News Releases

The City of Saskatoon is taking a new approach to line painting on major roadways and high-speed freeways this year by expanding the use of durable markings.  When these types of roadways are built or rehabilitated, durable markings will be used. Durable markings are more visible and also last longer than regular road paint. 

“Winter operations, including the use of gravel and snow clearing, as well as higher traffic volumes, wear off road paint faster,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “This is why we are expanding the use of more durable markings on higher volume roadways. While the upfront cost is higher, these markings last longer and are visible year round.” 

The cost of the annual road marking program is $800,000 per year. In 2014, an additional $500,000 will be spent on durable markings. 

Road marking begins once sweeping is underway and nighttime temperatures are consistently at 5 degrees or warmer (generally late April/early May and until late October).  

There are no specific dates for painting road markings as the program is coordinated during or after other road work, and is weather dependent. High-traffic areas (such as downtown and Idylwyld Drive) are generally painted during the night to minimize disruption to traffic.  

In 2014, some of the locations where durable markings will be installed include:
- Circle Drive – Circle Drive North to Attridge Drive overpass, eastbound
- Circle Drive – Warman Road to Circle Drive, eastbound
- 51st Street

City crews paint road markings two to three times each year:
- Lane lines, edge lines and centre lines are painted three times a year
- Crosswalks are painted at least twice a year
- Sharrows, chevrons and parking stall lines are painted once a year
- Road markings are re-painted if they have been removed due to paving, patching, etc.

More information about Road Markings is available at saskatoon.ca as part of the Building Better Roads campaign.  Saskatoon’s Road Plan is a coordinated approach to repair, maintain and construct better roads in Saskatoon.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroads and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook. 

Deb Davies, a firefighter with Saskatoon Fire Department, credits her training with the fire department and the availability of an Automated External Defibrillator or AED at the Las Vegas airport for helping her save a bystanders life.

On Friday, April 11^th, Deb Davies and a group of her friends went to Las Vegas for a short holiday. When they arrived at the luggage carousel Deb noticed someone who was in distress. Immediately her training as a Primary Care Paramedic kicked in. Utilizing her CPR training, she started compressions while calling for others to find the AED and call 9-1-1. Other professionals assisted Deb and together they were able to shock the individual and successfully revive him.

Firefighters with the Saskatoon Fire Department are trained as Primary Care Paramedics and on the job regularly respond to life threatening emergencies. Deb recognized that as an off-duty firefighter she was a person to take control of the situation and use her training to save a life.

At their awards banquet in June, the Saskatoon Fire Department will be recognizing Deb Davies.

The Saskatoon Fire Department will also be recognizing other firefighters who were instrumental in saving a life while off-duty at a Saskatoon Hilltops football game on September 7^th, 2013.

For Release: April 17, 2014


The City of Saskatoon’s compost depots are now open for the 2014 season. Residents of Saskatoon are encouraged to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill by bringing their leaves and grass to one of the depots:
- McOrmond Drive Depot, located just north of 8th Street East on McOrmond Drive, which is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily
- Highway 7 Depot, located at the corner of Highway 7 and 11th Street West, which is open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday to Sunday. 
The depots also accept tree and shrub material.  Due to the threat of Dutch Elm disease, provincial regulations prohibit the acceptance of elm and any other material that cannot be distinguished from elm at the compost depots.  A provincial pruning ban on elm is in effect from April 1, 2014 to August 31, 2014.  During this period, it is illegal to prune elm without a permit.  These materials cannot be accepted at the depots at any time and must be disposed of at the Saskatoon Landfill.  The Landfill is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week, including all holidays throughout the summer.
The depots are free to residents of Saskatoon.  Commercial haulers are required to purchase and display an entry permit when visiting the compost depots.  The registration fee for 2014, per business, is $200 for the first vehicle and $50 for each additional vehicle.  Registration forms are available at City Hall or online at www.saskatoon.ca and look under “C” for Compost Depot. 
New for the 2014 season: commercial hauler registrations and payments can now be accepted online at http://saskatoonenvirostore.ca! 
For timely updates, watch for Compost Depot Service Alerts at Saskatoon.ca and on Twitter and Facebook.
For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

Saskatoon Transit would like to remind those headed to the Black Sabbath concert at Credit Union Centre on Friday, April 18 that the concert will finish after statutory holiday transit service has ended. This means that there will be no transit connections from the Downtown Terminal Special Events Stop after the concert, and no connections from Malls serviced by the Credit Union Centre Park & Ride Services after the concert.

Credit Union Centre Park & Ride services will still be offered after the concert, however those concert goers who need to take a regular transit route from any of these locations (including downtown) are advised to make alternative arrangements.

