News Releases

Residents are reminded that residential garbage collection changes from every week to bi-weekly (every two weeks) on October 5, this Monday. 

When the weather turns cold, as it is beginning to now, households tend to generate less garbage; and now that Saskatoon residents are using their blue carts to recycle, even less garbage is being produced. For residents concerned about filling their black cart before their next collection date, the City offers the following tips.

Put waste in the right place to reduce the garbage that goes into your black cart:

• Recycle all paper and packaging in your blue cart that is collected every two weeks, year-round,
• Compost your leaves, non-elm branches and garden waste at a City Compost Depot free of charge,
• Take large items directly to the Saskatoon Landfill located off Valley Road, south of 11th Street (regular charges apply), and
• Learn how to properly dispose of oil, auto parts, electronics, paint/construction material & other hazardous waste at saskatoon.ca/recycling.

Follow these tips for a successful bi-weekly collection:

• Confirm your bi-weekly start date on your 2015 Waste Collection Calendar,
• Sign-up for a personal collection day reminder at saskatoon.ca/collectioncalendar,
• Completely close and properly place your cart by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, and
• Return your cart to your yard or garage to prevent theft, damage or fines.

If your garbage or recycling is normally collected on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, they will be collected the following Saturday. Regular collection service is provided on all other statutory holidays, including Remembrance day.

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 civic indoor arenas are open for the season.  The weekly Public Skating and Parent and Tot Skating sessions are as follows and will be in effect until Sunday, December 20, 2015:

ACT Arena:  107 105th Street East
Public Skating – Began September 4, 2015
*Tuesday:  7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
*​Sunday:  2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

​Parent and Tot Skating - Begins October 5, 2015
*Monday and Thursday:  2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Archibald Arena:  1410 Windsor Street
Public Skating – Begins October 4, 2015
*Sunday:  12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Parent and Tot Skating – Begins October 7, 2015
*Wednesday:  2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Cosmo Arena:  3130 Laurier Drive
Public Skating – Begins October 4, 2015
*Wednesday and Thursday:  12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
*Friday:  12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
*Sunday:  12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Parent and Tot Skating – Begins October 5, 2015
*Monday and Friday:  2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Lions Arena:  2205 McEown Avenue
Public Skating – Begins October 4, 2015
*Sunday:  2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

Parent and Tot Skating – Begins October 6, 2015
*Tuesday and Friday:  2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Admission rates are as follows: 

• Adult (19 and over) - $5;
• Youth (6 to 18) - $3;
• Preschool (5 and under) - Free; and
• Family - $10. 

Children, 6 years and younger, must be accompanied by someone minimum of 16 years of age.  A maximum of two preschoolers per adult is allowed.  Parent and Tot Skating is free of charge. 

Visit www.saskatoon.ca/rinks for a full calendar of public skate times and rink rental rates information.

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.

Despite the mild weather we are experiencing, the arrival of winter is inevitable in Saskatoon. In preparation, City of Saskatoon snow plow operators have been refreshing their skills and new staff are training for the important job of keeping Saskatoon roads in good winter driving conditions. 

Beginning today, Thursday, October 1, snow plows  may be encountered on high-speed sections of Idylwyld Drive and Circle Drive on weekdays, outside of rush hours, between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and again some afternoons between 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The training will continue periodically until snow fall, when regular winter operations will commence.

One pilot truck will follow two slow-moving snow plows to alert drivers of the slower hazard ahead or units will be clearly marked with signage indicating “Training in Progress”. Sanding trucks will also be field-training on rural, gravel roads.

During training and especially in winter weather conditions, drivers should use extra caution when approaching plows and graders and avoid passing. Snow clearing can create a mini snow blizzard or throw snow onto your windshield leading to a sudden loss of visibility. Always drive defensively and leave enough space between vehicles and our equipment to minimize snow spray.

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.

ONGOING

33RD ST E WB CURB LANE FROM 1ST AVE N TO QUEBEC AVE
(Unloading)
Start: October 1, 9:00 a.m. End: October 5, 4:00 p.m.

33RD ST E WB CLOSED AT 5TH AVE N
(Primary water main repair)
33rd St WB centre lane closed at 3rd Ave. 5th Ave closed from 33rd St to Empress Ave
Start: September 8, 9:00 a.m. End: October 9, 5:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN 19TH ST & SID BUCKWOLD BRIDGE
(Bridge maintenance)
1st Ave SB curb lane closed between 19th St & Sid Buckwold Bridge
Start: September 14, 7:00 a.m. End: October 4, 6:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR NB/SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANES CLOSED AT CLAYPOOL DR
(Road construction)
Claypool Dr WB closed from Airport Dr to McClocklin Rd
Start: September 15, 7:00 a.m. End: October 27, 6:00 p.m.

