Saskatoon Nordic spa plan put on ice by city council
City councillors voted unanimously against a Nordic spa development in the Willows neighbourhood.
Scandvik Hotels proposed a Scandinavian boutique hotel and spa be built in the neighbourhood, owned by Dream Developments.
The adults-only spa would feature multiple outdoor plunge pools, saunas and massage rooms.
But the concept plan application was voted down by all city councillors and the mayor during a special Tuesday meeting — convened after debate concerning the development ran late Monday night.
While Ward 5. Coun. Randy Donauer voted against the application, he said development is vital for the city’s growth.
"If we put our developers in a situation where they're going to lose money or develop in a way that is not feasible. We won't have development in Saskatoon and that's very concerning to me," Donauer said in the meeting, before the vote.
Donauer urged residents in the Willows to "re-examine their positions."
Some homeowners in the Willows were worried their view and the tranquility of the area would be wrecked by traffic from the hotel and spa.
Bonnie Hataley, a resident in the Willows, said she's pleased with the outcome.
“We are very, very grateful that the city councillor, and the planning and the mayor have listened and heard us, and have taken our thoughts into consideration,” she said.
Dream Development’s lack of communication and community engagement was addressed before the vote.
“Because of that dissonance, it was very difficult for me, and I think for other councillors, to find a way forward within what had come to us as part of the proposal," said Ward 7 Coun. Mairin Loewen, who represents the ward the Willows is in.
Hataley said nobody in her building, located on the edge of the area proposed for development, was consulted.
“No one in our building was contacted for their opinions on what we could do or what kind of a compromise we could come to,” Hataley told CTV News.
Mayor Charlie Clark echoed Donauer’s concern about a potential lack of growth in the Willows.
"What I find difficult about this hearing in many ways is, and I've seen this in neighbourhoods, where once people decide they don't like something, there can be very little room to find solutions," Clark said.
Hataley says she has devised alternative plans for the development to be moved to a decentralized location in the Willows.
“There could be some things considered, such as making the commercial development out in that North parcel,” Hataley said.
Hataley says plans like that demonstrate a willingness to accept change and compromise in the Willows.
Darryl Dawson, the city's development review manager, said the idea for the development could come back to city hall.
"At some point they may be brought back again in the future with a revised plan," Dawson said.
Neither Dream Developments or Scandvik Hotels returned CTV News' request for comment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.