The Portage la Prairie city council is eager for the warmer weather to be here so crews can deliver a well-needed facelift to parts of downtown.

City Councillor Brent Budz says residents will notice a lot of activity this year.

"Last year, we did see a huge improvement to some of the sidewalks in our downtown area, and that's going to continue this year. I want to note the north and south side of Saskatchewan Avenue between First Street and Royal Road will have their sidewalks renewed," says Budz. "It's a very similar theme to what we've done in the past by removing those paving blocks and going with concrete."

In 2021, benches, planters and trees are all going to be replaced and freshened up. Budz alludes you can expect to see some dome lights on the city's sidewalks, which will also see some changes.

"The sidewalk at the cenotaph site will be widened to accommodate wheelchairs and those needing a wider area for accessibility," says Budz. "This is a joint project between City and the Communities in Bloom organization. We're happy to partner with them and improve that area. This is about safety and accessibility, and we're happy to do it."