Saskatoon Construction

[RTD]

Originally Posted by dsim249

I don't see that anywhere on their website.

http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/google/stores/store_locator.aspx

Zoom in and out using this map over Calgary and Toronto, and you'll see that they have stores already in operation.

[macca]

Originally Posted by circle33

Just thinking out loud here...Lobsinger owns the former Legion land outright. I wonder if he has a plan B for that lot if council ends up rejecting RLV.

[Ruckus]

I'd like to see something like this...

[drm310]

Surprising Saskatoon
Community involvement soars in the prairie city

by Claire Ward
Thursday, May 20, 2010 5:00am

The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie may have been on to something when he famously referred to Saskatoon as the “Paris of the Prairies.” In 2010, Saskatoon emerged as a leading centre of culture and learning, ranking second overall in the Canadian Council on Learning’s Composite Learning Index, beating Ottawa and Calgary, and finishing well ahead of Toronto. Behind that ranking are some surprising revelations about Saskatoon, which topped the list as the most socially engaged, and is one of the most literate cities in Canada.

That Saskatoon scored well above the national average in volunteering and participation in clubs doesn’t surprise its mayor, Donald Atchison. “We just had the World Juniors here, and all the volunteers paid $50 to volunteer,” he says. “They stood outside in -43° C, directing traffic for the games. If you can imagine, people were paying to do the [players’] laundry. It shows a level of commitment.” That army of volunteers, which numbered about 2,400, helped generate $86 million for the local economy.

But, for the mayor, sports and culture go hand in hand. The Prairie city, where folk songstress Joni Mitchell spent her childhood, also scored well above average in exposure to the performing arts. Atchison chalks it up to the continued success of the arts community, highlighting the Persephone Theatre as being a particular success. The local company just closed its most successful season to date.

And while Saskatonians enjoy going out, they love staying in and logging on as well: Saskatoon was one of the most wired cities—95.4 per cent have access to the Internet.

Source

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by milanboy

I might be wrong but isn't this how Ideas Inc is supposed to work? A business starts up there using the organization and space as an incubator for their business idea. When they are ready to go out on their own because they are successful they leave the incubator nest and move out into the business world.

Yes. Three year tenure.
The same program that brought Cava Wines to Saskatoon.
Ideas Inc is a perfect initiative for reclaiming the West of Downtown.
And great to hear of all the extra full time tenants moving into the Farmers Market there as well.
As for the Eco Village, I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

[drm310]

Costs rise for 25th Street plan
Downtown street extension now has $17-million price tag

By David Hutton, The StarPhoenix
May 21, 2010 10:56 AM

The cost of thelong-delayed expansion of 25th Street from First Avenue to Idylwyld Drive has ballooned to $17 million, but work is expected to get underway this summer and be completed by the end of 2012 on one of Saskatoon's most discussed infrastructure projects.

The new roadway plans, which will go to city council Monday for approval, will be deja vu for councillors who approved an almost identical set of schematics, at less cost, last year.

But city transportation officials spent the last year doing more detailed analysis and getting a firm commitment from the rail companies on moving switching operations out of the downtown, said Angela Gardiner, manager of the city's transportation branch.

"It is such a complex intersection," said Gardiner. "We wanted to make sure we had everything right."

There are few changes from what was approved by council last year. The new 25th Street extension connects with Idylwyld at the existing railway crossing south of 25th Street West, where a three-way intersection will be created. All other plans, including meeting up directly with 25th Street West to create a four-way intersection, posed safety concerns for the rail companies, Gardiner said.

Council is being asked to approve around $5 million in new costs and bump ahead $3 million in funding that was to be allocated in future years. The extra costs are for acquiring land, including at least $1 million paid to the Saskatoon Health Region, which will lose a portion of its parking lot at its Idylwyld offices, and $2.6 million to install a high-tech system to control traffic and trains.

If approved, Canadian National Railway (CN) will no longer come through the city's downtown as the existing short spur line west of First Avenue, where trains are parked until they're switched, will no longer be used. The rail crossing at 33rd Street and Third Avenue would no longer see trains crossing, Gardiner said.

CP Rail will continue to bring trains through the downtown, but switching operations would be shifted to CN's Chappell Yards south of Montgomery Place, a change funded as part of the Circle Drive South project.

The dead end of 25th Street East at First Avenue has long been a commuter headache, forcing drivers to cut back through the downtown to use Idylwyld. The north downtown area, which includes the 24 acres of city yards land reserved for snowplows and graders, has been slated for redevelopment into an arts district and the future home of the $91-million police headquarters.

