Saskatoon Construction

[drm310]

The Traffic Bridge would be the ideal candidate to convert to pedestrian use. Because it's so narrow to drive over, it would be put to better use for pedestrians and cyclists. Imagine walking or cycling over a bridge without any fear of being hit by a car.

Even though traffic on the Buckwold Bridge will be reduced when the south bridge is completed, there will still be drivers who will take the Idylwyld freeway as a fast, direct route to downtown. Plus, if the Traffic Bridge was closed to vehicles, the Buckwold Bridge would pick up the slack.

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

I don't know man, that bridge is kind of a freeway. I enjoy your idea, but people drive around here....

There would likely be a better chance of them doing that to broadway bridge or the traffic bridge.

[kgc087]

I can see the victoria bridge becoming a pedestrian bridge. This one would make more sense then any other bridge since that is what it was originally built for, as well it is deteriorating so rapidly, by removing the constant pounding of vehicles it will help lengthen the life span of the bridge. It would be nice if they lined it with permanent planters and have been illumination. If the feature building is built this will be a nice walk to the restaurant if you park on the other side of the river. Saskatoon has a VERY long way to go before we start redeveloping expressway bridges into pedestrian and cyclist havens.

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by kgc087

I can see the victoria bridge becoming a pedestrian bridge. This one would make more sense then any other bridge since that is what it was originally built for, as well it is deteriorating so rapidly, by removing the constant pounding of vehicles it will help lengthen the life span of the bridge. It would be nice if they lined it with permanent planters and have been illumination. If the feature building is built this will be a nice walk to the restaurant if you park on the other side of the river. Saskatoon has a VERY long way to go before we start redeveloping expressway bridges into pedestrian and cyclist havens.

I think some of the ideas that make alot of sense are less on the bridge and more focused on making Idylwyld in the core near 22nd, more of an inviting street for people and the businesses around it.

As many have mentioned we don't have any kind of 'welcome' to our downtown, just the mess of Idylwyld and 22nd. There are a few interesting new businesses there (some sort of Sports Bar?) yet I would never even want to go near that area as it isn't a pleasant place to walk or even consider crossing the street with all the traffic, another reason I think that old extension of Midtown Plaze never took off.

If the new bridge does take off the big trucks and reduce the traffic, I think it would be great for our downtown to have Idylwyld looked at in a new way.

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by EarlyByrdProductions

I think some of the ideas that make alot of sense are less on the bridge and more focused on making Idylwyld in the core near 22nd, more of an inviting street for people and the businesses around it.

As many have mentioned we don't have any kind of 'welcome' to our downtown, just the mess of Idylwyld and 22nd. There are a few interesting new businesses there (some sort of Sports Bar?) yet I would never even want to go near that area as it isn't a pleasant place to walk or even consider crossing the street with all the traffic, another reason I think that old extension of Midtown Plaze never took off.

If the new bridge does take off the big trucks and reduce the traffic, I think it would be great for our downtown to have Idylwyld looked at in a new way.

Ok well then the idea makes sense in that regard. I think it would be interesting to make "gateways" into the downtown. So they could be developed at idylwyld and 20th, 22nd and 25th. They could be some sort of archway or monument or something with INCREDIBLE aesthetic appeal that draws people in. One thing I think the city REALLY REALLY REALLY needs to do to really create an entry point into the downtown would be to reduce the size of idylwyld and make it a green street. Similar to 25th, so really it's like creating a boulevard box around the downtown, this would really help define the area. As well all the open parking lots could be rezoned to be medium and high density retail/office/ residential areas. The reason it has no definition is b/c it's just acres of flat concrete. As well I still enjoy my idea of making 22nd and idylwyld a traffic circle with a large statue or fountain in the centre.

Sorry this is really just a mush of ideas compiled together, hopefully you can get an idea of what I'm saying.

[kgc087]

Dear Council,

With all of the hype regarding developing Saskatoon in a more sustainable manner I thought I would take the opportunity to express some of my own ideas and opinions which I feel could greatly shape the city to become one of, if not the most sustainable and well planned city in Canada! Saskatoon is in a very unique position because it is a small city with a relatively low building density. I have been reading a few books regarding the future development and redevelopment of a city to be more sustainable and people oriented rather then auto oriented. By doing this the cities public realm will be engaged and become aware of the vast and significantly more efficient world outside of the auto.

I will briefly elaborate on some ideas that I feel would help propel the city towards an extreme level of positive urban development. The first would be to create a pedestrian roadway from The Midtown Plaza to The Bessborough. This could be similar to Calgary’s Stephen Avenue. The street could be narrowed to only accommodate parallel parking during the evening with one lane of traffic going in each direction. This would allow the sidewalk to be widened to accommodate a second row of trees as well as permanent raised concrete planters. Fountains could be constructed in the middle of each intersection to really engage the public and encourage pedestrians. Restaurants, boutique shopping and night clubs could be encouraged to open here to really engage the people.

