It was a relatively simple request made at the final meeting of Estevan city council in 2023.
Coun. Kirsten Walliser suggested giving the public the chance to vote on two potential options for new play equipment at the Churchill Playpark. The potential choices were under budget and very close in terms of cost. It helped that parks manager Shannon Wanner said she had no problem with receiving votes from the public.
A total of 246 responses were received from Dec. 21 to Jan. 3, with most people siding with the initial top pick. Estevan city council went along with the public's desires.
The number of responses might not seem like an overwhelming amount, but it should still be viewed as a positive number, especially when you consider the timing. The survey went out the day before Christmas vacation started in the schools, and people aren't necessarily thinking about playground equipment in late December and early January.
It should be an indicator to the current and the future members of Estevan city council that this is a reasonable practice in the right situation.
Delaying the project for public feedback wouldn't always work. But the play structure is a project that people in the community care about, particularly those who live in the south-central and southwest areas of the city. The designs shared some similarities. And while there is some sense of urgency to get the project completed, Wanner noted last month that the equipment could still be ready for the spring.
Would it be feasible to have a similar process for say, the water treatment plant chemical tenders or the public works vehicle fleet tender? Of course not. You wouldn't have a strong enough response from the public, unless it was something really controversial.
But you can be sure that those who took the time to respond are glad they were given the opportunity by city council.
We've often urged the community to take the time to provide their thoughts when given the opportunity by council and other levels of government, and we've called the public out when they haven't. The budget deliberations by Estevan city council are a perfect example of when the community has been unfortunately silent.
Some years council hasn't received any feedback. In other years, council has received a couple of correspondences.
(City council is currently looking for the public's input on this year's fiscal plan. If you have thoughts on a specific capital project, some of the other contents, the proposed two per cent increase in municipal property taxes or the lack of an increase in utility consumption rates, please let a member of city council know).
While the Churchill Playpark project is important, especially for families with young children in the area, the budget as a whole should still generate more discussion.
We've seen council give other opportunities for people to express thoughts on projects, policies and more. Some have generated lots of debate and discussion. Others have not. Sometimes it felt like a make-work project for the city because nobody responded.
And we've also seen times in which council made a decision without proper consultation. Last year's short-lived policy for the walking track at Affinity Place was an example of when council should have sought people's thoughts, rather than making a decision and then being forced to change course when so many people weren't happy.
We need to respond when given the chance by city council, and to do so in a legitimate fashion. It's not good enough to yap about a decision on coffee row or on social media, where so many people refuse to use their real name. Take the time to call or email a member of city council or the city's administration.
If we don't respond, then that opportunity might not always be there. Why take the time to seek the public's opinion if they won't provide it?
So it is a good sign to have nearly 250 responses on a play structure in a park. And hopefully future public feedback surveys of this nature will draw a similar or even better response.
