After last week's tight mayoral race, Don Atchison was sworn in as Saskatoon's mayor Monday evening, bringing with him a promise to put "people, pavement and progress" first.

"The city has earned a reputation across Canada and North America as being the best place to open a business, get a good paying job and raise a family," Atchison said at city hall. "This growth is sustainable and is balanced."

Atchison's inaugural speech capped off a hard-won mayoral battle with surprise political newcomer and runner-up Tom Wolf, whose well-managed, media savvy campaign captured 47 per cent of the vote, compared with 52 per cent for Atchison.

Many of the votes were split along geographical lines, suggesting an urban-suburban divide amongst voters.

In a poll-by-poll tally published on the City of Saskatoon website, support for Atchison's "progressive Saskatoon" campaign was strongest in the city's newer suburbs, while support for Wolf was focused in the city's core neighbourhoods.

Responding to Wolf's comments on election night that the new council faces a divided Saskatoon, Atchison said the city is "united." He pointed to a number of projects across the city, including the re-opening of the Mayfair Pool, that demonstrate Saskatoon's community spirit.

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