BUILDING A BETTER CITY
Seven groups made pitches to Saskatoon city council for new and upgraded recreation and culture facilities at a special committee meeting Wednesday. Here’s a rundown of the ideas and what the proponents want from the City of Saskatoon, writes Phil Tank.
SOCCER STADIUM
A group hoping to bring a professional soccer team to Saskatoon in the embryonic Canadian Premier League wants to build an 8,200-seat modular stadium with a bubble dome so it can be used in winter. The stadium is projected to cost $20 million and take nine to 10 months to build, but proponents are not looking for money from the city. They do want land in the north downtown, possibly where the city yards are located. The group is negotiating with Prairieland Park to play the first two seasons at the grandstand. The plan is to have the stadium ready by 2021.
LACROSSE FACILITY
Spurred by the success of the Saskatchewan Rush, a group wants to build an indoor lacrosse facility with three fields. The plan remains in its early stages with the possibility that land downtown might be needed from the city one day.
NEW TRACK
The Friends of the Bowl Foundation wants $5 million from the city over five years to build a new track and field facility where the Clarence Downey Speedskating Oval is located in the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. Saskatoon needs a new outdoor athletics facility with the one at Griffiths Stadium slated for closure. Last week, an anonymous donor contributed $15 million to the project, which also includes other upgrades.
RIVER PARK
The group pushing for a $5 million river park to be located at the weir is not seeking any money from the city, but wants to be included in city plans for a hydro power plant at the weir. The city is exploring the hydro plant in collaboration with the Saskatoon Tribal Council. The Saskatoon River Park Association does want to explore a partnership with the city on potential onshore amenities. The group says the park would be too expensive to build on its own without partnering with a hydro plant.
SHAKESPEARE PAVILIONS
The Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan festival is planning to build two permanent pavilions and rent them out during the fall, winter and spring. The redevelopment of the site is anticipated to cost $3 million, but festival officials are not seeking any money from the city, only a longer lease. Construction is planned to start in the fall of 2018 and be complete by July 2019. Some improvements to nearby city amenities like bathrooms may be needed.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
The Children’s Discovery Museum is raising $15 million to renovate the former Mendel Art Gallery. The museum will lease the building from the city and is expected to open in early 2019. Council heard Wednesday that the museum wants $2 million more from the city over three years. In June, council approved spending $1.3 million to upgrade the building.
INDOOR POOL
YMCA executive director Dean Dodge expressed interest in pursuing a partnership with the city for a new recreation facility in the city’s growing northeast. The city’s recreation “game plan” identifies the need for a $25-million aquatics facility in the northeast in the next decade.