Departures to the Black Sabbath concert from the Saskatoon Transit Special Events Stop, located on 2^nd Avenue and 23^rd Street, will be every 15 minutes between 6:45 p.m. and 7:45p.m. on April 18. Buses will depart Credit Union Centre for the Special Events Stop immediately after the concert.

Regular fares, transfers, and passes are accepted to and from the Downtown location only. Please contact Credit Union Centre for information on the mall Park and Ride Service.

For more information call Customer Service at 306-975-3100

The renovation and rejuvenation of Saskatoon’s most beloved park began today as PCL Construction broke ground at Kinsmen Park.

PCL Construction has been contracted for Phase One of the Kinsmen Park Master Plan, which is anticipated to open in time for Summer 2015.

Phase One includes the development of the PotashCorp Playland, which will be an attraction for both the young and the young at heart.  The PotashCorp Playland will include a “rides garden” with a ferris wheel and carousel, a children’s play area with water features, sandplay and natural elements, and the highly anticipated, new train.  The train will be a 1/3 scale locomotive built to resemble a modern day Dash 9 freight train engine.  There will be three carriages built to resemble modern-day Canpotex freight cars, and of course a caboose sponsored by Canadian Pacific Railway!  A special event is being planned in the coming months to give a sneak peek of the train and other exciting elements of the park, so watch for details to be announced shortly.

Highlights of Phase One, including the arrival of new rides, will be posted on the City of Saskatoon’s website throughout the year.  For more information on the Future Home of PotashCorp Playland at Kinsmen Park and the Kinsmen Park Master Plan, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/kinsmenpark

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

CIVIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES FOR EASTER WEEKEND

The following are the hours of civic services and facilities for Easter weekend, Friday, April18 through Monday, April 21:

City Hall will be closed.

Parking meters will not require payment on Friday, April 18 and Sunday, April 20.  Motorists are required to move their vehicles within the time period shown on parking meters, allowing for a constant turnover of parking availability.  Parking meters will require payment on Saturday, April 19 and Monday, April 21.

The Municipal Impound Lot will not be releasing vehicles to the public on Friday, April 18 but will be open Saturday, April 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with regular operations on Monday, April 21.

All locations of the Saskatoon Public Library will be closed on April 18, 20, and 21.

The Saskatoon Landfill will be open every day throughout the Easter weekend with regular summer hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Compost Depots will be open every day throughout the Easter weekend with regular hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Garbage and Recycling collection will take place as scheduled.

The Mendel Art Gallery and Saskatoon Civic Conservatory are open every day, 364 days a year, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Admission is free.

TRANSIT SERVICES FOR EASTER WEEKEND

Transit service will operate as follows:
April 18: Sunday/Holiday service
April 19 and 20: Regular weekend service
April 21: Regular weekday service

Access Transit service will operate as follows (normal booking procedures apply):
April 18: Holiday service from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 p.m.
April 19 and 20: Regular weekend service
April 21: Holiday service from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 p.m.

LEISURE SERVICES FOR EASTER WEEKEND

Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo will be open daily.
Forestry Farm Park hours: 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Zoo hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission charges are in effect

LEISURE CENTRES HOURS FOR EASTER WEEKEND

Saskatoon Field House
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Cosmo Civic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 20: Regular hours
April 21: CLOSED

Lakewood Civic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Lawson Civic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Shaw Centre
April 18: CLOSED
April 19 to 21: Regular hours

Fitness Circuit & Terry Fox Track (in the SaskTel Sports Centre)
April 18 to 20: CLOSED
April 21: Regular hours

For modified Lane, Public and Parent & Tot Swim times, please visit Drop-in Online at www.saskatoon.ca/go/dropinonline.  For more information on operating hours and programs, please contact the Leisure Centres or facilities.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

The City will soon be saving energy and reducing operational costs at two major civic facilities.  City Council approved plans for two combined heat and power (CHP) projects in December 2013 and with funding support from partners, natural gas fuelled CHP units will be installed at Lakewood Civic Centre and the Shaw Centre.

“These installations help demonstrate our commitment to environmental leadership through the use of more energy-efficient practices in City buildings,” says Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental and Corporate Initiatives.  “The project also helps ensure that existing leisure centres remain financially efficient and services can be provided more reliably.  We are extremely pleased to participate in partnership to leverage funding from other sources.  This contributes to ensuring the long-term sustainability of community assets.”

The units, which will be integrated into the existing electrical and heating systems, produce electricity and recover waste heat to be used inside a building.  The technology also offers a cleaner energy source that can reduce utility costs and provide backup electricity and heating in the event of a power outage or equipment failure.  Between the two facilities, greenhouse gas emission will be reduced by 915 tonnes, which is equal to removing 180 cars from Saskatoon roads each year.

