Perhaps not this year, though. This year, residents might have to pay close attention to announcements about interruptions of waste collection, transit and other services, as well as temporary closures of various city facilities.

At least two of the city’s three unions plan to make it more difficult than it might have been for city hall to implement a 2% reduction in the city’s salary budget, which was part of council’s shaving of the 2010 operating budget. The city had a plan for reducing all employee pay cheques this year by 2% and then scheduling employees’ five extra days off in such a way that there’d be little or no impact on services. No thanks, two union locals replied.

It’s not entirely surprising to see the city’s unions balking. A similar scheme introduced by former Ontario premier Bob Rae in the 1990s wasn’t well received by organized labour either.

The upshot is that in a year when getting from Point A to Point B will sometimes be a challenge because of all the “Guelph Remastered” construction, there could be days without buses, other service interruptions and perhaps temporary closures of city facilities.

But at least it appears this isn’t a year in which city services will be taken for granted.

Big musical weekend

It’s a big weekend for what some have dubbed “The City of Music,” with the third annual Hillside Inside on Saturday at the Sleeman Centre and the “Help Haiti” benefit concert at the River Run Centre the next evening. Sunday’s show to help the victims of Haiti’s earthquake follows in the footsteps of the successful musical event held in the River Run five years ago after the Asian tsunami. A lot of volunteer time and effort by a lot of people, including some high-calibre performers, is going into Sunday’s event, and it would be a shame if it’s not a sellout. Buy a ticket and support a great cause.

Tourney time

Thumbs up to the 30th edition of the Guelph Ringette Tournament this weekend. Another fine tradition in the city.

Loutish acts

Thumbs down to rough stuff in downtown bars, especially when police trying to keep order are on the receiving end of it.