Businessman Bill Halewich at council's meeting this week. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Aim to attract business

Businessman with new group asks council to improve intersections

Nov 16, 2023 | 9:00 AM

At city council Tuesday night, businessman Bill Halewich said he would like to see improvements at several intersections in North Battleford to increase safety.

He noted a new group is being developed, The Battlefords Business Alliance, that will be comprised of up to six people. It aims to attract more business to the Battlefords. The group hopes to meet with council in camera to talk about their strategies.

“We’re trying to attract business to the city,” Halewich said.

Halewich, who is also an owner-operator of Sky-Tech Equipment in North Battleford, presented several photographs of areas where he hopes to see the city and the province work on some changes, such as adding crosswalks at certain locations. He wants to make it safer and improve access to pedestrians and cyclists.

Halewich said community improvement is “his passion.”

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Some of the improvements he asked for include having a walking trail to the river valley. He also wants to see a crosswalk installed to access King Hill.

Another intersection that needs work is at the Parsons Industrial Park, off Highway 16. Halewich said the intersection is “totally unsafe” for people trying to cross the highway.

The Don Ross Hill intersection safety was also discussed.

“We just would like to see some general improvements done in the community to help us attract business, and see if we could possibly sit down with the city as a group and further the discussions on development in the city,” Halewich said.

He added he has also been in touch with Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill about the issue.

Halewich also asked the city to look at trying to implement a zero per cent tax increase for 2024 by finding cuts in the budget wherever possible. The former Battleford town councillor said his council maintained a zero per cent increase budget. From his experience on council, he believes it’s possible to have no tax increase.

“I know things are tough right now, but it would be really nice if the city could actually hold that zero per cent tax increase for the city this year,” Halewich said.

Deputy Mayor Kelli Hawtin asked for some written remarks with more details to go with the photographs Halewich provided council of areas he said need work.

On Halewich’s request to meet with council privately to discuss some ideas, Coun. Kent Lindgren said council makes its decisions publically, so if it meets with Halewich’s business group, the information discussed will still become public at some point.

Coun. Len Taylor said that of the areas needing improvement, most are adjacent to provincial roads, which is an issue.

These projects would need to be cost-shared with the city and the province to move ahead.

Taylor added the city is in ongoing talks with the province to help finance improvements.

He added while council wants to see additional improvements, each would be an added expense.

“Everyone would like to see additional improvements,” Taylor noted, adding that discussions are ongoing with the province on helping finance proposed projects.

On the issue of taxes, he added that council would like to see a zero per cent tax increase also, but noted that “cutting back is a challenge.” He added that there is a two per cent increase in RCMP costs alone.

“We all want to see lower taxes for the citizens of North Battleford,” Taylor said. “We also want to ensure the services are available to them every single day. And those costs are going up.”

Council agreed to set up a meeting with Halewich and his group to look at their concerns relating to improving safety and attracting business.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow