NEW ARENA FOR THE CITY
Community leaders weigh in
Consultants contracted by the City of Saskatoon produced a report in March that recommended a replacement for aging Sasktel Centre be built downtown at a cost of up to $177.9 million. The consultants identified “several locations” for further consideration, but kept the details confidential. The Starphoenix approached several community leaders to seek their opinion on where a new arena should be built. We asked them to submit a short essay on where they would locate a new arena and why, not whether a new arena should be built. Alan Wallace, planning consultant, V3 Companies of Canada Ltd., former City of Saskatoon director of planning and development
Unlike 1987, thankfully Saskatoon has more time and options to consider for locating a new arena. From the outset of discussion, my No. 1 preference has been downtown. Cities throughout North America have been successfully revitalizing downtowns by locating major city-wide and regional facilities in their downtowns since the late 1990s.
My No. 1 Saskatoon downtown location is the Midtown Plaza parking lot on 22nd Street. This site has the greatest potential for positive spinoff effects over anywhere else. Arena districts can form and have a better chance of success if there is a critical mass of retail, restaurants, entertainment and public facilities nearby.
The Midtown Plaza, Warehouse District, existing hotels and TCU Place Convention Centre will all benefit from a major attraction at this location. This site has all of these elements within walking distance. The site will also be served directly by the Red Line of the proposed new bus rapid transit service on 22nd Street.
For those who choose to drive, there are multiple ways to enter and exit this area, with ample parking on nearby existing surface lots, which may be converted to structured parkades, reducing the need for surface lots.
Susan Lamb, former Meewasin Valley Authority CEO (1997-2012) and former Tourism Saskatoon CEO
Assuming there will be a new arena, we need a set of principles to evaluate potential locations. Those principles should include the following:
1.) Multipurpose as an anchor for private sector commercial, retail and residential development as well as for entertainment and conferences.
2.) Integrated with pedestrianfriendly mass transportation, as well as the hospitality industry especially hotels and restaurants.
3.) Economically feasible including capital, operating costs and return on investment.
4.) Respectful of other needs in the community as to priorities and timing.
In my view, options appear to be the current location, university agricultural property or central downtown. The current location meets few of the above criteria with a facility in the middle of expansive parking on the outskirts.
The University of Saskatchewan agricultural lands are a non-starter. The university has recently completed a master plan and land use framework that values their core agricultural land as key to research.
A central downtown location option seems to best reflect the principles.
The best of downtown options is north of TCU Place so organizers could integrate the two facilities. Hotels and restaurants are plentiful as is public transportation. A number of nearby empty buildings are poorly used property and could be part of a new plan.
Pat Lorje, longtime city councillor and Saskatoon MLA
In the mid-1980s, I campaigned for a downtown location because it would have provided much-needed economic stimulation for the downtown, Riversdale and Caswell areas.
I felt at the time (and still have the same opinion) that the city yards site (north of 25th Street in the Central Industrial area) would be the best location for an arena. Traffic could be accommodated from all four directions, and with the Midtown Plaza parking lot nearby, there would have been plenty of parking for those who choose not to use transit to get to the arena.
Unfortunately, the result of the public votes on this question (in the 1980s) meant that the city located its arena on the road to North Battleford. This was a huge mistake that I hope will not be repeated if the city decides to build a new arena/entertainment complex.
Les Lazaruk, Saskatoon Blades broadcaster
Thanks to recent developments, the question of where a new arena for Saskatoon should be located has been answered almost by default.
The quick answer is the parking lot between 22nd Street East and 23rd Street East and between Pacific Avenue and 1st Avenue North.
My preferred location would’ve been the present site of the Toys “R” Us building and parking lot. However, with the recent news that Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. — the new owners of Toys “R” Us — believes it has the ability to make the business viable again, that would seem to indicate that the property between 20th Street East and 19th Street East and between Idylwyld Drive and First Avenue South won’t be available for development of an arena.
Other locations, such as the City of Saskatoon yards north of 25th Street and west of First Avenue North or somewhere in River Landing have already been developed or plans are in the works for some project other than an arena.
One thing that should not be up for debate is that a new arena absolutely has to be built downtown. The existing infrastructure needs to be in place, yet be malleable to allow for easy transit and vehicular access. A new project such as this invigorates a city’s downtown.
Henry Dayday, former Saskatoon mayor (1988-2000) and alderman (1976-1988)
When a new arena is to be built in Saskatoon, before a location is selected, there would have to be a plan. The plan would have to include several factors before a final decision can be made. A new arena needs a budget for capital and operating costs.
Location will influence the cost of land, which is a major cost. Parking is a major factor and will also affect the cost.
Since we do not have rapid transit or designated bus lanes, transportation is a major factor.
All these factors need planning and will aid in determining the final cost.
If the business community were to fund the total capital and operating cost, it would have a plan of its own.
If the taxpayer is asked to pay any portion of the capital or operating cost, then a plebiscite needs to be held to determine if they want their tax dollars to be spent on replacing our 30-year-old arena, which was paid for in 10 years.