Regina Minute: Library Funding, YWCA Hub, and a New Police Initiative

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

This Week In Regina:

• There will be a City Council meeting on Wednesday at 1:00 pm. Council will discuss establishing respectful communication towards the City Manager and staff, establishing a preceptor role within the organization, dissolving the Human Resources Sub-Committee, zoning bylaw amendments, and a lease agreement with Christ King Church. There will also be a Notice of Motion introduced that proposes approval for a $100,000 capital contribution and an increase to the annual operating grant for the Creative City Centre. It also requests a report on potentially changing the funding model for arts programs by May 2025.
  
  
• Regina is getting a new YWCA hub. The kikaskihtânaw Centre for Women and Families will be a 97,000 square foot building that will serve as a shelter for those experiencing homelessness and domestic violence, alongside offering community services like childcare for up to 180 children. It will replace the current downtown location. The CEO emphasized the hub’s unique feminist-based approach, integrating 72 transitional housing units, a youth hub with healthcare services, a public playground, and a coffee shop. The name "kikaskihtânaw," meaning "we all succeed" in Cree, reflects its mission to uplift women and families in need.
  
  
• Regina is launching a new police initiative, 'All in Progressive Policing Initiative: Engagement and Enforcement, aimed at bolstering public safety and community partnerships. Chief Farooq Hassan Sheikh highlighted the initiative's goal to address crime through enhanced police presence in the downtown and Cathedral areas, with plans to expand to other neighbourhoods based on community feedback. The initiative responds to findings from the 2023 Community Perceptions Survey, emphasizing the need for increased focus on issues like drugs and alcohol, and includes rotating patrols, heightened visibility, and proactive community engagement strategies.

Last Week In Regina:

• Regina's new Urgent Care Centre has had a busy start, treating over 500 patients in its first week of operation. Currently operating from 8:00 am to 9:30 pm daily, the Centre aims to expand to 24/7 service once fully staffed. Designed for urgent, non-emergent cases, including mental health and addiction crises with a dedicated entrance, the facility has already begun easing pressure on local emergency rooms by handling numerous x-rays and redirecting patient traffic effectively. Staff recruitment continues with plans to reach 130 personnel to support extended hours by fall.
  
  
• The Central Library's ambitious renewal project secured funding from Council, amounting to between $92 million and $119 million in debt financing. This decision follows years of deliberation and planning, aiming to revitalize the library's infrastructure, potentially on its current downtown site or a new location. Despite concerns over increased property taxes and the City's overall debt load, the funding was ultimately approved in a narrow 4-3 vote. The library will also implement a dedicated mill rate increase to fund ongoing expenses and operations at the new facility.
  
  
• An executive who no longer worked at the City of Regina was still its 36th highest-paid employee in 2023, despite her departure in March 2022. Diana Hawryluk, formerly the Executive Director of City Planning and Development, received over $185,000 in remuneration from the City that year. She mutually parted ways with the City and her remuneration was negotiated to be disbursed over several fiscal years.