Railway reluctant to leave downtown
City wants CP, CN to relocate operations as part of 25th St. plan
By David Hutton, The StarPhoenixMarch 18, 2009 9:01 AMBe the first to post a comment
With plans for the 25th Street extension now approved, the major question turns to if or when the railways will abandon some of their downtown lines for new routes on the periphery of the city.
But Canadian Pacific Railway dug in its heels Tuesday, saying it has no plans to leave downtown. Doing so would significantly disrupt its business in the city, a spokesperson said.
"We have no desire or intention to relocate," Breanne Feigel said in an interview.
The city is stuck in a position where it is planning the 25th Street extension -- and the redevelopment of the surrounding area -- across two sets of tracks while also planning long term for the departure of trains from downtown or, at least, for the CPR and Canadian National Railway to move rail-car switching out of the area.
Switching of rail cars poses one of the biggest impediments to redeveloping the city yards along the 25th Street extension -- downtown's next big development opportunity after River Landing.
Extending 25th is expected to spur development in the warehouse district with the new $91-million police station already planned for the largest piece of land. The new road will give downtown a northern boundary, ease traffic flow and create a direct route through downtown from Highway 5.
The hope is the rail companies come to an agreement to move the car-switching out of the city's core. That would remove the need for CN's short spur line west of First Avenue, where it parks rail cars until they're switched, and would mean the company would have no need to come into the centre of the city, said Angela Gardiner, manager of the city's transportation branch.
The two options being explored are moving the switching operations to CN's Chappell Yards south of Montgomery Place or a new facility southeast of the city off Highway 16, Gardiner said.
"Ultimately, our preference would be for the railways to be out of downtown by the time the 25th Street extension is complete in 2010," Gardiner said. "It's still possible and we're continuing discussions."
The approved alignment of 25th Street, with a three-way intersection at Idylwyld Drive at the CPR crossing, was approved Monday, but city administration has been asked to consult with businesses and community groups, several of whom lambasted the plans.
The alignment will see 25th Street continue from where it ends at First Avenue, cross the single set of CN tracks, wind through the city yards and end at Idylwyld.
The main deterrent for CP Rail leaving downtown or moving its switching operations is the effect on its operations. The company runs three trains through the downtown every day and serves six businesses west of Idylwyld, Feigel said.
It's also an expensive and complicated process that must involve major cost-sharing from all levels of government, she said.
"It's not as simple as it sounds to pick up rail infrastructure and move it out of the city," she said. "It's there for a reason."
A CN spokesperson would not comment on negotiations with the city except to say CN is considering the 25th Street alignment. The spokesperson would not discuss the logistical challenges of finding a new site with CPR to switch cars.
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© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix
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Saskatoon: The world's ninth-most dangerous city?
Comparing Saskatoon to cities with ethnic cleansing "sheer lunacy," police chief says
TheStarPhoenix.comMarch 17, 2009Be the first to post a comment
StoryPhotos ( 1 )
According to Maclean's magazine, Saskatoon is the most dangerous city in CanadaPhotograph by: Richard Marjan, The StarPhoenixSASKATOON — Apparently, Saskatoon’s two homicides last year make Saskatoon too scary for one news website.
The website RealClearWorld.com has named Saskatoon the ninth-most dangerous city in the world, according to a feature posted Sunday.
The list is intended to highlight troubled places beyond headline-dominating violent hotspots, such as Baghdad and Kandahar, the editors explain.
Other cities with the dubious distinction include Johannesburg in seventh place, Detroit in fifth place and the Somalian capital Mogadishu at the top of the list.
The website explains Saskatoon earned its place on the list after Maclean’s magazine ranked the bridge city as the most dangerous in Canada. That analysis, based on per-capita crime statistics from 2007, found Saskatoon had the highest rate of aggravated assault and robbery in the country, and was fourth in homicides and sex assaults. Saskatoon’s mayor and police dismissed the report as misleading and out of date.
“The tourism industry of Saskatchewan (if there is such a thing) probably isn’t too pleased with Maclean’s,” RealClearWorld.com writes in its page on Saskatoon. The short blurb is accompanied by a YouTube video of footage from a vehicle driving through downtown Saskatoon, with the 1960s Petula Clark song “Downtown” playing in the background.
Saskatoon Police Chief Clive Weighill says putting Saskatoon on a list with cities that need military intervention to stop ethnic cleansing is “ridiculous.”
“To even remotely compare Saskatoon to that is sheer lunacy,” he said.’
He points out Saskatoon had just two murders in 2008, and that a recent civic survey found only 18 per cent of residents said policing and crime was the most pressing issue.
Even compared to other Canadian cities, Saskatoon fares well, Weighill said. B.C.’s Lower Mainland has seen 15 homicides and 36 shootings in the last 1 1/2 months alone, he said. Calgary and Edmonton, meanwhile, have each asked for more than 200 police officers to help curb gang violence.
RealClearWorld.com describes itself as a “catch-all” source for global news, commentary and more. There is no information posted about where the site is based.
The world’s top ten most dangerous cities list:
10. London, UK
9. Saskatoon
8. Norilsk, Russia (in Siberia)
7. Johannesburg, South Africa
6. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
5. Detroit, USA
4. Caracas, Venezuela
3. Linfen, China
2. Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
1. Mogadishu, Somalia
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix
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I really hope the rails and the city come to some sort of agreement to ultimatley shift their cart exchanges etc elsewhere. I still think there is some charm though in having to wait for a train to cross, but only when it is one smooth go and no carts must be changed.
I find this absolutley RIDICULOUS that Saskatoon would be named the ninth most dangerous city in the world!
Has the world forgot about the ghettos of central america, or what about the organized crime of eastern europe and asia. For some reason this is so rediculous it just can't be taken seriously anymore.
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Stupid!
This is just so stupid!! 
No one in their right mind would publish such crap. 
Total bull!! I'm sure people that have been to Saskatoon would agree it is not a danderous city.
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