Saskatoon Construction

[Jerry]

The signs are up and work has begun on another great little project for our city that is free and accessible to everyone.




Public Service Announcement - Work Begins on Kiwanis Park Facilities

June 11, 2010

Meewasin begins work Monday June 14th on the new facilities in Kiwanis Memorial Park. The new facilties will include permanent all season washrooms, an accessible trail link from Spadina Crescent to the Meewasin Trail, and a portable warm up facility. They will be completed and open for the 2010/2011 skating season. The contractor for the project is VCM Construction Ltd with Kindrachuk Agrey Architecture and Crosby Hanna & Associates.

Friday, October 30, 2009, Meewasin announced that it was approved for funding for this new rink facility under the Recreational Infrastructure Government of Canada (RinC) Program. The Federal government committed $349,000 to the project and the Provincial government matched that amount. The entire project will cost $1.4 million.

The first Meewasin rink warm-up facility was designed by Holiday Scott Architects in 1980/81. 1982 was its first year of operation in Kiwanis Memorial Park. In the following years the facility served the Saskatoon community well with more 300,000 skaters from all parts of the world. One national magazine rated it as "The Best Outdoor Skating Spot in Canada". Over time however, the portable facility that served so well became old and tired and difficult to move. It was time for something new.

For more information contact Susan Lamb or Doug Porteous at Meewasin 665-6887
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Meewasin skating rink, voted the "best outdoor skating spot in Canada" by Readers Digest in 2006, is about to get better. As Canadians we know that skating on an outdoor rink is a big part of what it means to be Canadian. With this in mind it only made sense that one of the first projects by Meewasin in the 1980's was the creation of a free outdoor skating rink on the bank of the South Saskatchewan River in downtown Saskatoon. In operation for nearly 30 years, the rink hosts over 10,000 local residents yearly and numerous visitors from all over the world. Some of the more notable visitors have included personalities such as Elvis Stojko, Tracey Wilson, Kurt Browning, Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed. Just this past week the "Great One" Wayne Gretsky and Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid the rink a visit and spent time with some local school students.

During its thirty years of operation, the Meewasin Rink has been very well used and the time had come to breathe some new life into it and the surrounding Kiwanis Memorial Park. Through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program, and, with financial support from the Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the City of Saskatoon, Meewasin will do just that.

The project has three distinct elements: a permanent building housing washroom facilities that will operate year round, a mobile seasonal skating lodge, and trail enhancements to improve barrier-free access to the rink and Kiwanis Park.

As sustainability and heritage conservation are both important to Meewasin, the City of Saskatoon will be providing the project with tempered glass that was salvaged from the old 19th Street Saskatoon Arena. This glass will be used in the windows for the permanent washroom facilities.

This is a very exciting project for Meewasin, the City of Saskatoon and the thousands of Saskatoon residents who use the rink every year. The project will provide an accessible site and facility that will continue the tradition of free outdoor skating in downtown Saskatoon for many years to come.

Skating appeals to all ages making it an ideal family activity. The rink can be found at its river edge site in Kiwanis Memorial Park next to the Bessborough Hotel. It operates throughout the winter (temperature permitting). You can enjoy the cozy warm-up shelter complete with wood burning fireplace, outdoor fire pit, Christmas lights and great music. The warm up shelter is open to the public daily. Skates are available for use for the cost of a donation. Skate sharpening services are also available.
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^^ Photo taken last year at the start of the season.

[dsim249]

^ Ooohhh! I like.

[kgc087]

Oh wow! Everything about the updated rink facilities is amazing!

[ninipanini]

The concept for the new Meewasin facilities look great! On the age front... I thought I must have been one of the youngest... looks like 26 isn't so young after all

[Devon]

That looks great! Is that a handicap ramp in the works as well i see?

[kgc087]

I noticed that as well, I sure hope it is. Having a father who is reliant a wheel chair, making the trails along the river as accessible as possible is incredibly important so all citizens of Saskatoon can enjoy it!

[Jerry]

Yes there will be ramp. I talked with the construction crew and they mentioned it was going in.

That location is extremely busy and has needed one for some time. The permanent washrooms will be a big plus as well.

[Jerry]

Good stuff for Saskatoon.



City of Saskatoon Immigration Program Wins Municipal Award

For Immediate Release: June 15, 2010
CY10-202


The City of Saskatoon immigration program was recently named the 2010 Saskatchewan Municipal Award winner for Community Development Leadership for its successful work on developing the community-based initiative. The Saskatchewan Municipal Awards are designed to recognize and celebrate excellence and innovation on the part of Saskatchewan’s municipalities, and promote the successes of Saskatchewan’s municipal sector beyond its traditional audience and to all of Saskatchewan.

Over the past couple years, the immigration initiative has worked to enhance and develop programs and services for newcomers and bring together community groups from all sectors. Ultimately, the goal is to help new immigrants and permanent residents transition more easily to their surroundings and to choose Saskatoon as their new home.


The immigration initiative has hosted a Visioning Conference, six community-wide forums, developed a Saskatoon Immigration Action plan, and hosted a community-wide Immigration Symposium. In addition, the City of Saskatoon has enhanced services for immigrants including the addition of a multicultural component to the summer playground programs, translated the “Whose Job Is It?” brochure of phone numbers of most commonly requested civic services into 14 different languages, and targeted and provided a number of tools for new Canadians to vote in the 2009 civic election.


“What has made our project successful is the collaboration and funding support from the federal and provincial governments. The second reason for our success is that the City has focused on building on the capacity which already exists in the community. We are finding out what others are doing and helping to maximize efficiencies,” says Lynne Lacroix, Manager of Community Development.


