Over the long weekend, City Hall will be closed from Friday to Monday. For emergency services related to roads, water or sewer services, please call 240-7083 or 240-7783 to contact the Public Works Department. We wish everyone a great long weekend!

While there is still frost in the ground, the City is limited to putting gravel in potholes. More permanent repairs will have to wait until later in the season. We are currently working to schedule road and underground utility repair contracts, with work hopefully beginning in early May. In the meantime, please feel free to contact the City with specific areas you would like addressed and we will make sure they are added to the maintenance rotation. Thank you for your ongoing patience.

Residents are advised to avoid driving on 9th Avenue West between 5th Street and 3rd Street West where possible. Barricades are in place and traffic is limited to one-way traffic due to the deterioration of the road. We will be doing an assessment of the street to determine the cause of the damage and necessary repair steps as soon as the water stops flowing in that area.

We know spring is always a difficult time for Canadian roads, and we appreciate everyone's patience as we wait for the streets to dry up so that we can begin repair work. In the mean time, we would like to remind drivers to be cautious when driving through puddles and pay attention to any pylons marking potholes. Our public works department is working to get rid of the excess water where they can. If you have a particular area you are concerned about, you can contact the City at 306-236-3622 and we will make sure it gets added to the work list.

Property assessment notices were mailed on March 16th. The period to appeal errors on the assessment is from March 16th until May 16th. If you wish to appeal your assessment, you will need an appeal form from City Hall. Please note that an increase to your assessment does not necessarily mean an increase to your property taxes, as tax rates have not been set yet. For more information on assessments and taxation, please go to www.meadowlake.ca/2008-06/taxes.php.

Timeline Photos

Want to win $100? Submit your best pictures of Meadow Lake to our photo contest for a chance to win a cash prize. Contest winners will be voted on through our Facebook page, and some of the photos submitted will be used to feature our community in our website redesign later this year. Go to www.meadowlake.ca for full contest rules.

As we head into spring, we'd like to issue a reminder about needles found on the ground: If you find a needle, you can call the Meadow Lake Hospital at 236-1500 and ask to page the EMS staff; call Public Health at 236-1570; or call the Meadow Lake Fire Department at 236-5788. Please provide a location and description of the area, and someone will come to safely dispose of it. There is also a needle drop box at the Fire Hall and a needle exchange program run through the hospital.

We have identified a broken water line to the east of Gateway School which caused a large amount of water on the streets. Crews will be working to repair the line later today, and we do not anticipate needing to turn off any water services in the area. We would like to advise pedestrians be cautious due to the water and ice, and to ask drivers to be respectful of the work area. Thank you for your patience as we complete the repairs.

We are accepting applications for funding through the Saskatchewan Lotteries Community Grant Program for non-profit organizations in the City and RM of Meadow Lake for programs related to sport, culture and recreation. Application deadline is Friday, March 31st. Contact City Hall or visit www.meadowlake.ca for more information about the program.

The outdoor rink is now open again for use. The heated change rooms are staffed from 3:30 - 8:30 on weekdays and 1:00 - 6:00 on weekends, unless temperatures drop below -40.

Due to the unseasonably warm weather, the outdoor rinks will be closed until further notice. We apologize for the inconvenience.

We have switched over from the water tower to our new pump system. We ask residents for your patience and understanding in the next few days, as there may be periods of low water pressure while we get the new system up and running. If you experience any other issues with your water service, please contact City Hall.