Jazz fest asking city to waive parking fees for closing street

The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival free stage is moving again this year, but this time it could cost the festival thousands of dollars.

Construction on the Traffic Bridge means locating the free stage in Friendship Park, as it has done for the last several years, is not an option, so the stage will move to the north part of Kiwanis Park, where the Meewasin skating rink is located in winter.

Kevin Tobin, the festival’s artistic director, said the free stage used to be at that same location, but moved to accommodate larger crowds as the festival grew.

This year, however, it will be necessary to close Spadina Crescent between 22nd Street and 23rd Street so there’s enough room for people. The city has agreed to the closure, but wants to charge the festival an estimated $4,000 to compensate for the temporary elimination of paid parking stalls.

Tobin has written to city hall asking for the fees to be waived. His letter is on the agenda for consideration by city council’s transportation committee on Monday.

The letter notes the city ruled out the south part of Kiwanis Park, where the free stage was held a few years ago. That area hosts other summer events like Taste of Saskatchewan.

The city informed the festival that it wanted compensation for the closed Spadina parking stalls about three or four weeks ago, Tobin said. Closing the street is necessary to accommodate music lovers, since the park is too narrow, he said. Organizers plan to have the free stage face south toward the Delta Bessborough Hotel. About 17 parking stalls will be closed on the west side of Spadina.

The daily cost for non-profits to compensate the city for closing parking stalls is $18, but Tobin’s letter notes council has approved lowering the rate for closing a stall to make room for a parking patio to $13 a day.

The free stage attracts about 50,000 people each year and the jazz festival brings about $7 million annually to the city’s economy, the letter notes.

Brent Penner, executive director of Downtown Saskatoon, the downtown business improvement district, said he supports the jazz festival’s request.

“It just really was an opportunity to support a festival that’s been around for a long time and brings lots of dollars into our downtown,” Penner said.