MELVILLE ST CLOSED FROM LORNE AVE & BRAND RD
(Force main installation)
Start: August 24, 7:00 a.m. End: October 30, 5:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N/HIGHWAY 16 NB & SB LANE RESTRICTIONS FROM 51ST ST E TO MARQUIS DR W
(Hwy 16 flyover repair)
Hwy 11/12 SB median lane closed at overpass
Start: July 13, 9:00 a.m. End: October 31, 5:00 p.m.

HWY 16 WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT ZIMMERMAN RD
(Road reconstruction)
Start: September 16, 7:00 a.m. End: November 15, 5:00 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.

Over the next three months, Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P) crews will be installing data collection devices throughout the city, as the roll-out of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program continues. The devices will enable AMI compatible meters (also known as smart meters) to be read remotely for both City electricity and water customers.

“Since 2008, we have replaced approximately 60 per cent of the 60,000 older-style mechanical meters with new, electronic meters that become ‘smart’ once the AMI system is operational,” says Kevin Hudson, Metering & Sustainable Electricity Manager. “Our next step is to install the data collectors which will wirelessly relay data over a secure network from the smart meters to the central management system located at City Hall.”

Forty-two data collectors will be installed in the SL&P Service Area as well as 20 data repeaters in the Evergreen, University Heights and Willowgrove neighbourhoods. The data repeaters are used to relay data from the new water meter communication modules installed in the SaskPower Service Area.

The devices will be installed at a height of 3 metres on existing power and street light poles in the SL&P Service Area, and on existing street light poles in the SaskPower Service Area.

“The new AMI system is expected to be operational by mid-2016, at which time customers who have already received a new electricity meter will begin to receive monthly bills based on actual, not estimated, usage,” says Hudson. “The balance of electricity customers should be converted to the new system by the end of 2017.”

The installation of new water meters where necessary, as well as the corresponding communication modules, is scheduled to begin this fall. All Saskatoon Water customers should be converted to the new system by the end of 2020. Bills showing actual water usage will begin in mid-2016 for those customers who have had an AMI communication module installed on either a new or existing water meter. 

Once operational, the new system will provide improved service for customers by providing actual meter readings on each monthly bill. It will also result in operational efficiencies for the City, as meter readers will no longer be required to visit individual properties, resulting in cost savings.

The City of Saskatoon is using a different brand of smart meter than the ones SaskPower was ordered to remove in 2014. The City has been installing meters supplied by the Elster Canadian Meter Company since 2008, and there have been no reports of problems like the SaskPower meters experienced. More information on smart meters is available at saskatoon.ca by entering Smart Meters in the search field.

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.

The City of Saskatoon invites residents to participate in the closing round of public engagement for the Growth Plan to Half a Million (Growth Plan) from Wednesday, October 14 to Sunday, November 8, 2015.  Join the conversation, either in person or online, to provide feedback on the proposed long-term plans and implementation priorities for a new transit system with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT); redevelopment along major corridors like 8^th Street, 22^nd Street, Preston Avenue, and College Drive; and a new river crossing connecting 33^rd Street to Preston Avenue, combined with dedicated BRT lanes on the University Bridge.

Mark your calendars!  This is your opportunity to have your say in Saskatoon’s future.

Growth Plan Come-and-Go Public Events
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Mayfair United Church, 902 33^rd Street West
4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 22, 2015
Saskatoon Field House, 2020 College Drive
4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Growth Plan Online Survey
October 14 to November 8, 2015
Review the final draft plan and provide feedback online at www.growingfwd.ca

This will be the fourth and final round of public engagement for the Growth Plan.  Once complete, the Growth Plan will help guide future infrastructure investments and land-use decisions so residents will have more choices for how they live and move around the city as Saskatoon grows to half a million people over the next 30 to 40 years.

For more information on the Growth Plan or to sign up for project update notifications, visit www.growingfwd.ca.

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.

Saskatoon Transit Phone & Go will be unavailable overnight this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (October 2 - 4) due to planned maintenance. Additionally, some of the City’s online services at saskatoontransit.ca and saskatoon.ca may experience temporary disruptions.

To minimize the impact to users of Transit Phone & Go and online services, this maintenance has been scheduled over the weekend. Phone & Go will still be available during the day both Saturday and Sunday. Outside of these times, Transit riders are invited to use an alternate trip planning tool such as E-Go Trip Planner, Google Transit or the Transit App on mobile.

