Saskatoon Speaks Back

blueboots · #1 Posted **Sep 12, 2010, 3:38 AM**

I am a University Student at the UofS. I am currently taking Human Geography. Over the last year I have read a lot of posts in other threads and always wanted to start my own. Here is my chance. I now feel like I have something to say. Last week Saskatoon kicked off a program called Saskatoon Speak - Speak Up. I want people to join this thread suggesting new ideas to better Saskatoon. At the end of September I will take all of the suggested ideas to the Saskatoon Speaks conference and make sure our voices get heard.
If you love this City as much as I do, lets start talking about how to make it better.
The City wants feedback on 7 topics:
1)Recreation & Culture,
2)Shaping Growth,
3)The Environment,
4)The City Centre,
5)The Economy,
6)Moving Around, and
7)Social Well-Being

I'll kick today's post off with: Moving Around:
On the first day of school I notice that transit is making baby steps in correcting some transit problems the city has. They introduced the go-pass this year and they changed some bus routes. I think there needs to be more thought put into pleasing the customer. What I mean by that is we need more people to take public transit and in order to do this I would like to see GPS transit tracking iphone apps and heated bus shelters. We live in SK and every major bus stop should have a shelter so it is enjoyable to take the bus in Feb. Lastly, I think there are too many transit stops in total. This slows down the commute time. I think people can walk further distances then currently allowed.

This is just the start. I have a lot more to come. I will try to post one a day or two a day. I would also like to hear from others.

Echoes · #2 Posted **Sep 12, 2010, 9:21 AM**

Nice work, blueboots. The two topics I'm most interested in are Moving Around and the City Centre. I'll be involved in those 2 discussions for sure. I don't have much else to add for now, but I hope this thread will become an exciting discussion that reflects the exciting initiative that's happening in our city this fall.

swilley · #3 Posted **Sep 12, 2010, 3:07 PM**

For the love of God get rid of the downtown bus terminal. It is unsightly and not necessary.

blueboots · #4 Posted **Sep 12, 2010, 6:17 PM**

If the City wanted to shape growth, I think they should lead by example. On the Saskatoon Speaks homepage people are tweeting about Saskatoon has sprawl and the Major in the newspaper takes about higher density. Come on City of Saskatoon... if this is true... do it. We don't have sprawl, we have a political power-house running a development company. What I mean is that the City is the one that is building new neighbourhoods outside the city, I am told the City has enough land around Saskatoon that we could grow outward for 4 miles in all directions. Don, this to me doesn't sound like we are looking at growing the downtown and building up. Could there be a day were the City's development group only bought land within the 2010 city limits and slowly sold off lands outside the city to smaller builders. To me this would show that City Council is serious about cleaning up the city and rebuilding on some of those vacant lots i.e. along 22nd Street and the one at the top of the University Bridge.

blueboots · #5 Posted **Sep 12, 2010, 6:33 PM**

Thanks for the comment swilley:
I agree, there is no need for a bus terminal downtown. This just gives people a reason and place to hang-out. I remember the City released a plan a year ago when they finished the design of the bus terminal. Lets just say I and so many others on this site were so happy that design never got built. The future of the Downtown will be a great discussion at the conference. The words "city centre" are interesting because today I would say the city centre is around the bus terminal but in the future I have a feeling the best place for the city centre is the big open parking lot of the Midtown Plaza. This site has more value than River Landing. The post office moved west, the police station is soon to be moving west and please lets build a architectural / award winning new City Hall on the Midtown Parking lot. This would not only make the Mayor's vision for city yards amazing but it would also help clean up Ave B and Ave C around the downtown.

blueboots · #6 Posted **Sep 18, 2010, 12:56 AM**

Looks like I might be the only one going to this Saskatoon Speaks event.
Not much interest so far.

I personally think overall Saskatoon puts a lot of money into parks and recreation facilities in our City. Look at the world class swimming pool that was just built. If you haven't seen it, go check it out. However, I would like to see Saskatoon's river valley used for more things.

The skate oval next to the Bez is sad compared to other winter rinks I have seen in other cities. I think the City is building a new skate shed but the rink is still going to suck. Instead of a rink I would like to see a rink trail from the University Bridge to River Landing. Now that would be cool and an additional mode of transportation. Moving into the summer, what if the City turned the dog park north of circle into a urban beach. I think this place would be packed in the summer, great parking lot, easy to access by walking and biking and away from neighbourhoods so no one can complain about the noise. So many people leave the city to lakes that have worse water quality than the South SK so if you designed it properly with rocks all the way around, I think we could make a one of the kind SK build urban beach.

blueboots · #7 Posted **Sep 18, 2010, 1:12 AM**

I see posters about the new Saskatoon Recycling program all around the city. I think it is great we are finally doing something BUT...

I would like to make two points:
a) Saskatoon should not be proud of getting a recycling program. This is not new, so many other cities have done this, Saskatoon is no where close to being a leader.
b) Has everyone forgotten about the recycling symbol was made up of three arrows and the last thing to do (last arrow) is recycling. You do not save the environment by recycling, what you do is create jobs for your community. You save the the environment by doing all three arrows, reduce, reuse, and then if you can do anything else ... recycle.

After saying all that, if I had to choose a option, I would choose for the city to pickup my recycling and sort it as soon as they pick it up. Right now I drop off paper at those Cosmo bins and most times it looks like a Loraas garbage bin. Half of the paper in the bin is wet, mixed with other items.... they must just go straight to the land-fill with the bin so all my work of saving the environment did nothing.

blueboots · #8 Posted **Sep 19, 2010, 9:16 PM**

I am going to try to talk about both of these topics as one.
In general I hear and think Saskatoon is doing well. We are doing well in the economy, we are leading the nation in job growth and when people talk, people like living in Saskatoon. This has changed. The running joke was, "tell the last person in SK to turn off the lights, we are all moving to Alberta". I don't think this is the case anymore. Sure Alberta may have more places to shop, the mountains, and a night life but Saskatchewan is home ... everywhere else is a great place to visit.

I hope those that speak to these two topics talk about how great our Economy is doing but we are removing the middle class. Soon in Saskatoon, you will see people with 20,000 to 30,000 incomes and those making 80 - 90,000. And don't forget the University students, as tuition goes up, so does our debt. I hope Saskatoon grows larger but I hope Saskatoon doesn't leave behind half of the people that made this city great.

Ruckus · #9 Posted **Oct 2, 2010, 12:55 AM**

I attended today's session and I am very glad I did. I was truly inspired with the vision my fellow citizens have for Saskatoon!

It may take a decade or two to realize the vision conveyed through the Saskatoon Speaks initiative, but with bold political leadership it will happen and that makes me optimistic for the future.

If you couldn't make it out today, please attend tomorrow. You will not regret it!

prairieguy · #10 Posted **Oct 27, 2010, 4:01 PM**

Although I did not attend the public forums, I have completed the on line surveys on the city of Saskatoon website. I would encourage all posters to this board and the general saskatoon board to do this, as well. If you don't offer any opinions, it is pretty hypocritical to then complain after the fact.