A report will be sent back to Moose Jaw city council about using interest from the Parking Reserve account to support priorities in the Downtown Local Area Plan.

Coun. Crystal Froese made the motion at Monday’s city council meeting also with a motion to consult with stakeholders such as the Downtown Moose Jaw Business Association and the Heritage Advisory Board.

“I think in order to bring that to life we have to have stakeholder involvement. But more importantly we have to find some type of funds,” Froese said.

Mayor Fraser Tolmie motioned to have the item tabled so the department of development and planning can bring a report back to city council. The motion was passed 6-1 with Coun. Brian Swanson opposed.

The Parking Reserve is earmarked to fund future parking lots. Froese’s motion would only use the interest from that account.

During the Dec. 18 Heritage Advisory Committee meeting, now former assistant city planner Eric Bjorge brought up that the Heritage Reserve account has between $17,000 and $18,000 and the Parking Reserve earns about $40,000 yearly.

Tolmie caught the tail end of the Bjorge’s presentation and said the Downtown Local Area Plan did come up.

“I think the intent of this motion that has been brought forward is to look at some of the opportunities, missed opportunities, of the past because from my understanding there are some beautiful street signs, decorative street signs, that are sitting in a warehouse somewhere in the city of Moose Jaw,” Tolmie said.

Tolmie added that he believes the signage was supposed to go with the decorative street lamps already installed downtown. It was unknown by administration as to why the signage wasn’t installed at the same time of the lamps.

The Downtown Local Area Plan was finalized in 2017 at a cost of $95,000.

It is a 30-year improvement plan that include ideas such as a gateway on Manitoba Street, streetscape enhancements, policies to drive economic development and preserving the downtown heritage.

“Whether this gets tabled, which is completely fine with me, I think more importantly we need to act on some of these plans so we’re not just paying $100,000 for paper,” Froese said.