MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, May 22, 2019 • PAGE A3
MLA for the Moose Jaw
North Constituency
18,000 New Full-Time Jobs
Despite headwinds that our economy faces domestically and abroad, Saskatchewan has now seen nine consecutive months of strong job gains. Learn more and book your campsite at saskparks.goingtocamp.com
306-692-8884 • moosejawnorthmla@shaw.ca
New strip mall could house pharmacies and other medical services Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express
A building being constructed adjacent to the Hillcrest Health Clinic on Thatcher Drive could be the new home for other medical-related services and businesses. The ownership group is still talking with companies about moving into the building, although no leases have been signed yet. However, some of the services that could be offered include pharmacies, another medical clinic, hearing and vision support, skin care, and even a coffee shop. The names of the companies that could become new tenants is expected to be made known in a couple of months. There are four individuals who each have a stake in this new build, saidMontanini said. What’s positive about
the co-owners is they are long-time Saskatchewan residents. However, this group is completely separate from the owners of the Hillcrest Health Clinic. C&S Builders is installing the roof, concrete floor, asphalt paving and installation of exterior lights. The building will be just under 1,170 square metres (13,000 square feet) in size. Sam Shaw with C&S Builders confirmed that the building is expected to cost $2 million. Once the purchase of the land is factored in, plus interior renovations, the cost of the project will likely exceed $3 million. This will be a first-class building that improves the sightlines in the area.
Construction of a new strip mall adjacent to the Hillcrest Health Clinic began in April and is expected to finish in October. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Plenty of good news for Palliser Regional Library
Provincial funding increase, higher usage rates highlight annual general meeting Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express
For all the dire warnings and bad news that seems to surround public libraries these days, one would think Palliser Regional Library would have few positive things to say at their annual general meeting. Quite to the contrary. Not only are active user stats up substantially over the previous set of numbers from 2016, the percentage of the population using libraries in the Palliser system has increased. The provincial government has noticed, with libraries throughout the province receiving a one per cent increase in funding – a boost of $128,000 to $6,018,000 for the entire region. That’s all very good news, says Palliser Regional Library director Jan Smith, who pointed out that keeping up with the changing times has made the difference. “People are enjoying the new digital features we have to offer, especially the audio books,� Smith said. “Everybody is using audiobooks these days, which we have no objection to at all. Then people are downloading online and they’re able to get it when they want, where they want, including in the middle of seeding fields. They can just download their next book in the middle of whatever work they’re doing.� Having that ability is one of the factors that led to an additional 1,997 active users in 2018 to a total of
Got an event or local story?
Palliser Regional Library chairman Jim Atchymichuk offers his remarks during the annual general meeting, as director Jan Smith looks on.
17,302 patrons. That’s a total of 31.19 per cent of the population Palliser covers, with 67 per cent of that number coming from Moose Jaw itself. The overall collection size has seen a reduction of 1,616, most of which was seen in fewer adult books on
CALL FOR SPRING DEALS
CALL YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER!
306-694-1322 editor@mjvexpress.com
Free Estimates
306.684.1590
Moose Jaw’s Full Service Tree Specialists! • FULLY INSURED • CLIMBING ARBORIST • BUCKET TRUCK • STUMP GRINDING
hand across the 20 branches. That number was nearly balanced out by the increase in audio and talking books, DVDs and BluRays, juvenile books and magazine and serials. “But people also want the books in hand, so you have to be able to balance things,â€? Smith said. “Even with DVDs, things aren’t falling as much because of people in rural areas, where access to Netflix is spotty at best at times. And it’s getting harder and harder to get DVDs‌ someday we might even have our own servers, that’s something we’re thinking about.â€? That’s part of the entire idea of improving and modernizing as much as possible in the future. “I see a balance between books, digital services and the library as a community hub,â€? Smith explained. “A place for people to go, a place for people to use and meet, to sit down and talk, do the book clubs or whatever they’re into. We have one branch where they actually dismantle tractors in the middle of it for programming. So I see a balance of all three in the future of the library. “We’re constantly looking for more ways to evolve and improve as the years go on.â€?
ESCORTED ESCORTED MOTORCOACH TOURS MOTORCOACH TOURS Pick-ups: Moose Jaw and enroute
MINOT NORSK HOSTFEST BRANSON SHOW TOUR  Â? Â? Â? Â? Â?  Â € ‚ ƒ NAGEL TOURS NAGEL TOURS Years of of Service 4241Years Service
Call Your Travel Agent or 1-800-562-9999 www.nageltours.com
THE GRASS AND TREES ARE STARTING TO TURN GREEN. WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR INVESTMENT ACCOUNT TO LOOK MORE GREEN? Please call for your personal appointment to review your investment plan today.
Gale Toews, Financial Advisor Gale Toews Private Wealth Management of Raymond James Ltd. 602 – 1st Ave NW, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 3M6 306-693-4430 gale.toews@raymondjames.ca
Raymond James Ltd., Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
www.raymondjames.ca/GaleToewsPrivateWealthManagement