The smart location for Saskatoon’s new arena

Area behind police station best bet for traffic reasons, Ryan Fredrickson says.

As city council approaches a decision on the location of the new arena and convention centre in downtown Saskatoon, many are anticipating a decision that will reflect the city for another three or four decades.

People not involved in the venue’s events usually aren’t bothered by the traffic in the area, or the traffic headed toward the area. But if we are moving this arena downtown, let’s talk downtown.

While Saskatoon is in a position to relocate the arena and events centre to the downtown core, the city needs to remember that there continues to be a mentality of driving our vehicles, and the already dishevelled traffic in the downtown area will only get worse, especially with a Riversdale arena.

Let’s talk 30- to 40-year plan. The best location for an arena is undoubtedly the location we all know as the “city yards” — the pie-shaped area owned by the city behind the new police station on 25th Street East. The area is bordered by an abandoned set of railroad tracks to the east, a well-used, active set of railroad tracks to the west, and the new police headquarters to the south.

The arena would be placed near the lightly used Manitoba Avenue. Saskatoon traffic could even use the west side of the industrial business area, directing traffic to the Idylwyld corridor and the “Imagine Idylwyld” planning, all while expanding the reach of a new and safe mentality for the downtown district.

Why is this location significant? The direction of travel to and from this spot will offer the ability for facility traffic to be split between all four directions. This means that 18,000 or so people leaving an arena won’t be using the same one or two roads around the facility. Also, being so close to the police station offers a sense of security for entertainment district and event goers.

The futuristic planning of this location offers a couple of exciting notions.

First, the prospect of finally moving the rail lines outside of the city. I won’t burn into that topic, as the important part of that concept is where the potentially vacant rail lines lead.

On a map, take a look at the central industrial area, near the old Robin Hood plant, between Idylwyld and First Ave. Follow the rail lines out in each direction and imagine that as our public transportation route. We could mimic a C-train system, much like Calgary’s, by using and redeveloping the land currently held by railways.

We have rail service to the west, with the lines that cut across both Idylwyld and 22nd — we have all been stopped by the same train twice. The west can also be serviced by the tracks that depart downtown to the north before directing west parallel to Circle Drive and continue out to Montgomery.

Next, the rail services across the river, using the train bridge, would venture through the university land, servicing Sutherland and eventually the back edge of Briarwood and the new Meadows area.

Looking north, the service line could run up past Lawson Mall through the north industrial area and if planners got creative, could take the public service line out to Warman and Martensville. Planners who have the time and ability should be able to figure a way to service the south and southwest areas of the city, as the south train bridge is likely necessary for a rail relocation outside of Saskatoon.

This all seems like a tremendous undertaking, but forward and future thinking and planning will be the best hope to have this city evolve to one that can host seamless events and concerts for years to come; otherwise, I will resubmit this idea in 2049, with hopes of catching the attention of city council and city planners to move the next arena to a suitable location that has the potential to offer flow for both traffic and public transportation.

The direction of travel to and from this spot will offer the ability for facility traffic to be split between all four directions