Downtown neighbours hopeful about future of STC depot site
The closure of the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) has been protested widely across the province, but some in Saskatoon are hopeful the soon-to-be former home of the STC will create new opportunities downtown.
According to a recent government order, all assets owned by the Saskatchewan Transportation Company have to be disposed of by March 31, 2018, including STC depots in Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon “by way of sale, transfer, exchange, or any other manner that STC considers appropriate to achieve best value and maximize the proceeds.”
Joe Hargrave, Minister Responsible for STC, said the province has turned over disposal of the assets to professional services firm KPMG. He said there’s no target for how much money the province wants to obtain through their disposal.
Due to a contract between the STC and Greyhound Canada, Greyhound buses will continue to run out of the Regina and Saskatoon terminals until late September, according to STC officials.
A statement from Greyhound Canada indicated the service is “exploring our options with regard to a more permanent location in the community.”
The locations are “ideally situated,” Hargrave said. “There’s many, many things that could potentially happen with all three of them. It will be interesting to see what KPMG comes up with over the next while once the wind-down is complete.”
A budget news release from the province said the subsidy provided to the STC has jumped substantially to $94 per passenger from $25 per passenger 10 years ago. The government estimates the bus company would need more than $85 million in subsidies over the next five years, calling it “unsustainable.”
The closure has been criticized, but some who do business near the Saskatoon depot on 23rd Street East are more optimistic.
Kelsey Hufnagel, manager of Uptown Orthodontics, said while many have spoken negatively about the closure, she’s more interested in the possibilities. The closure will have no effect on Uptown, she said in an email.
“I see this as opportunity for entrepreneurs and small business in Saskatchewan. Change is difficult. It is challenging. Or it can be viewed as shifting our thought process, stimulating bright minds to look for the opportunity that lies within.”
“I hope to see something amazing come from this change,” she added. “From business opportunities in the transportation industry, to new opportunities for development in our downtown core. Some might see this as a loss. I prefer to look at it as an chance for positive change. Only time will tell.”
Bryan Salapantan, an employee at nearby Riley’s print shop, said he expects less foot traffic in the area as a result of the closure. Personally, he’s still hoping the STC will find a way to return somehow, since he regularly took the bus to Swift Current for work, he said.
Brent Penner, executive director of the downtown business improvement district, said he too is excited about the location’s potential.
It’s somewhat rare for developers to have access to three street faces by purchasing a single building, Penner said, adding the depot’s proximity to other local businesses and major facilities like TCU Place and Mid-Town Plaza may appeal to potential developers.
“There’s lots of positives about the location,” he said.
While it’s “tough to gauge” what people might be planning for the location and he hasn’t heard of any plans, the BID will be watching closely, Penner said.
“It’s an opportunity for something different to go into a space that otherwise couldn’t.”