To further increase the potential of pedestrians as well as density in the downtown core an innovative approach should be taken. The book “Ecocities” by Richard Register suggests creating a pedestrian environment on all levels of the city, not just the main road level. Since Saskatoon has low level buildings we have the opportunity to really create a 3-dimensional pedestrian city. The downtown could be developed in such a way to allow boutique shopping, restaurants and residential areas to be built on top of existing heritage buildings and office buildings. People would access these spaces from stairways and elevators. This would create massive potential to have park like areas on the rooftops where the store fronts would be. Skywalks linking buildings over alleys could be built to ensure easy accessibility.

This approach, rather then a canopy of skyscrapers, would engage all aspects of the public realm and really encourage its presence within the downtown at all times of the day. This would become a family spot, a unique hang out during the evening and a bustling spot teaming with nightlife. As well this will dramatically increase the density of the area without being invasive or uncomfortable to people. By creating rooftop gardens and forests on these terraced areas, Saskatoon will take on a uniquely green image which would be matched by no other city in North America. This proposes a unique tourism possibility. Saskatoon could potentially develop a major eco-tourism possibility just by creating urban forests. If the white water rapids are approved, activities not normally found on the prairies will be made accessible to many people, thus, furthering our tourism potential.

Lastly, by developing a strong urban core such as the one I have proposed, the downtown will need defining marks. 25th street properly defines the north boundary of downtown; unfortunately Idylwyld Drive poorly marks the transition from residential to downtown on the west side of downtown. By narrowing Idylwlyd Drive to two lanes in each direction and building a raised boulevard median, similar to that of 25th streets, Idylwyld will then properly define the downtown area. Essentially a boulevard box will surround the downtown area. Statues and/or fountains could be placed in the center of intersections or on bulbed street corners to help define entry points. Bike lanes could also be established down Idylwyld to encourage alternative transportation and pedestrians.

I have presented these ideas to many different people, as well as a public forum concerning Saskatoon’s construction development, and have had nothing but positive feedback for these ideas. Saskatoon is ready for a radical change centered on the public realm, pedestrians, cyclists and aesthetics. By creating vertical green spaces on building roofs and a 3-dimensional network of retail/office/residential space Saskatoon will truly be utilizing its downtown to its maximum potential and be recognized as one of the worlds most forward and visionary cities.

Best regards,
_______________________________________
I have not sent it yet, I would like some feedback on it before I do, let me know!

[kgc087]

For Immediate Release: September 10, 2009

CY09-307

THIRD AVENUE STREETSCAPE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BEGINS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14


The City of Saskatoon will begin construction on phase one of the Third Avenue streetscape project on Monday, September 14. Phase one will include the area from just north of the 21st Street intersection to just north of the 22nd Street intersection, and is intended to not only beautify the area but improve traffic flow. Construction on this phase is expected to continue to the end of November. The remaining three phases will be built over the next three years with approximately one block built per year.
During construction, one lane of traffic should be available in each direction, although there may be short periods of time where the entire street may have to be barricaded to accommodate site work. Motorists and cyclists are requested to reduce speed and drive cautiously through the construction zone. Pedestrians are also requested to observe the construction barricades and signage, and should note that the sidewalk on the west side of the street will have limited access on September 15, 16, and 17. The sidewalk on the east side of the street will be reopened to pedestrians, however, the area in front of the new office building currently under construction will require pedestrians to walk on the roadway in a fenced area.

The southbound transit stop located at the 22nd Street intersection will be closed during construction and passengers are asked to use the bus stop located one block further south or north.

The basic elements of the entire Third Avenue streetscape project include:
• installation of a landscaped centre median with left turn bays;
• installation of corner bulbs and extended corner bulbs at bus stops;
• beautification of the sidewalks including trees and new streetscape furniture such as benches, garbage bins, poster and directory columns, bike rack and tree guard/bike racks, and possible bus shelters;
• installation of new pedestrian lighting on the sidewalk, and street lighting on the centre median;
• removal of most overhead electrical wires;
• reduction of three lanes of traffic in each direction to two lanes. The current curb lane will become a bus priority lane shared with bicycle traffic and right turning vehicles only;
• parallel parking will be maintained; and
• an upgrade to traffic lights.

retrieved from http://www.saskatoon.ca/org/news_releases/detail.asp?id=3376

[TheCricket]

Does anyone happen to know what "project" is going on in front of Mano's on 8th? It seems to have some connection to the restaurant but not sure? Could it be an offsale? Anyone have any leads?

[Kruzat]

It's a two floor retail space building, owned by manos.

Also, very exited about the stree scape!

[gowest]

We took a walk along the newly opened portion of the walkway at River Landing today. When the landscaping is all finished, it will be a great addition to the river trail system. You get a new view of the river in both directions. Great.

[kiwi4life]

kgc087, mate that was one a the best articles or proposals from a citizen ive ever read, thats really good, man u should be a p[lanner, i really like your ideas. I just really hope the city pays attention to that and starts to take some thinking into this enviromentally friendly stuff etc. bc this world has the potential, and also cities r becoming very polluted, creating things like this would really help us level that down, And pollution is also creating health problems among our people. we dont need that. By the way good proposal, keep putting that pressure on the city and we should see something.

