When Yorkton Mayor Bob Maloney looks back on 2015, the highlight was quick to pick out; the opening of Parkland College’s new Trades and Technology Centre.
“It took a decade from start to finish, with a lot of people working on it,” said Maloney in a year-end interview.
While noting many people played a role in seeing the idea for the Centre go through design, fundraising, construction, and finally its official opening, the past president of the College drew special mention from the Mayor.
“Fay Meyers really had worked for years as president of the College,” he said.
Having the new Centre now open to students id great for Yorkton, said Maloney.
“I think it will be a huge benefit for the city for a long time,” he said, and there are going to spin-offs resulting in jobs beyond the Centre itself.
And having a facility such as the Trades and Technology Centre is a draw in itself.
“Education attracts people to the city, and some of them stay,” offered Maloney, adding education in general “is one of the building blocks” for a community.
The College could well see further growth, but Maloney said he wouldn’t expect anything as soon as the new year.
“I think there will be another phase to it,” he said, but added a lot of time goes into planning such things, so it will not be immediate.
The next phase may well be one incorporating student housing, something which could involve the province, City and private concerns.
Maloney said if you have students coming to the College “it hurts if you don’t have an affordable place to live.”
And there will be need for education room too, suggested Maloney, as “Parkland College evolves to get a lot more programming.”
So what of the year ahead in Yorkton?
Maloney said growth has slowed, at least by some indicators.
For example building permit numbers are down, but the value of those permits runs close to 2014.
And in the new year there will be some major developments coming online, in particular the new home for Maple Farm Equipment.
“It will be a distribution hub for our region,” said Maloney.
And there will be influence in the city from the K3 potash mine development near Esterhazy.
Maloney said when a mine expansion of such magnitude, $1.7 billion, “we build a subdivision in Yorkton.”
And there is more subtle growth people do not always recognize, said Maloney. He pointed to the two canola crushing facilities noting when you factor in production expansions since the plants opened, it is like having three plants in terms of overall capacity now.
To help with future growth the City will partner with the RMs of Orkney and Wallace for a truck traffic study in 2016.
Some preliminary work pegged truck movements in the city at 150,000, said Maloney, adding “we think that’s a low number.”
There is also work being undertaken to plan upgrades to Grain Millers and Sully Roads, in partnership with the province, to facilitate future manufacturing and processing developments along those corridors, as well as serving those already in place, said Maloney. He added the City has a memorandum of understanding with the provincial Department of Highways.
The new year will also see urban municipalities going to the polls in October.
When asked if he would seek a third term as Mayor Maloney responded with a smile “at this point I probably will, unless Diane (his wife) says no.
“But I probably will … there are still things I want to get done.”
