Regina city council's executive committee will consider master transit plan

Regina city council's executive committee will look at the city's transit master plan at its Wednesday meeting, and also consider alease of city land for a new cellphone tower.

City administration was tasked in 2020 with developing the transit plan, which was then made with the base principles of accessibility, sustainability, and age-friendliness, says a report to be presented at Wednesday's committee meeting.

The 25-year plan was released earlier this month, but has not yet been approved by city council.The city does not currently have a transit plan.

"A Transit Master Plan will ensure that transit activities are aligned, and contain specific action plans and investments to make transit a transportation mode of choice for residents in Regina," the report for the executive committeereads.

The plan indicates that although the population of Regina and the usage of transit in the city have both risen, the transit service has not kept pace with that growth.

The plan will be go to full council on May 4.

Cell tower on city land

City administration is recommending the city enter into an agreement with Rogers Communications Inc. for the lease of a portion of the landlocated at 480 Pasqua St. N.,near the intersection with Ninth Avenue N.

A city report set to be presented to the executive committee on Wednesday says that the land would be leased at market value, with anannual rate of $20,000, and that Rogers would pay all related property tax.

"Rogers originally provided three locations at this corner to review, and this was determined to be the most suitable location as the parcel houses the North Zone Pump Station ... and the adjacent parcel to the south already houses another communications tower," the report reads.

The report says environmental impacts are hard to assess at this stage, but notes the construction would contributetoadditional greenhouse gas emissions in two ways.

"First, producing building materials and the construction process itself are both energy intensive and generate emissions," the report reads.

"Second, there are also GHG emissions associated with the lifecycle of the cellular tower."

Any decision about the lease made at committee must then go before council.