October 26, 2023
Couldn’t make the City of Saskatoon’s meeting?
Here are the highlights + takeaways…
Downtown Event & Entertainment District plan – Downtown Business/Organizations Workshop – October 26, 2023
City staff opened with the informative presentation, including project process, decision making and engagement thus far, guiding principles, and the map. The presentation proceeds into a variety of key district plan components, and more.
We quickly moved to an open-floor discussion about Downtown’s opportunities, challenges, impacts and amenities as relates to the potential of a new Downtown Event & Entertainment District (DEED). Attendees were your neighbours – Downtown business representatives who, throughout the meeting, spoke with enthusiasm for the project and hope for the growth and potential of our community.
Here’s some of what was on their minds…
COMMUNITY CHALLENGES
Safety is a concern Downtown.
- Read about it here. Noted by City Admin.
Downtown parking can be improved. Will Midtown’s parking lot be replaced? That’s too many parking spots to lose Downtown.
- The Midtown property sale arrangement includes the requirement that all the ~500 parking stalls be replaced within the vicinity.
- There are 14,000+ parking spots Downtown.
- Civic strategies also exist to encourage people to live Downtown, which would lift some of the pressure from parking.
- Additionally, the DEED plan also hopes to utilize existing structured lots which are full by day and sit empty at night, and has no expectation of paving ground-level parking lots to surround the new build. One attendee suggested an app that books an exact parking spot ahead of your arrival!
DEED QUESTIONS
Will BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) be up and running ahead of DEED? It will be an invaluable piece of the puzzle.
- Council has approved BRT routes, and plans for operation in 2027. BRT is to offer five-minute frequency. Bus shelters are also likely to offer on-demand heat for those really cold waits.
- The DEED transportation plan includes indoor bus queuing, and how to queue the buses to get people moving quickly, and potential for additional frequency at key times, although there is expectation they are less heavy than currently due to the variety of experience options.
What cities are we conceptually looking at who are doing this right?
- At every stage, learning form successes + challenges of others has been an important part of the process. Several North American and Canadian cities have been studied and visited.
There are a few properties surrounding the district prime for redevelopment! Will they be developed as part of this project!?
- The City has purchased some properties within the mapped DEED boundaries, with the intention of having them available for the creativity of the architects.
- Other privately owned properties, be they gravel parking lots or minimally used footprints, the City encourages and incentivizes mixed-use properties, including residential.
Will TCU Place be remodeled / demolitioned / facelifted?
- A TCU Place renovation / expansion / new build are part of City Council’s future decision. An analysis was commissioned by TCU Place, SaskTel Centre, and the City of Saskatoon.
Is there a strategy to get more people to live Downtown?
- For years, there has been a goal to increase to 10,000 living Downtown. Today, there are approximately 3,500 residents of Downtown.
How is the City discussing the financing possibilities? No one wants to pay for DEED with our taxes, but the community is not well informed of other options.
- A report about financing options was recently received at City Council.
- In addition, Downtown Saskatoon has been one supplementary voice, supporting well-informed discussions around the water cooler. Check out our advocacy 3 minute video here, an economic impact study of a Shania Twain concert, and the most recent release on economic impact of such a project.
Will there be private investment opportunities?
- There will be a Request for Proposal available later this year (2024) regarding looking for potential private sector partnerships: a private partner would operate the arena once it is built. Additionally, development and investment in surrounding privately owned lots will be crucial.
What’s the earliest we could see DEED open its doors?
- After a quick calculation, City Admin suggested the earliest doors could open would be 4-6 years after a decision is made to proceed. Follow the City’s schedule here.
These were the questions posed by attendees. You may have more questions, challenges or great ideas! It’s important the City hear from citizens through the channels they make available to us.
- Subscribe to the mailing list to get up-to-date information straight to your inbox. Email [email protected] to request being added.
- Respond to the City’s current survey, open until November 27, 2023.
- As always, Downtown Saskatoon staff are open to conversations about this advocacy work, too. Contact us.
