News Releases

The City of Saskatoon’s (City) Planning and Development Division, partnering with the Saskatoon Police Service, invite citizens to attend a commemorative Police call box unveiling ceremony outside of the Sturdy Stone Building.

Join His Worship Mayor Donald Atchison, Deputy Chief Bernie Pannell, and City Archivist Jeff O’Brien as they unveil a replica call box and celebrate the history of how it was used in the first part of the 20^th Century.

                                                                                  Police Call Box Unveiling Ceremony
                                                                                             Friday, May 22, 2015
                                                                                                        1:30 p.m.
                                                                                  Outside the Sturdy Stone Building
                                                                                Corner of 3^rd Avenue and 22^nd Street

The City has created this heritage interpretive element on 3^rd Avenue as part of the streetscape project currently underway. The call box will house a digital audio playback device that invites passing pedestrians to listen to audio tracks featuring short dramatized stories of policing in the Downtown.

The call boxes were actively used by the Police and Fire Departments between 1912 and 1960 to report incidents directly to headquarters. The project is located in what used to be known as Beat No. 1, the area bounded by 19^th Street on the south, 23^rd Street on the north, 4^th Avenue on the east, and 1^st Avenue on the west.

A second call box has been installed in the lobby of the Police Station (76 - 25^th Street East) featuring interviews conducted with retired police officers who actively worked the beat during the use of these boxes.

 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.

NEW

CIRCLE DR LANE CLOSURE BETWEEN TAYLOR ST OVERPASS & TAYLOR ST ON RAMP
(Crack filling)
Rolling closure - SB median lane > SB curb lane > NB median lane > NB curb lane. Only one lane closed at a time.
Start: May 21, 4:00 a.m. End: May 21, 4:00 p.m.

3RD AVE N CLOSED FROM 24TH ST E TO 25TH ST E
(Manhole repairs)
3rd Ave closed from 24th St to 25th St
Start: May 21, 9:00 a.m. End: May 21, 6:00 p.m.

WARMAN RD NB & SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANES CLOSED FROM PRIMROSE DR TO LENORE DR/51ST ST E
(Concrete work)
Start: May 21, 9:00 a.m. End: May 21, 3:30 p.m.

22ND ST E WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED APPROACHING 1ST AVE N
(Signage installation)
Start: May 21, 9:00 a.m. End: May 21, 4:00 p.m.

22ND ST E WB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 1ST AVE N TO PACIFIC AVE
(Parks median work)
Start: May 21, 10:00 a.m. End: May 21, 12:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR SB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED ON RUTH ST OVERPASS
(Ground testing)
Start: May 21, 11:00 a.m. End: May 21, 2:00 p.m.

ONGOING

AIRPORT DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT 45TH ST W
(Roadwork)
Start: May 20, 9:00 a.m. End: May 27, 5:00 p.m.

CONFEDERATION DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM LAURIER DR TO 22ND ST W
(Concrete work)
Start: May 20, 9:00 a.m. End: June 6, 5:00 p.m.

CENTRAL AVE SB CLOSED AT 104TH ST
(Water Main lining)
2-way traffic maintained in NB lanes
Start: May 19, 7:00 a.m. End: May 26, 4:00 p.m.

HWY 11/16 EB OVERPASS CLOSED AT CLOVERLEAF INTERSECTION
(Overpass repair)
Two EB lanes and one WB lane of traffic will be maintained on the WB overpass.
Start: May 18, 7:00 a.m. End: Tentative - August 7, 5:00 p.m.

UNIVERSITY BRIDGE CLOSED BETWEEN SPADINA CRES & COLLEGE DR
(Bridge Repairs)
Start: May 3, 7:00 a.m. End: August 31, 6:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information and subscribe to Traffic Detour Service Alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The City of Saskatoon today unveiled a new online dashboard for citizens to monitor the City’s progress and performance toward our strategic goals. The dashboard’s launch follows consultations with citizens on their priorities for the City and performance targets that should guide City planning and investment.

“The best way to make progress is to measure it,” says Catherine Gryba, General Manager of Corporate Performance. “We are highlighting 25 bold targets and indicators based on citizen feedback and the goals outlined in our 10-year Strategic Plan.  Going forward, we will use these dashboard targets and indicators to measure how we’re making strides toward greater efficiency, more savings and service improvements.”

Gryba adds the new dashboard is the product of an overall effort to promote continuous improvement and deliver programs and services that are better for citizens and the City’s finances.

