Yorkton Council was not in favour of a proposed route for new SaskPower transmission line coming into the city.
Saskpower wants to upgrade its facilities from the transmission station south of the City. The City has been presented with two options by SaskPower, explained Gord Shaw Manger of the City's Planning & Engineering Department.
SaskPower intends to increase the number of feeders into the City from its substation south of the municipality. The route that it proposes to follow is adjacent to Highway #9 from the substation to its existing transmission lines north of the cemetery. SaskPower identified two options for this alignment. The first is above ground and the second is a buried service line.
Shaw said City representatives met with SaskPower earlier this year to go over a different route for the lines.
"An alternative option the City raised was to go through the proposed commercial subdivision where the tourism centre is located. SaskPower reviewed this option and determined that it was not feasible for them," explained a report circulated to the regular meeting of Council Monday.
However, SaskPower was not convinced of the City's alternate route.
"SaskPower is advised the City views the alternative alignment originally through the new commercial subdivision to be superior to the one proposed adjacent to the west side of Highway # 9 with overhead transmission lines in front of the cemetery and Logan Green," detailed the report.
Shaw said the greatest issue with SaskPower's preferred route is the overhead lines which would be in front of the City's cemetery.
"It would not be aesthetically pleasing to have overhead power lines in front of the cemetery," he said.Councillor Bob Maloney said the City's Planning Commission felt the same way.
"It would not be a very nice landscape," he said.
The alternative would be to bury the lines, however, "SaskPower identified it is the City's responsibility to pay for an underground service line. SaskPower identified this cost to be $93,000. This cost is not included in the City's budget. SaskPower's preference is to use overhead wires in front of the cemetery."
Anecdotally Shaw said he cannot find evidence the City has had to pay for burying lines in the past."I think trenching is appropriate," said Maloney.
Council chose to once again recommend an alternate route to SaskPower and to invite the Crown to appear before Council to discuss the potential to trench the lines.
