Saskatoon developer says 'very unsightly' properties along main roads are 'not welcoming' to visitors
A Saskatoon developer says City Hall should do a better job making sure main roadways are clean and welcoming to visitors.
Ken Achs, president and CEO of Mid-West Group, presented to the city’s planning committee on Monday.
He raised concerns about eyesores found along Idylwyld Drive North, Circle Drive East and Airport Drive.
“There are a lot of uncared-for properties on arterial roads,” Achs wrote.
“These arterial roads are not welcoming for visitors to our city.”
Achs said he isn’t sure how many resources the city has to inspect public and private properties to ensure they are following the Property Maintenance and Nuisance Abatement Bylaw.
“In general we have a beautiful city in a lot of areas but the ones that are most visible to the visitors are not particularly well kept,” Achs said.
“It does harm the city for the traffic that comes through its main arteries, it harms the business owners that are conscientious and take care of their properties.”
In response to Ach’s letter, the Saskatoon Fire Department did a proactive scan of the areas and found a mix of private and public properties weren’t adequately maintained, according to Assistant Fire Chief Yvonne Raymer.
According to the bylaw, grass and weeds need to be kept no higher than 20 centimetres and there must be no accumulation of garbage or debris on the property.
“Currently our capacity is complaint-driven and we do have a desire to turn this into a proactive approach and the feedback I did get is that these properties stuck out from the rest, and they were affecting the amenity of the neighbourhood,” Raymer told the committee.
Achs’ letter, which describes the properties as "very unsightly, " and presentation to the committee were received as information.
Do you have a story idea or news tip? Email us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.