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Saskatoon’s long-term plan for its central area — including projects like the Downtown Event and Entertainment District (DEED) — was up for discussion at a municipal planning commission meeting on Tuesday.
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In a memo to the commission, the city administration said it’s working on updating zoning bylaws to encourage mid-rise development downtown, adding provisions for additional building height and updating rules for surface parking lots.
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“Several related policy items and proposed bylaw amendments will be presented to the municipal planning commission for review and consideration as implementation progresses,” the memo said.
The city centre and district plan includes a list of what the city calls “transformative” projects, including the DEED and the new central library.
One of the projects calls for 22nd Street to be narrowed as part of the DEED, adding wider sidewalks, accessible drop-off locations and more landscaping.
Plans to improve the downtown stretches of Idylwyld Drive and 23rd Street are also listed as ways to make the area easier to access.
The plan also highlights parks, landscapes and green spaces in an effort to revitalize the area.
A permanent outdoor festival site is proposed for Friendship Park, including a main stage plaza, viewing areas, a multipurpose headquarters building, lower riparian gardens, a biofiltration demonstration garden, retention of the existing sculptures and memorials, a Link (BRT) station, an amphitheater, “and much more,” the plan says.
The commission heard the Meewasin Valley Authority is working with groups like Parks Canada and the City of Saskatoon to explore the potential for a national urban park.
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