One of the benches in downtown North Battleford. City council will discuss on Oct. 14 whether to remove most of them for a one-year trial aimed at addressing safety, cleanliness and public image concerns. (File photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

North Battleford to consider downtown bench removal amid safety, image concerns

Oct 10, 2025 | 4:00 PM

City council in North Battleford will debate next week whether to remove most benches from the downtown area for a one-year trial aimed at improving safety, cleanliness and the area’s public image.

A report prepared for Tuesday, Oct. 14 meeting by city manager Randy Patrick recommends temporarily removing the benches to see if fewer gathering spots reduce loitering, littering and disturbances that have raised concerns among downtown businesses.

Patrick wrote that while the city has invested heavily in new sidewalks, trees and utilities over the past decade, the benches have become a recurring issue for merchants and community groups.

“The presence of benches has been linked to increased loitering and gatherings, which can sometimes lead to confrontations and disturbances,” the report says, adding that the structures “often become hotspots for littering and questionable activities.”

Administration is proposing a one-year removal period to test the impact and give staff time to explore new seating designs less prone to misuse.

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

Ferland earns Grey Cup ring

'A wonderful human being': High school coach thrilled Logan Ferland is a Grey Cup champion

Nov 17, 2025

The cost of removing or relocating benches would be covered under existing budgets, with any new options to be considered in the 2027 budget.

During a Battlefords Chamber of Commerce event on Thursday, Mayor Kelli Hawtin said the recommendation arose from a new downtown safety subcommittee she created that includes business owners, employees and social agencies.

The group has been identifying immediate steps to make the area safer and more welcoming.

“I convened a group together to give me some advice about what they’re seeing day to day,” she said.

North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin speaks during the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber on Tap event on Thursday, Oct. 9, at Riverside Blend in North Battleford. Alongside Town of Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, the two discussed their respective strategic plans for the city and the town. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

Hawtin said the city’s approach must balance enforcement with compassion for residents struggling with addiction or homelessness.

“Not all crimes are people committing crimes because they’re bad people,” she said. “People commit crimes of survival.”

She added that benches are one of several environmental factors under review, along with lighting and security upgrades.

“Removing some of [the benches] temporarily to see if that’s going to help make people feel safer when there’s not as many people congregating in certain areas,” Hawtin said.

In a 2019 story by battlefordsNOW, downtown business owners said the benches installed as part of the city’s rejuvenation project had done more harm than good and should be removed.

Some businesses said the benches were attracting vagrants who were often under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and expressed concern about safety due to aggressive panhandling.

Read more – Downtown benches come under scrutiny by some, others say not the problem

The city has already installed new surveillance cameras downtown and is considering expanding the system. Hawtin said council will also look at converting the existing security-camera grant program into a lighting grant to brighten alleyways and other problem spots.

The RCMP’s F Division is set to conduct a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design audit to identify further safety improvements.

If council approves the trial, the city will notify residents through its Facebook page and monitor conditions over the next year before reporting back with recommendations.

Patrick’s report concludes that the temporary removal could “enhance the overall environment and ensure that the downtown area remains a welcoming and vibrant space for everyone.”

Safe Public Space bylaw

At the same meeting, council is also expected to consider Safe Public Spaces Bylaw No. 2190, which would opt the city into Saskatchewan’s new Safe Public Spaces Act that took effect Aug. 1.

The provincial legislation restricts the possession, transport and storage of street weapons such as knives, machetes, explosive devices and wildlife-control products.

Under the proposed bylaw, North Battleford would formally adopt those provincial rules, giving local RCMP and community safety officers additional authority to address unsafe or threatening items in public areas. The bylaw specifically excludes hypodermic needles, “in response to the social challenges occurring within the region.”

City clerk Stacey Hadley wrote in her report that opting into the act would provide “a greater range of tools to address matters of concern and uphold community safety.”

—

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com