These Saskatoon parks are getting a makeover

Some changes are coming to a number of Saskatoon neighbourhood parks this spring.

Funded by the city and the Government of Canada's natural infrastructure fund, the upgrades will address deficiencies and bring a number of Saskatoon parks up to current standards.

“Park upgrades can include enhancements such as new pathways, lighting, irrigation, drainage, tree planting, naturalized plantings and/or other amenities like benches, picnic tables and play structures,” the city said in a release.

Locations undergoing enhancements include:

• Boughton Park

• Buena Vista Park

• Forest Grove Linkage

• Forestry Farm Linkage

• John Avant Park

• Leif Erickson Park

• Marriott Park

• Parc Canada

• Parkridge Park

• Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

• Robert Hunter West Park

• Sifton Park

• TJ Quigley Park

The program also includes the installation food forests at Boughton Park, across from the Gordie Howe Arena, and Leif Erickson Park, which runs along Avenue P from 23rd Street to Rusholme Road, the city said.

Food forests are a diverse collection of trees, shrubs and plants that produce food — think apples, Saskatoon berries, cherries and strawberries — that are free to pick and intended to be inviting community spaces for everyone to enjoy, the city says.

The city picked these two sites for its food forest pilot project using criteria including neighbourhood household incomes, land availability, public accessibility, and distance from grocery stores.

The food forest project is estimated to cost about $350,000.

Last year, city administration launched a survey asking neighbourhood residents what they would like to see planted.

The food forests are expected to be fully established by October.

The city said some park areas and access to some amenities will be closed throughout construction and the establishment of newly planted areas.