RM OF ST. PETER, ENGLEFELD, LEROY — Local communities are seeing the benefits of the additional infrastructure funding this year through the province’s Municipal Economic Enhancement Program.
The Government of Saskatchewan announced the program on May 19, saying that $150 million will be dedicated to Saskatchewan communities on a $143 per person basis.
The RM of St. Peter received $111,102 that went to improvements to the local fire department.
Angie Peake, the RM’s administrator, said the RM was in desperate need of a new fire truck and the economic enhancement funding allowed them to do that without using other funds.
“The tanks were getting weakened and didn't have the water capacity so we thought with this money that it was a very good use for it.”
With a new fire truck came the need to upgrade their fire hall which was also able to be funded through economic enhancement funding.
“With the new tanker truck and our current fire truck the door isn't wide enough for them both to fit in there nicely. We figured if we could do a holder expansion we can get both vehicles in there more easily for the firefighters,” Peake said.
The RM hopes to get the project started and completed this fall, she said.
Englefeld
Also approved for funding were projects in the Village of Englefeld with approximately $41,000 being available for the community to use. Mayor Darrell Athmer said recent waterline work had left Englefeld sidewalks in rough shape so this was an opportunity to get that work done sooner rather than waiting for the town to budget for the project.
“It was a big boost for a small community anyway because our ability to raise funds here for projects like that is not high, so it was definitely welcome.”
Also approved by the government was another tourism barn for the town to build on its Hogfest theme throughout the community.
With the village information centre along Highway 5 having a three little pigs theme, Athmer said they wanted to continue that theme at other locations within the village. Both projects are going to enhance the look of the community, he said.
LeRoy
The Town of LeRoy was approved for its water quality project with the town set to refurbish one of two water pumps within the town.
Mayor Brian Thoen said the project was already on the agenda to do with the town already able to partially complete it. The enhancement funding will allow the town to complete the project all at once with a start date of October of this year, he said.
Project approvals have been coming in since the middle of June and continue to be announced on the provincial government’s website.