The city yards will see little effect from the roadway plans, but moving the yards out of the north downtown to make way for redevelopment remains a priority, Gardiner said.

Last year, plans for the alignment of the intersection of 25th Street and Idylwyld drive drew ire from business owners concerned access would be cut off.

Jeff Krivoshen, director of operations for PR Hotels Ltd., said he is still not entirely satisfied with the plan, but the company's initial concerns about access to the Holiday Inn Express have been dampened.

The city will install a U-turn lane on Idylwyld so drivers going northbound don't have to cut through the Caswell Hill neighbourhood to get to the hotel.

"I'm a firm believer that if you call one street 25th Street and another 25th Street, that they should join up," Krivoshen said.

"They've alleviated some concerns, but we're still expecting further consultation and dialogue on the matter."

The next steps, following council approval, would be to move forward with detailed design, seek regulatory approval and assess the impact of traffic flow in Caswell Hill and surrounding neighbourhoods, Gardiner said. This summer would see underground utility work started before road construction begins next year alongside the groundbreaking of the new police station, which is planned to open in 2013.

[email protected]
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

Source

[Morogolus]

Saskatoon is apparently the 2nd smartest city in Canada

http://www.cli-ica.ca/en.aspx

It doesn't feel like the 2nd smartest city when I read the comments on SPs website but whatever lol.

We're apparently also the most cultured city.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/yahoocanada/1...kes_crown_as_canada_s_most_cultural_city

and the most wired with 95.4% having access to the internet.

I don't know, you think Vancouver would have won that one. Cultured isn't a word I hear to describe Saskatoon very often.
I guess it's better then highest crime rate or coldest city in Canada.

[shmakim]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

Cultured isn't a word I hear to describe Saskatoon very often.

I tell ya, it's all those sushi restaurants popping up.

<ducks>

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by drm310

Costs rise for 25th Street plan
Downtown street extension now has $17-million price tag

By David Hutton, The StarPhoenix
May 21, 2010 10:56 AM

The cost of thelong-delayed expansion of 25th Street from First Avenue to Idylwyld Drive has ballooned to $17 million, but work is expected to get underway this summer and be completed by the end of 2012 on one of Saskatoon's most discussed infrastructure projects.

The new roadway plans, which will go to city council Monday for approval, will be deja vu for councillors who approved an almost identical set of schematics, at less cost, last year.

But city transportation officials spent the last year doing more detailed analysis and getting a firm commitment from the rail companies on moving switching operations out of the downtown, said Angela Gardiner, manager of the city's transportation branch.

"It is such a complex intersection," said Gardiner. "We wanted to make sure we had everything right."

There are few changes from what was approved by council last year. The new 25th Street extension connects with Idylwyld at the existing railway crossing south of 25th Street West, where a three-way intersection will be created. All other plans, including meeting up directly with 25th Street West to create a four-way intersection, posed safety concerns for the rail companies, Gardiner said.

Council is being asked to approve around $5 million in new costs and bump ahead $3 million in funding that was to be allocated in future years. The extra costs are for acquiring land, including at least $1 million paid to the Saskatoon Health Region, which will lose a portion of its parking lot at its Idylwyld offices, and $2.6 million to install a high-tech system to control traffic and trains.

If approved, Canadian National Railway (CN) will no longer come through the city's downtown as the existing short spur line west of First Avenue, where trains are parked until they're switched, will no longer be used. The rail crossing at 33rd Street and Third Avenue would no longer see trains crossing, Gardiner said.

CP Rail will continue to bring trains through the downtown, but switching operations would be shifted to CN's Chappell Yards south of Montgomery Place, a change funded as part of the Circle Drive South project.

The dead end of 25th Street East at First Avenue has long been a commuter headache, forcing drivers to cut back through the downtown to use Idylwyld. The north downtown area, which includes the 24 acres of city yards land reserved for snowplows and graders, has been slated for redevelopment into an arts district and the future home of the $91-million police headquarters.

The city yards will see little effect from the roadway plans, but moving the yards out of the north downtown to make way for redevelopment remains a priority, Gardiner said.

Last year, plans for the alignment of the intersection of 25th Street and Idylwyld drive drew ire from business owners concerned access would be cut off.

