Have a great weekend, everyone! Remember that the Landfill will be closed on Saskatchewan Day, Monday, August 7. Visit Regina.ca/Waste for more information on the landfill's hours of operation.

If you are heading to the Farmer’s Market this weekend, be aware that the sidewalk and parking lanes on 12th Avenue between Smith Street and Lorne Street will be restricted. Work at this location is taking place from August 5 to 6.

Heads up! Registration Day for leisure programs starts Tuesday, August 8 at 7 a.m. sharp for residents. For non-residents, Registration Day begins at 7 a.m. on Thursday, August 10. Make time over the long weekend to get ready to sign up. You need: •Family PIN Number and Login ID. Call 306-777-PLAY (7529) to obtain this information. •List of courses you are interested in and course ID obtained from the Fall 2017 Leisure Guide made available online at Regina.ca/LeisureGuide. Visit Regina.ca/LeisureGuide to learn about ways you can register.

Drivers may want to consider alternate routes as road improvements begin on Tuesday, August 8 on Diefenbaker Drive. The work, which will help improve traffic flow, is expected to be completed by early September, weather permitting. During construction, Diefenbaker Drive will be restricted between Blake Road and McCarthy Boulevard. In addition, McCarthy Boulevard will be closed from Diefenbaker Drive to Armour Road. Road work includes the widening of Diefenbaker Drive between Blake Road and McCarthy Boulevard and subsequent intersection improvements at McCarthy Boulevard and Diefenbaker Drive. Funding for this project is provided through development Service Agreement Fees, which are collected from developers. This aligns with the key principle of the official community plan that growth pays for growth.

Starting next week, an innovative pavement preservation technique will be completed at the following locations. Roads will be closed or restricted in four to five hour blocks of time during the construction. While roads will be closed, alternative entrances will be available to access businesses on these routes. Tuesday, August 8 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. •Gordon Road between Lewvan Drive and Harbour Landing Drive 12:30 - 5 p.m. •Harvard Way - Harbour Landing Drive and Gordon Road •Harbour Landing Drive between Jim Cairns Boulevard and Gordon Road 5 - 9 p.m. •Harbour Landing Drive between Lewvan Drive and Gordon Road Wednesday, August 9 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. •Lewvan Drive southbound between Parliament Avenue and 13th Avenue. Two-way traffic will be maintained. 1 - 5 p.m. •Lewvan Drive northbound between Parliament Avenue and 13th Avenue. Two-way traffic will be maintained. The City of Regina thanks citizens for their understanding and patience while this important infrastructure is being accessed. For everyone’s safety, drivers are reminded to slow down in construction zones and to consider alternate routes to avoid construction. For other traffic restrictions, visit the Daily Road Report.

Like you, Regina firefighters understand the simple pleasure of family time around an open fire. But backyard fire pits pose a serious risk of spreading if they are not set up and used properly. That’s why fines start at $300. Stay fire safe and play by the rules this summer. Here are five rules to follow:

Fast Fact Friday: Did you know that the Regina Chamber of Commerce started as the Regina Board of Trade way back in 1888? It was involved in promoting industry and agriculture, encouraging municipal infrastructure construction (such as wooden sidewalks and running water) and promoting Regina as a great place for settlement. The name changed to the Regina Chamber of Commerce in 1947. Enjoy this video based on a “boosterism” booklet from the Regina Board of Trade from about 1914.

Go paperless. Sign up for Utility eBill today. http://ow.ly/D1Bd30e9u4d

By early August, the juvenile Peregrine Falcons will learn from their parents how and what to hunt. They do this by bringing in prey items and have the youngsters chase them, at which time they drop the prey and the chicks have to fly and grab it. All the time there are loud vocalizations by both the parents and the young enjoying the chase. By the middle of August, the juvenile Peregrine Falcons will start hunting on their own. Only if they beg for food will their parents supplement them. These youngsters have to learn fast as migration is not far away and they will be on their own. The Peregrine is known for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its high-speed hunting dive. While its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, the Peregrine will occasionally hunt small mammals, small reptiles or even insects. When biologists were auditing the nesting box, prey samples were collected and it appears they are mostly eating birds such as Pigeons, shore birds (Willets and Sanderlings) and Coots. The photo is of Jasper, the father, courtesy of V Mann.

Throwback Thursday: This week is the Queen City Ex. Today’s image shows the Confederation Building and the Australian National Band from the 1927 Provincial Exhibition (a former name for the Queen City Ex). In 1927, the Confederation Building at the Exhibition Grounds was brand new. The building was one of the showcases for the World’s Grain Exhibition and Conference, which was held in 1933. The building, which sat on the edge of Confederation Park, was the home of the Women’s Department, Horticultural Department and School Exhibits for the Provincial Exhibition. Little information is available on the Australian National Band, also seen in this image, but we do know the band had eight principal soloists, traveled a long way to come to the Provincial Exhibition in Regina in 1927, and the band played every afternoon and evening at the Provincial Exhibition in 1927.

Temporary Road Closures/Restrictions for Cathodic Protection Survey Work The City will be doing survey work of equipment and underground water pipes to ensure equipment is properly functioning and that the pipes are fully protected. This work will help prevent significant watermain breaks in the future and gain a better understanding of how water pipes are being protected to avoid significant corrosion. There are about 160 kilometers of steel pipes in our water distribution system. Any significant pipeline leaks or failures, as a result of corrosion, may compromise the City’s water supply to the businesses and residents of Regina. Three critical locations were selected for surveying in 2017: Courtney Street, Lewvan Drive and Pasqua Street. http://ow.ly/ftFv30e7J4s

Who We Are Wednesday: Today is the start of the Queen City Ex, and in honour of the occasion, let’s take a look at one of the former managers of the Regina Exhibition and former mayor, James Grassick. Grassick was one of Regina’s earliest pioneers in 1882 and soon became beloved by many people in the region during Regina’s settlement. After holding a number of jobs, Grassick founded a draying, livery and feed business that became Capital Ice Company. He hauled ice from Boggy Creek and Wascana Lake, selling it to butcher shops and hotels. In later years he filled a reservoir on his farm every year with city water and provided ice from that reservoir. In his spare time, Grassick was a tireless community volunteer, serving as board chair for Knox Church for 45 years and director of the Regina Exhibition Board from 1907-1932. Grassick was an MLA for four years, and served as mayor from 1920-1922 and again from 1940-1941. He was known as “Mr. Regina” to many of his constituents, and in 1955 Chief Harry Ball (Sitting Eagle) of Piapot Cree First Nations. gave him the name of Chief Strong Heart for his advice to elders during the earliest days of settlement. Grassick was hit by a car and, tragically, killed in 1956 at the age of 88. In his honour, a park, street and a lake in northern Saskatchewan are named for him. In this image from 1942, former Mayor Grassick and two unidentified men ride on horseback at the Travellers’ Day Parade, which was held before the Regina Exhibition each year.