With over 12,500 immigrants expected to arrive in Saskatchewan in 2010 - 11, Saskatoon is looking to attract some of these newcomers to make the city their home. “Immigrants have a lot to offer Saskatoon,” says Lacroix. “They bring their business and work skills experience, a world perspective, and great cultures. They also bring their families and passion for life. Immigrants help enrich our community both socially and economically.”


For more information on the work of the immigration initiative, visit www.saskatoon.ca (look under “I” for Immigration) or call Smita Garg, Immigration Community Resource Coordinator at 975-8459.

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[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by ninipanini

The concept for the new Meewasin facilities look great! On the age front... I thought I must have been one of the youngest... looks like 26 isn't so young after all

Haha, the reason why Saskatoon is as great as it is: the youth care and it is small enough that people get involved as they know each individual can make a difference!

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Kudos Meewasin. This is perfect.

[kgc087]

So going by the stat the city frequently releases that Saskatoon attracts ~60% of the immigrants means the city can expect to grow by ~7500 people this year! I think this is a healthy growth rate and allows for proper urban planning as well as annual cultural growth which is appealing to newcomers!

[prairieguy]

A few random thoughts/comments:

- had a friend/colleague from Regina here recently who stays at the Sheraton when in town on business. She is a young professional woman who loves coming to Saskatoon. She commented on the 'vibe' the downtown has and how it stays alive during the evening, unlike Regina (her observation not mine). She noted the amount of shopping, restaurants, bars/clubs and people walking around that makes it seem alive. (note: please don't make this a Regina/Saskatoon thing, as I really am impressed by Regina's downtown...can't speak for what it is like after the workcrowd goes home, though)
- I find the lighthouse design pretty uninspiring, but given its very modest budget, I guess they are doing the best they can. I am sure the existing capri will be given a bit of a facelift as part of this project....at least I hope it will
- great design for skating rink amenities!! Building on another posters' comments about expanding x-country skiing, it makes sense for this to happen as an extention of these new facilities at the rink. Having some groomed trails extending along the lower path both ways from this shelter would make a lot of sense to me. Just like they currently provide skates for use, perhaps some kind of a rental could be set up for skiis to make this an accessible activity for visitors to our city who stay at our downtown hotels (as well as local residents who may not have personal equipment).
- hope anyone who has the opportunity to attend the public meetings on the future of the Traffic Bridge makes a point to go. My hope is that this historically significant structure will be retained and its use directed towards more active transportation (walking, cycling, rollerblading, boarding, public transit, etc)

[Devon]

Saskatoons downtown is definitely more lively. The city of regina is more than aware that it's downtown is lacking, that's why they hired office for urbanism out of Toronto to create a downtown revitalization plan/ downtown neighbourhood plan to create more people living downtown as well as more ground retail and so on.

Since it's inception just 2 or so years ago we have seen the start of a new bus mall, a new year round stage/plaza, certain 1 way streets converted to 2, a 26 story condo/hotel, another 15 story condo, another 10 plus story condo tower, possibility of a stadium?, a few office buildings( ground retail) and a proposed new downtown public library branch. Things are looking up...

[Devon]

On another note, I love the fact that Saskatoon has the river through downtown. Really brings people downtown. Why not go for dinner after the river walk , pump some money downtown. It's excellent for the downtown. An effect reginas downtown Vic park can't quite pull off haha..and wascana isn't exactly walking distance for everyone...

[Jerry]

Glad you brought up the open house on the Traffic Bridge prairieguy. Thought I would list the location.

Traffic Bridge Open House
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (come-and-go)
Nutana Collegiate - gymnasium (not the library as previously advised)
411 - 11th Street East

Civic staff and the Consultant will be present to answer questions and gather public input.

Public input will also be gathered on an on-line Traffic Bridge Forum starting on June 23 and continuing until mid-July, 2010. Come back to this site for the link to the forum.

More information from the source is here > Traffic Bridge Study

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Here is link to a viewpoint in today's SP regarding the Traffic Bridge by Lenore Swystun, chair of the Saskatoon Heritage Society.

Let's cross that bridge ... always By Lenore Swystun, The StarPhoenix

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[Devon]

I apologize for all of the Regina talk! Paririeguy didn't seem to be in the know and Its exciting times not only in regina but all over sk. There's a bit of connection there...

[prairieguy]

Thanks for the info on Regina, Devon. Having 2 major vibrant, active cities (day and night) can only benefit our province.

I actually had posted a week or so ago on this forum how I had 'popped in' to the Regina forum and was really impressed by all the current and pending major construction projects on stream for Regina. I think hiring the consulting company from Toronto was very forward thinking of Regina and should result in more activity for your downtown core. You certainly aren't lacking on the infrastructure/building end of things, now the challenge is to get people back downtown! Will be exciting to watch this progress from plans to reality!

[Echoes]

An encourageing update on the Ecovillage, from David Hutton's City Hall Notebook:

Ecovillage land sale to council on Monday

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by Country

An encourageing update on the Ecovillage, from David Hutton's City Hall Notebook:

Ecovillage land sale to council on Monday

Well, at least the City is consistent in selling its riverfront land at half the appraissed value...

Though that may be reflective of the uncertainty of either of these projects (Ecovillage and River Landing Village) proceeeding, so the City is probably doing what they can to help them along by selling the land below market.

[dsim249]

Going back to second-hand housing development names...

Coming soon to Stonebridge: Little Tuscany

Nothing on the website yet. But they have a sales trailer set up on the corner of Gordon Road and Preston. Presumably where it will be.

[Jerry]

^ I'm getting a vision of rows of vineyards behind the walkout basements.