[kgc087]

Thanks kiwi, I think ideas like this really reconnect people with nature and help to create a safe environment through innovative urban design. I would love to see the city break out of the generic planning that every city succumbs to in North America but I have a feeling it wont happen unless there is a strong public demand for it, that is where engaging the public realm becomes important. By showing people that they do not need vehicles to be mobile they will understand that density integrated with green design becomes a very liveable idea which has many more benefits then the typical grid of roadways filled with cars spewing toxins into our atmosphere.

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Thanks kiwi, I think ideas like this really reconnect people with nature and help to create a safe environment through innovative urban design. I would love to see the city break out of the generic planning that every city succumbs to in North America but I have a feeling it wont happen unless there is a strong public demand for it, that is where engaging the public realm becomes important. By showing people that they do not need vehicles to be mobile they will understand that density integrated with green design becomes a very liveable idea which has many more benefits then the typical grid of roadways filled with cars spewing toxins into our atmosphere.

...where do i sign?

[kgc087]

Well I have suggested several times that we should have a forum collaberated letter that we mail to council, or we organize to have each of us send a letter regarding positive urban development at the same time so the city is "flooded" with these ideas and maybe will recognize the public demand for it. If anyone is interested let me know and maybe we can work something out.

[neoen]

Originally Posted by drto

Can someone in Saskatoon take some pics of the CUC expansion and post them?

That would be great!

ill be there on friday for the blades game so ill try get some shots for you. Last time I was there was for the Red/White game and I was very impressed. Sound system (from where i was sitting) sounded miles better, and best feature in my mind is the new upgraded seating from about row 6 up to the concourse along both sides of the arena. Nice new padded seats make me want to attend more events there in the near future

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Well I have suggested several times that we should have a forum collaberated letter that we mail to council, or we organize to have each of us send a letter regarding positive urban development at the same time so the city is "flooded" with these ideas and maybe will recognize the public demand for it. If anyone is interested let me know and maybe we can work something out.

You have articulated your ideas very well, and I commend you for it.

I can't contribute anything meaningful for a few reasons: I'm feeling a bit apathetic at the moment; burying myself with readings and assignments, both related and unrelated to urban planning; and I work weekends ( ).

Please keep up the good fight kgc087

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

You have articulated your ideas very well, and I commend you for it.

I can't contribute anything meaningful for a few reasons: I'm feeling a bit apathetic at the moment; burying myself with readings and assignments, both related and unrelated to urban planning; and I work weekends ( ).

Please keep up the good fight kgc087

Unfortunatley everythign I do is also not related to urban planning, its probably one of the furthest things from it. Well MAYBE we should have a SSP coffee time and pool ideas!

[ninipanini]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Unfortunatley everythign I do is also not related to urban planning, its probably one of the furthest things from it. Well MAYBE we should have a SSP coffee time and pool ideas!

That is a fantastic idea! What we need is a "development salon" to get some ideas flowing... I'll be out of town for a while but keep me in the loop!!!

[kgc087]

Well since I suggested it I feel I should be the one to organize it, so what are peoples schedules like? Sunday evenings seem to work pretty good for me, and really what feels better then a nice warm beverage along broadway on a sunday evening!? We could even just make it a one time meet to discuss and document input which we can further organize into a formal document and then submit to council. I think with constant input as well as public input they will start to get the hint that people want to see something happen.

[kgc087]

Council Approves Locks on the Weir PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 15 September 2009

Image

The city has approved the idea of locking up the weir parking lot.

There isn't enough money in the budget to do it this year, but installing lockable gates for a few month trial period will be discussed in next year's budget.

Late night parties have been disturbing the nearby residents for a number of years. City councillor Darren Hill says they tried increasing the police presence, but the problem wasn't solved.

If the trial works, then lockable gates will stay for good.

http://www.saskatoonhomepage.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20657&Itemid=421
_______________________________________________
I really think this is a pointless idea, if people want to party they will just walk along the river and come up the back end. Why are our councilors lacking so much vision?! Why not create a larger public space like say a small community center of sorts on the other side of the bridge which could create a stronger public presence in the neighbourhood, as well create parking meters which require payment 24hrs a day SO then there will be constant surveillance, even if it is through a computer system or something along those lines.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Council Approves Locks on the Weir PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 15 September 2009

Image

The city has approved the idea of locking up the weir parking lot.

There isn't enough money in the budget to do it this year, but installing lockable gates for a few month trial period will be discussed in next year's budget.

Late night parties have been disturbing the nearby residents for a number of years. City councillor Darren Hill says they tried increasing the police presence, but the problem wasn't solved.

If the trial works, then lockable gates will stay for good.

http://www.saskatoonhomepage.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20657&Itemid=421
_______________________________________________
I really think this is a pointless idea, if people want to party they will just walk along the river and come up the back end. Why are our councilors lacking so much vision?! Why not create a larger public space like say a small community center of sorts on the other side of the bridge which could create a stronger public presence in the neighbourhood, as well create parking meters which require payment 24hrs a day SO then there will be constant surveillance, even if it is through a computer system or something along those lines.

I agree that this is totally pointless. I suppose having to walk, let alone just parking across the street, will deter people from partying there. I mean, putting gates at entrances to parks stops kids from partying in those right?