Saskatoon Construction III

[Antigonish]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon...ansportation-downtown-business-9.7182246

Council 'confusion' leaves Saskatoon downtown bus plan in peril
Council defeats plan for bus-only lanes on 1st Avenue right after rejecting a deferral to gather details.

Saskatoon city council cast a series of votes Wednesday that left the future of a plan for bus-only lanes downtown uncertain.

First, council rejected a motion to defer its decision on building dedicated bus lanes on First Avenue downtown between 20th and 25th streets and direct city administration to gather more details.

That vote was determined by a 6-5 margin.

Then, council voted by the same margin to reject the plan that would see those bus lanes and four stations built.

Shawna Nelson, executive director of Downtown Saskatoon, had asked earlier in the meeting for a pause in the plan to allow more time to address the issues raised by downtown businesses.

"We did — I think, I'm sorry there was a lot of confusion going on in the chambers there — but I feel like there is a pause," Nelson said in an interview.

"And there is going back to take a look at some of the issues and also some of the unknowns and some of the operational details that were not in place."

Veteran councillors Randy Donauer and Zach Jeffries voted against the deferral and then against the concept plan minutes later. Donauer voted in favour of the concept plan four weeks ago at council's transportation committee meeting.

Coun. Bev Dubois also voted to support the plan at the committee meeting on April 7, but cast votes in favour of the deferral and against the plan on Wednesday.

Coun. Senos Timon voted in favour of the deferral and in favour of the plan.

Once both votes were conducted, Mayor Cynthia Block called for a short break to determine how to proceed. Block voted against the deferral after speaking against it and then in favour of the plan.

Saskatoon downtown bus lanes motor ahead despite misgivings
Big changes set for downtown Saskatoon in Link bus plan
All remaining council members from 2019 — Block, Donauer, Dubois, Jeffries and Coun. Troy Davies — had voted in favour seven years ago of locating the bus lanes on First Avenue.

Davies voted in favour of the deferral and against the plan on Wednesday.

In the end, council opted to task city administrators with gathering more information on operational plans, such as how snow will be cleared from the bus lanes and how emergency vehicles will be affected.

It's not clear how long that process might take.

City hall is already building bus-only lanes along College Drive this summer as part of the $262-million Link transit upgrade based on bus rapid transit principles.

Most of that money, $183 million, is coming from the federal and provincial government under a funding program to improve public transit. The revamped system is supposed to debut in 2028.

Wednesday's process began in the morning with 11 speakers and ended more than five hours later.

Some speakers pilloried the process that produced the bus lanes plan as lacking a genuine intention to gather input, while others praised the plan as the product of extensive and meaningful engagement.

Robert Clipperton of the Bus Riders of Saskatoon transit lobby group called the engagement on the bus lanes "unprecedented" and expressed disbelief that anyone could question the sufficiency of input.

But Nelson criticized the city for a lack of engagement with her organization, which represents downtown businesses.

"Let's pause," Nelson urged council. "Let's regroup. Work with us, not around us."

Conversely, Michael Mehak, appearing on behalf of Midtown Plaza, which is located along the planned bus lanes route, lent his full-throated support to the bus lanes plan.

Mehak said he'd met three times with city officials about the plan.

However, Keith Moen, executive director of the North Saskatoon Business Association, called the plan "overkill" and criticized the elimination of 61 parking stalls to make way for the bus lanes. Moen also asked for a pause on the plan.

How they voted
Here's how Saskatoon city council voted on two motions related to the plan for bus-only lanes on First Avenue downtown.

On a motion to defer approving the plan for up to a year to gather more information:

For: Davies, Dubois, Scott Ford, Robert Pearce, Timon.

Against: Block, Donauer, Jeffries, Holly Kelleher, Kathryn MacDonald, Jasmin Parker.

On a motion to approve the plan:

For: Block, Kelleher, MacDonald, Parker, Timon.

Against: Davies, Donauer, Dubois, Ford, Jeffries, Pearce.

[Brutopian]

Originally Posted by Antigonish

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon...ansportation-downtown-business-9.7182246

1st Avenue seems to me the ideal location for the downtown BRT hub with bus only lanes and transit stations.

Two big reasons come to mind:

-1st Ave runs between Midtown Plaza and 21st street which is a key gateway to other street-level retail, restaurants and pubs downtown
-1st Ave intersects 22nd Street, the location of the proposed new arena and convention centre, which would give people easy access to those new facilities

I can't think of a better-situated north-south stretch downtown for the BRT bus-only lanes and transit stations than 1st Ave. Can you guys?

I would be interested in hearing from city councillors as to what they feel the alternatives are, as they are not immediately apparent to me!

[Brutopian]

Iconic Bessborough Hotel closes May 1 for months-long renovations

By Marija Robinson
CKOM
May 1, 2026

After 91 years as Saskatoon’s castle on the river, the Bessborough Hotel has closed – but only for the season.

According to the hotel’s website, “as of May 1, the hotel will pause service and accept no bookings.” A representative with the hotel also confirmed Friday will be the official closure date in a call with 650 CKOM.

The hotel will remain closed throughout the summer months.

[........]

Read more:
https://www.ckom.com/2026/05/01/iconic-b...tm_content=416782259&utm_source=hs_email

[prairieguy]

I unfortuneately I am unable to attend the public meeting for the Star Phoenix building development proposal this week. I do hope that at least one member from this forum will be there and can maybe post an update as to how the evening went. I certainly hope there is overwhelming support for the development...shouldn't be a whole lot of NIMBYism for it, as it is not really in a neighborhood...but you never know!

[Brutopian]

Downtown Saskatoon rebrands, offers new exclusive visa gift cards

By Keira Miller
CJWW
May 5, 2026

As part of Downtown Saskatoon’s 40th year as a business improvement district, it is rebranding with a new Strategic Plan.

[........]

Read more:
https://www.cjwwradio.com/2026/05/05/dow...tm_content=417476077&utm_source=hs_email

[Brutopian]

BASF breaks ground on $27M canola research expansion near Saskatoon

By Glenda-Lee Vossler
DiscoverHumboldt.com
May 06 2026

Major investment in Canadian agriculture

BASF Agricultural Solutions has officially broken ground on a $27‑million expansion of its Canola Breeding Centre of Innovation, located a few kilometres northeast of Saskatoon near Highway 41.

[........]

Read more:
https://discoverhumboldt.com/articles/ba...tm_content=417690994&utm_source=hs_email

[4LSaskatoon]

Had a short visit with the architect. Said that if everything goes smoothly, this project could be finished within 5yrs. Mentioned having 4 floors of parking above ground, is because of shallow bedrock, which is a great base for project, and less disruptive of neighboring buildings.
Quite a few people there.. honestly mostly support the project.



Larger building ..rental apartments lower levels, purchased condos on top floors.

The larger Building is on the south side of the lot (23rd &5th) and is part of phase one.

The pink is original building.. largest area slated for grocery store... retail space for smaller pink blocks. left parking lot for public grocery store parking.



572 parking spaces.. including 4 above ground floors of parking.


yellow is rentals and owner condos.. grey is parking.. green is residents amenities, including pickleball, swimming pool.

[drto]

I hope it comes to fruition with even a height bump perhaps!

[danylo66]

Did they talk about their timeline? What are the next steps and associated timelines to get them to a 5 year completion? When will we see shovels in the ground?

[4LSaskatoon]

Originally Posted by danylo66

Did they talk about their timeline? What are the next steps and associated timelines to get them to a 5 year completion? When will we see shovels in the ground?

He wasn't specific.. but their is still several hoops to get thru, just to get it rezoned after City Council public hearing.

[jreid3]

Great news! Had I not worked a night shift I would've attended. If these towers get approved it might convince the developers of the Spire project to pull the trigger to build. Which might lead to someone developing the River landing Parcel G.

[YXE]

What’s the distribution of rentals to condos?

[ArchGuy1]

Does anyone here know if any of the tallest buildings planned for Saskatoon have observation decks open to the public planned for their top floors?

[jreid3]

I've yet to look closely at the renderings but I would say it's unlikely to have an observation deck given the security/logistical challenge of having strangers inside a private residential building. It's a shame the Nutrien tower didn't build a restaurant on one of the top floors.

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by jreid3

I've yet to look closely at the renderings but I would say it's unlikely to have an observation deck given the security/logistical challenge of having strangers inside a private residential building. It's a shame the Nutrien tower didn't build a restaurant on one of the top floors.

The Eureka Tower in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Q1 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Sapphire Tower in Istanbul, Turkey; and the Karlatornet in Gothenburg, Sweden have observation decks open to the public on or near their top floors despite those buildings being otherwise residential. Therefore, one of the high rise developments should consider an observation deck open to the public on the top floor as Saskatoon currently has no observation decks open to the public.

[Dalreg]

Not much to see up there mate. Downtown is lower than a big chunk of the city. Even 300 feet up you aren't going to see much.

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

Not much to see up there mate. Downtown is lower than a big chunk of the city. Even 300 feet up you aren't going to see much.

Where in Saskatoon would be a good place to erect an observation structure like a tower or ferris wheel?

[Echoes]

If there's anything remotely close to an observation deck with a commanding panoramic view of the city it's the residents' dining room on the top floor of Luther Tower.

[danylo66]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

Not much to see up there mate. Downtown is lower than a big chunk of the city. Even 300 feet up you aren't going to see much.

I respectfully disagree with this comment. When Villy's was open in Saskatoon Square, the views from both the restaurant and the lounge one floor higher were wonderful, and that's on perhaps what was the ~16th - 18th floor? Add another 10 stories and the range would be all the more appealing.

[Wpg_Guy]

This is a huge development Saskatoon! Looks awesome, hope this pans out.

Originally Posted by Echoes

New tallest proposed for SK at 110 m:



https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/204-5th-avenue-north