Jeff Krivoshen, director of operations for PR Hotels Ltd., said he is still not entirely satisfied with the plan, but the company's initial concerns about access to the Holiday Inn Express have been dampened.

The city will install a U-turn lane on Idylwyld so drivers going northbound don't have to cut through the Caswell Hill neighbourhood to get to the hotel.

"I'm a firm believer that if you call one street 25th Street and another 25th Street, that they should join up," Krivoshen said.

"They've alleviated some concerns, but we're still expecting further consultation and dialogue on the matter."

The next steps, following council approval, would be to move forward with detailed design, seek regulatory approval and assess the impact of traffic flow in Caswell Hill and surrounding neighbourhoods, Gardiner said. This summer would see underground utility work started before road construction begins next year alongside the groundbreaking of the new police station, which is planned to open in 2013.

[email protected]
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

Source

This seems strange. What is the point of making 25th St. unavailable to people going Southbound on Idylwyld? To end up South of the existing crossing it will have to take a pretty big winding path through the current wasteland to get there and it will almost end up at 24th St. Weird stuff. Friggin' CN

[kgc087]

The turning lane could be confusing at first but is necessary in the long run I think. Idylwyld is a main road and should have full access to every street off of it at every intersection. To me not allowing for this would be poor planning for the future.

[milanboy]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

I looked at the plans on the Saskatoon website and the intersection Idylwyld and the 25th St extension is a full-access 3-way intersection, so people going southbound on Idylwyld will be able to turn east onto 25th. Or did I miss you point?

Actually, here is plan 1 with a NB to WB turn:



Here is plan 2 withOUT a NB to WB turn:



(I know being in Regina I don't usually contribute to this thread, but I have an interest in road design and had to check this out.)

It is interesting that the first plan allows for northbound traffic to turn left into the Holiday Inn, but still blocks west-bound traffic on the 25th Street Extension from going straight through to 25th Street East. Seems that it could use the same road on the other side of the intersection that the Idlywyld left turn uses. Just something odd.

[gowest]

It will be interesting to see where the bus will turn left as it goes north. At the present time 25th street is the main bus route off Idywyld. The only road large enough to handle them would be 29th Street but the centre median would have to be widen. That leaves the area from 23rd to 29th without bus service on the west side of Idywyld.

[kgc087]

So as some of you already know I have relocated to Moncton for the summer. I have been traveling around New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI and making some interesting observations. I'm very aware that these are have not provinces but seriously can they be lagging behind this much?! From infrastructure to building design to fashion to sheer social values and grammar it is an entirely different world here. Saskatoon and SK are light years ahead of the Maritimes.

I assumed since they had such a close proximity to TO, Mont. and NYC they would have some sort of cosmo. vibe but I was completely wrong. It is lacking on every level. Halifax boasts a lot of cultural value for the area but still has this weird mind set. It is a beautiful place and is an amazing part of Canada, but the I guess the reason I'm writing this is out of appreciation for Saskatoon. It is a spectacular city with ambition and a vision which will make it one of the envies of Canada. So next time were wishing were TO or Van. lets remember that compared to other parts of the country it is spectacular!

[dsim249]

^ That's very interesting to hear. I hope you keep us posted on your ventures and further comparisons/observations. Best of luck!

Originally Posted by kgc087

So as some of you already know I have relocated to Moncton for the summer. I have been traveling around New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI and making some interesting observations. I'm very aware that these are have not provinces but seriously can they be lagging behind this much?! From infrastructure to building design to fashion to sheer social values and grammar it is an entirely different world here. Saskatoon and SK are light years ahead of the Maritimes.

I'd love to hear more about this in particular, but I'm afraid the off-topic police will have my head again.

[Ruckus]

^ there's not much for news/updates lately...just keep it G-rated :babyeat: (I'm interested too so it's okay...hehe).

[kgc087]

First I have to say the smiley eating the baby brains is pretty disturbing but I love it!

Well I live on Main St. in downtown Moncton which is the most happening spot in the whole province. It's sort of like Broadway but a completely watered down version. No real clubs, just pubs, people have extremely poor bar etiquette here, running around screaming, one night people even launched fire works from their vehicle! The fashion in this place is horrific. I'm a creative director with Saskatoon Fashion Week so I pay close attention to what people are wearing and it's about 10 years behind Saskatoon. The in thing for men is baggy pants with a tight white muscle shirt, of course no one has muscles. For women just dressy clothes that were in style about 5 years ago. It really hurts my eyes to look at people and have to process them.

