. Masters emphasized that while the City is open to all proposals, current efforts are focused on the revitalization of Dewdney Avenue, which is essential for any future development of the Yards. She also highlighted ongoing City initiatives with Indigenous communities, including partnerships and programs aimed at improving collaboration.
  
  
• Efforts to add an accessible elevator to the waterslides at Wascana Pool have stalled after a request for proposals (RFP) received no bids. Despite allocating $175,000 from the Adapted Recreation Plan budget and extending the RFP deadline, no contractors were interested due to concerns about the budget and project uncertainties. As a result, the project cannot proceed in 2024 or 2025, and Administration has recommended.