The total cost of the project is $1.3 million.  Almost half of that amount, $600,000, is funded through Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) as a result of a successful proposal submitted in response to a request for proposals to the Market Development Incentive Payments (MDIP) Fund and the Clean Energy Fund (the Program).  Through this Program, NRCan provides up to 50% matching funding for eligible costs for projects which identify innovative applications for natural gas and make greater use of technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SaskEnergy, a supporter of combined heat and power technology, also contributed $325,000 to the project.  The City will contribute $375,000 towards the implementation of the project.

Earlier this year, City Council approved the award of a contract to Calgary-based Power EcoSystems to design, supply, build and maintain the project, the value of which was $1,116,000.

“There are other civic buildings that could benefit from moving to combined heat and power technology.  After measuring the benefits of these installations, the business case for other civic facilities could be reviewed,” says Wallace.

Installation and commissioning of the units will be completed by early 2015 with ongoing monitoring and reporting being conducted until the completion of the project in fall of 2016.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

Eleven classes of Grades 4-8 students have been participating in the sustainability-focused pilot program. With support from the program partners, each teacher has been facilitating student learning, action and inquiry in one or more of the program’s five focus areas: waste, water, energy, food, or transportation. The resulting projects will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other sustainability benefits in students’ classrooms, schools, households and the community at large.

Through various subject areas and curriculum outcomes, this program allows students to gain an understanding of their actions through a sustainability lens, linking environmental, social, and economic impacts.

Other program goals include:

• reflecting the goals set out in the City of Saskatoon’s Energy and GHG Management Plan and Strategic Plan
• pursuing inquiry- and action-based learning (experiential education)
• making connections with the local community (place-based education)
• striving towards environmental outcomes that are measureable
• having a meaningful community impact
• reflecting multiple ways of knowing, as well as Indigenous knowledges and practices

Upon completion of this year’s program, each class will be showcasing their project outcomes at a student tradeshow. School board trustees, superintendents, City of Saskatoon representatives, students’ parents and family members, and other stakeholders have been invited to view the amazing work that the different classes have worked on.

Brenda Wallace, Director of Environmental & Corporate Initiatives: “The Student Action for a Sustainable Future program is an innovative way to engage school-aged children in sustainability-focused action projects. The results of their hard work and enthusiasm will have a tremendous impact on their schools, families and community.”

On April 15, 2014 participating students showcased their hard work at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon. This included more than 40 displays, performances and other exciting results including:

• Conducting home and school energy audits
• Organizing school-wide waste audits
• Creating garbage art
• Creating lights out and lights half-out campaigns
• Lowering the school’s thermostat and encouraging “sweater days”
•  Discussing worldviews and learning about the relationships between humans and nature from Elders and Knowledge Keepers
• Going on field trips, such as touring the Saskatoon Landfill, visiting Saskatoon Light and Power, interviewing vendors at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, and learning about local food through ice fishing
• Getting involved in community and indoor gardens
• Measuring food miles and assessing the implications of both local and global food systems
• Creating a vermi compost for classroom organic waste
• Improving the school’s recycling system, bin system, and messaging

Spring is a busy time of year for projects in the yard, garden, and around the home.  Saskatoon residents with a property adjacent to a civic park may wish to use it as an access point for deliveries, equipment, or vehicles related to their projects.  In order to ensure that parks are safe and enjoyed by everyone, any type of work in a park that requires vehicles, equipment, or restricted access, must first have approval from the City of Saskatoon Parks Division. 

Parks Division will evaluate the request, conduct a site inspection, and if reasonable, provide approval.  In order to minimize any damages, vehicle access will be permitted only when turf conditions are dry and suitable for driving on.  The property owner will be responsible for removing any litter or debris, repairing any damages at their own expense, and being liable for injury that may occur as a result of the work.  City of Saskatoon Inspectors regularly follow-up on complaints and investigate damage to parks.

For more information or to request approval for your project, call 306-975-3300 or visit www.saskatoon.ca (look under “P” for Parks – Request Access to a Park).

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

T

On April 27, 2014, Saskatoon Transit will introduce its Summer Route Schedule.

Each year during the post-secondary school term, Saskatoon Transit typically adds additional routes to support the higher number of transit users travelling to and from the University of Saskatchewan.

These support routes are being removed during the summer months and service will resume September 2, 2014. Details of the changes are as follows:

From April 27 to September 1, 2014, the following support routes will travel less frequently:

• Route 13 Lawson Heights
• Route 13 Broadway
  

From April 27 to September 1, 2014, the following route will be temporarily discontinued:

•  Route 21 University

For more information, visit www.saskatoon.ca and click on “T” for Transit or call the Transit Customer Service Centre at 306-975-3100.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases,  Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.