The City of Yorkton is moving to purchase properties along Brodie Street to create a water holding area to help deal with future heavy rain situations in the city.
Yorkton Mayor James Wilson said the City is making the purchases in an attempt to have the city better able to handle heavy rains in the future. He said it was a decision taken, "so we can prevent future flooding."
Wilson said while they have been told by SaskWater the heavy rains of July 1, 2010, were a one-in-100-years event, he said it was also the "fifth flood within the last 50 years," in the downtown area.
Wilson said past Councils didn't see the problem developing.
"We've been neglecting it, not paying attention to it," he said.
So the City is making moves now.
"We've been working with the Government of Saskatchewan and insurance companies and most importantly the citizens of Yorkton who have been most directly affected," said Wilson in an interview with Yorkton This Week.
In addition to the property purchases, Wilson noted, "we are working with certain individuals to see if we can find adequate housing for them."
Wilson said they have had a good response from property owners to their plan so far, adding they are working on details on the final few lots now.
"It's not that people are holding out on us, it's just that we're working through the insurance claims," he said.
In addition, Wilson said the City is having a study carried out on the downtown needs to help alleviate the situation in the downtown.
"We should have results by spring," he said.
Wilson said work will be undertaken this year in response to an earlier study on the northeast area of the city.
"There is a plan to prevent floods by building collection basins in that area," he said.
The Brodie Street properties will be a major element in "helping alleviate future flooding in the southwest and downtown areas of the city," said Wilson.
Wilson said the City has $800,000 in the current budget dedicated to future flood control projects.
