Saskatoon pushes forward with downtown arena

On Tuesday, the city reached a new milestone on its push for a downtown event and entertainment district with the release of its vision and guiding principles.

“I'm excited that we are at this point right now,” said Ward 6 Councillor Cynthia Block. “We are discussing vision and guiding principles for the entire district and I think that matters.”

Their guiding principles include:

• Reconciliation by honouring Indigenous Peoples, histories, languages and culture

• A distinctive identity through placemaking / placekeeping

• Architectural and public realm design excellence

• Reliable and efficient transportation options

• Downtown density with a focus on housing

• Leadership in sustainability and resiliency

• A robust and diverse economy

• A healthy and safe community

“These pull together some of the key ideas and initiatives that this council have really found to be foundational for our city,” said Lesley Anderson, Director of Planning and Development.

In the fall, council selected the Midtown mall’s north parking lot as the site of the future arena.

Councillor Cynthia Block, the council lead for the proposed downtown district, says people in her ward have raised some questions.

“Why are you doing this, why is this necessary,” said Block. ”Why would you want to spend all of that money when we are struggling for all sorts of reasons?”

Block says council has directed city administration to come up with a funding plan that has a zero to minimal impact on property tax.

“This is our opportunity to drive the density into the downtown, to ensure that property taxes that are collected in the core of our city are able to minimize the burden on property taxes more generally.”

Restaurants welcome the Downtown Event & Entertainment District and at least one other business in the area would be happy to see it.

“I think it’s going to be very beneficial for the downtown stores, all retailers. It will keep everybody downtown when there is events at the downtown arena instead of pulling everybody away to the Sasktel Centre,” said owner of Bricker Shoes, Daniel Cote.

A report on the vision and guiding principles will be brought forward tomorrow to city council for approval.