Cosmo Civic Centre designated an evacuation site: temporarily closed for public use

Wildfires in northern Saskatchewan have forced the evacuation of a significant number of residents from the area. In response, the City was approached by the Canadian Red Cross to use Cosmo Civic Centre as a designated temporary evacuation site until it is safe for the residents to return to their homes. The costs associated with hosting the evacuees will be billed to the Canadian Red Cross.

The Canadian Red Cross is managing the evacuations and has assessed other locations in Saskatoon that can accommodate large numbers. Unfortunately, no other suitable facilities are currently available.

The City has prior experience providing evacuation spaces; Cosmo Civic Centre was the last Leisure Centre used for this purpose over ten years ago. The facility was requested by the Red Cross and has been identified as the primary choice for an evacuation space due to its size and amenities, ability to be quickly converted for emergency use, proximity to services such as retail and food, access to transit, and it is the least disruptive to the City’s overall recreational programming.

To accommodate this emergency response, Cosmo Civic Centre and arena will be closed to the public effective today. This temporary closure includes all programming, rentals and transit ticket sales. The Carlyle King Branch Library will remain open at this time.

We understand that this closure may cause inconvenience and we deeply appreciate your patience and understanding during this emergency response. The City anticipates the closure will remain in place for at least the next couple of weeks and will continue to monitor the situation closely. Updates will be shared with the public as more information becomes available.

Patrons are encouraged to visit Leisure Online at dropinschedule.saskatoon.ca for programming options available at the City’s other leisure facilities. Your cooperation and support are invaluable as we navigate this emergency together.

 For updates, please visit saskatoon.ca/cosmo.