The new year lays on the horizon and it promises to be an interesting one for our city.
Certainly when we look beyond our city boundaries, and those of Saskatchewan, there are some economic warning signs which do cast a shadow which could extend to Yorkton.
The economic situation in Greece may be only the tip of the iceberg in terms of problems in Europe.
And, of course the economy of the United States is shaky at best, and given how reliant Canada is on trade south, that has to be a drag.
Yet, so far, Saskatchewan and Yorkton have seemed insulated from the tremors of recession reverberating in other countries.
It was interesting how a television news story Monday dealt with how cities are dealing with a slowing economy.
It's somewhat hard to envision such things from a Yorkton perspective.
If you spent an evening driving around the city looking at Christmas lighting this holiday season you can't help but see the current growth the city is experiencing. Housing continues to expand the city, especially in the northeast corner of the community.
The work being done on a new hotel, and car dealerships are perhaps the most advanced business development in the city, but the Broadway Development adjacent to the Parkland Mall, and several other signs around the city speak to significant development planned for the months ahead.
The economic growth has also meant 'staff wanted' signs around the city for most of 2011. That is good news for residents, and it will be interesting to see how the need for employees holds into the new year.
While the city will grow in terms of housing and business, the year ahead holds the promise of being remembered as the year a new health care facility, and a new college building both move forward to the point their construction moving forward is assured.
In a year-end interview with Yorkton This Week Mayor James Wilson said both projects are obviously needed and important to the City, and he and Council are prepared to play some role in the processes to see both move forward (see full story this issue).
In regards to the health facility and college building, Wilson is joined in his efforts to see both move forward by MLA Greg Ottenbreit.
"The hospital stuff is well on its way. The community is pretty engaged," he said, in a year-end interview (also in this edition). "It's got some momentum."
The second project is for a new skills and trades technology facility for Parkland College, and Ottenbreit said that is something of a focus for him.
"Right now my main focus is on the college," he said. "I want to see it come to fruition."
The development of the two projects through 2012 will be a highlight of the new yea, and also create facilities that prepare Yorkton for the next quarter of a century, hopefully an era of growth and prosperity for us all.