“People want their City to deliver programs and services that are better for them as citizens and for the City’s bottom line,” she says.  “They want to know tax dollars are being invested wisely, services are being delivered efficiently and we are dedicated to continuous improvement. That’s why -- on top of the dashboard -- we’re focused on three initiatives aimed at improving our efficiency, savings and service. “

Three initiatives will drive this effort:

* Annual Civic Services Reviews
* Internal Process Reviews
* Innovation Teams

Civic Services Reviews will examine all aspects of any given program or service with a view to improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Process Reviews will focus on a single stream of activity or service with a view to eliminating waste and redundancy.

Innovation Teams -- a new strategy -- are front-line employees and other staff who will take a fresh look at how services get delivered and propose better ways of meeting the needs and expectations of citizens.

While saving tax dollars and improving service have always been priorities for the City, Gryba says this new push on performance will sharpen the City’s focus.

“This is not a new effort. It’s a renewed effort,” Gryba explains. “By making performance improvement a formal priority, and by incorporating performance measurement into everything we do, we’ll find better ways to save money, serve citizens and reach our goals.”

The new dashboard is intended to keep performance improvement front and center and serve as a running progress report on the strides the City is making toward key goals and targets. Progress will be updated annually or more regularly, depending on the target area and availability of fresh data. Background information, including comparative data from other cities, will also be available to citizens through the website.

“We are following City Council’s lead in wanting to improve transparency and involve citizens in the decisions and actions that affect them,” Gryba says. “This dashboard tool will give citizens a look into how we are doing as a City, both where we need to improve and where we are making strides.”

To view the City of Saskatoon’s new performance monitoring dashboard, background materials and other resources, visit saskatoon.ca/strides.

-30-

Dream Development in conjunction with the City of Saskatoon began construction of the Stonebridge and Highway 11 Interchange at Victor Road in Stonebridge on Tuesday, May 19. The project is expected to be complete in fall of 2016, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

The partial interchange at Victor Road and Highway 11 will complete the major access points to the Stonebridge neighbourhood and further improve traffic conditions at Clarence Avenue and Preston Avenue.  Dream Development (formerly Dundee Developments) has hired AECOM Canada Ltd. to design and manage the interchange while under construction and Graham Construction has been contracted to complete the construction of this project.  As a major stakeholder and eventual owner of the interchange, the City of Saskatoon has worked closely with Dream Development through the process and will coordinate traffic control for the duration of the project.

Access to the Stonebridge neighbourhood will not be affected by the construction however; lane restrictions and reduced speeds will be required on Highway 11 as construction progresses. No road restrictions are yet in place. As they occur, road restrictions will be communicated via City’s Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map at saskatoon.ca/constructionmap. Residents can also find Traffic Detour Service Alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts or follow the City on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE.

Dream Development and the City thank drivers for their patience while this work is carried out. For more information about the project visit saskatoon.ca/stonebridgeinterchange.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

NEW

CIRCLE DR EB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED APPROACHING WARMAN RD EXIT
(Crack filling)
Start: May 20, 4:00 a.m. End: May 20, 7:00 a.m.

1ST AVE NB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN 22ND ST AND 23RD ST
(Sign installation)
Start: May 20, 7:00 a.m. End: May 20, 4:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT 45TH ST W
(Roadwork)
Start: May 20, 9:00 a.m. End: May 27, 5:00 p.m.

CONFEDERATION DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM LAURIER DR TO 22ND ST W
(Concrete work)
Start: May 20, 9:00 a.m. End: June 6, 5:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR SB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED ON RUTH ST OVERPASS
(Ground testing)
Start: May 20, 11:00 a.m. End: May 20, 2:00 p.m.

ONGOING

CENTRAL AVE SB CLOSED AT 104TH ST
(Water Main lining)
2-way traffic maintained in NB lanes
Start: May 19, 7:00 a.m. End: May 26, 4:00 p.m.

HWY 11/16 EB OVERPASS CLOSED AT CLOVERLEAF INTERSECTION
(Overpass repair)
Two EB lanes and one WB lane of traffic will be maintained on the WB overpass.
Start: May 18, 7:00 a.m. End: Tentative - August 7, 5:00 p.m.

UNIVERSITY BRIDGE CLOSED BETWEEN SPADINA CRES & COLLEGE DR
(Bridge Repairs)
Start: May 3, 7:00 a.m. End: August 31, 6:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information and subscribe to Traffic Detour Service Alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE.