Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison envisions a downtown grocery store, more downtown housing, two new bridges and more recreational facilities in the city’s near future.
The mayor told a crowd at TCU Place Wednesday in his annual state of the city address that managing a booming population involves building more housing, more recreational facilities, convention spaces, and establishing a vibrant downtown home to 35,000 people and a grocery store.
“I believe we should have an extended tax abatement for the first grocery store that opens up in the downtown,” Atchison said, noting he has yet to discuss the idea with potential suitors.
The city has grown rapidly over the last few years and recent population estimates put the number of people living in Saskatoon at 253,000.
Atchison said in order for Saskatoon to sustain its rising population growth, the city needs to work with nearby municipalities.
City officials will meet with municipal stakeholders later this month with the goal of drawing up a regional plan, he said.
“People that want to come here want to know what’s going to happen and where it’s going to happen,” Atchison said. “I’m delighted we are able to sit down and have those discussions.”
Atchison said the city would continue to group two new bridges — a north commuter bridge and a new Traffic Bridge — together as one project.
“It’s kind of like that old breath mint commercial they used to have all the time — two breath mints in one. Well this is two bridges in one project.”
The province committed to funding a north commuter bridge in its recent provincial budget but did not clarify whether that meant a new Traffic Bridge would also be built.