Grammatically they say bizarre things like "that's some sexy and hows yous doing" as well the accent is very interesting. It's a colloquial English that you should all be thankful you don't have to hear lol. The mind set of people here is crazy! Alberta looks like Liberal head quarters compared to here. Baptist everything! People are very unaccepting of homosexuality and just have values in politics and economics that were trendy a long time ago. I'm not sure if it's the Acadian influence or just the seclusion from Canada that is fostering this.

Lastly and MOST importantly the infrastructure. All of the provinces are have nots so they really don't have a lot of money for road improvement, but NB's roads and highways are worse then anywhere I have ever been. There are pot holes that could take out a half ton! As well, it makes sense that road crews would work on road repair during the night and in small portions to minimize the impact they have on traffic, here it's the complete oppositie, they set up the slow signs and barricades first thing in the morning, you don't actually see a worker till after lunch then they have it closed till about 9 at night, apparently the process to repair roads is extremely slow b/c of this major inefficiency. Planning wise, things seem to be pretty dense until you just pass a massive clearing and then there are more super centers and box stores then one can even comprehend. Everything is very small as well. Major roadways that should be 3 lanes are 1! It just causes MAJOR problems during rush hour.

Architecturally they have lots of old buildings which are STUNNING! They really add a unique character that is complimented well with cobblestone sidewalks and large planters. The modern architecture is pretty cookie cutter and nothing inspiring. Overall if I were to rate Moncton I would say its a 6 out of 10, I'm going to say Toronto is ten and anything 5 and lower would be small places like warman etc. I personally would give Saskatoon an 8.

OH, and one last thing, they have beautiful amenities which just seem to be wasted, no major structures or areas featuring any of them have been constructed, so it is natural which is nice, but there isnt even anything to explain it, I just feel the development of the area is lacking on a lot of levels. Moncton may increase in size b/c the locales are referring to it as the Calgary of the Maritimes but I highly doubt it will ever reach that growth potential.

Ask questions if you have any!

[Caswellian]

City Admin is recommending the 2nd option for the Idylwyld/25th intersection, the one that allows left turns southbound on Idylwyld onto 25th.

25th is not being allowed to flow nto Caswell Hill to ensure that it doesn't become more of a by-pass route then it already is (lots of people use it from Ave H to 25th to by-pass 22nd) - this desire was fully outlined in the 2001 Caswell Hill LAP, and it's great to see the City listening to its residents. Infact, the restriction of lefthand turns onto and off of 25th should calm down traffic considerably in that portion of Caswell Hill.

Word has it that a U-turn lane is being considered for those traveling northbound on Idylwyld somewhere between 25th and 29th St. W., this would allow those headed to the Holiday Inn to double back. Though I could see this being abused by those too lazy to use 23rd or 29th.

In conjunction with the re-alignment the City will undertake a traffic study of what the impacts will be on traffic coming into Caswell. I believe Jamieson will become a main entry point, as well as 23rd and 29th. Buses will likely (as they already do) use 23rd/Jamieson to access the bus barns.

[EarlyByrdProductions]

I think this board needed that wakeup call KGC
Thanks!

I too have been in every nook and cranny in this giant country and always find it baffling that small Saskatoon gets crapped on by constant comparisons to the major cities when it doesn't get praise for what it actually is: a perfect sized, beautiful and cultured city.

I loved St John's and Halifax but yes outside of that are some strange areas.
The acadian accent in particular is a wild one.

I'm off to Vancouver and Seattle for 2 weeks today, I'd like to try and see what other ideas they have for bike infrastructure they have that we might be able to pull off here!

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by EarlyByrdProductions

I think this board needed that wakeup call KGC
Thanks!

I too have been in every nook and cranny in this giant country and always find it baffling that small Saskatoon gets crapped on by constant comparisons to the major cities when it doesn't get praise for what it actually is: a perfect sized, beautiful and cultured city.

I loved St John's and Halifax but yes outside of that are some strange areas.
The acadian accent in particular is a wild one.

I'm off to Vancouver and Seattle for 2 weeks today, I'd like to try and see what other ideas they have for bike infrastructure they have that we might be able to pull off here!

Saskatoon is a truly beautiful city with much more culture than most cities its size. I think the thing that is fostering that though is the constant comparison to Vancouver, TO or Mont. We are constantly struggling to be like them and while doing that we have created a magnificent city for our size.

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Yes agreed!
Comparisons for the better! not the grass is greener mentality.