Online services on saskatoon.ca may experience temporary interruptions over the weekend, such as:

• Business License Online 
• Drop-In Online (please call Leisure Centre directly to confirm drop-in schedule)   
• Inspections Online
• BizPal

Barring unforeseen circumstances, online services will operate as normal on the evening of Sunday, October 4.

The City strives to maintain Phone & Go and online services 24/7 but, on occasion, maintenance work causes interruptions. The City thanks residents for their patience.

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. You can also follow @StoonTransit on Twitter for timely updates on Saskatoon Transit service.

NEW

33RD ST E WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 1ST AVE N TO QUEBEC AVE
(Unloading)
Start: October 1, 9:00 a.m. End: October 5, 4:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 39TH ST W TO 38TH ST W
(Concrete restoration)
Start: October 1, 9:00 a.m. End: October 1, 3:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N NB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM GREY PL TO CONNAUGHT PL
(Concrete restoration)
Start: October 1, 9:00 a.m. End: October 1, 3:00 p.m.

HWY 11/16 CLOVERLEAF EB/WB MEDIAN (INSIDE) AND CENTRE LANES CLOSED APPROACHING OVERPASS
(Deck sealing)
There will be various interchanging EB & WB lane closures
Start: October 1, 11:00 a.m. End: October 1, 1:00 p.m.

NIGHT WORK: 8TH ST E EB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM SOMMERFELD AVE TO MCCOOL AVE
(Sewer maintenance)
Start: October 1, 10:00 p.m. End: October 2, 7:00 a.m.

ONGOING

33RD ST E WB CLOSED AT 5TH AVE N
(Primary water main repair)
33rd St WB centre lane closed at 3rd Ave. 5th Ave closed from 33rd St to Empress Ave
Start: September 8, 9:00 a.m. End: October 9, 5:00 p.m.

COLLEGE DR EB & WB FROM CLARENCE AVE N TO HOSPITAL DR
(Sewer connection repairs)
WB median lane, EB center & median lanes closed
Start: September 30, 9:00 a.m. End: October 1, 5:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN 19TH ST & SID BUCKWOLD BRIDGE
(Bridge maintenance)
1st Ave SB curb lane closed between 19th St & Sid Buckwold Bridge
Start: September 14, 7:00 a.m. End: October 4, 6:00 p.m.

AIRPORT DR NB/SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANES CLOSED AT CLAYPOOL DR
(Road construction)
Claypool Dr WB closed from Airport Dr to McClocklin Rd
Start: September 15, 7:00 a.m. End: October 27, 6:00 p.m.

MELVILLE ST CLOSED FROM LORNE AVE & BRAND RD
(Force main installation)
Start: August 24, 7:00 a.m. End: October 30, 5:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N/HIGHWAY 16 NB & SB LANE RESTRICTIONS FROM 51ST ST E TO MARQUIS DR W
(Hwy 16 flyover repair)
Hwy 11/12 SB median lane closed at overpass
Start: July 13, 9:00 a.m. End: October 31, 5:00 p.m.

HWY 16 WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED AT ZIMMERMAN RD
(Road reconstruction)
Start: September 16, 7:00 a.m. End: November 15, 5:00 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 Saskatoon Fire Department has outlined activities and events planned throughout National Fire Prevention Week, which runs from October 4 to 10 this year. The theme for the week is “Hear the Beep Where you Sleep, Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm”.

On Sunday, October 4, the department is hosting an Open House at Fire Station No. 1 between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. The Open House will include live burn, fire extinguisher and sprinkler demonstrations as well as an opportunity to shoot water at targets, tour a fire truck, and stand in the bucket of an aerial truck.

“Last year over 500 people attended the Open House and we are expecting even more this year,” says Assistant Chief of Communications and Public Relations, Dave Bykowy. “Fire Prevention Week gives us an opportunity to showcase what we have, explain what we do, and answer any questions citizens may have.”

In addition to the Open House, the department is also offering fire truck tours at specific fire stations between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday:

Fire Truck Tours – Fire Station No. 3 (1906 York Avenue)

Monday, October 5, 2015

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Fire Truck Tours – Fire Station No. 5 (421 Central Avenue)

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Fire Truck Tours – Fire Station No. 9 (870 Attridge Drive)

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Fire Truck Tours – Fire Station No. 8 (270 Slimmon Road)

Thursday, October 8, 2015

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The Saskatoon Fire Department is pleased to announce that Dave Bykowy is the new Assistant Chief of Communications and Public Relations.

Assistant Chief Bykowy has been with the Fire Department for over 29 years. During that time, he has worked in the department’s Operations Division as a firefighter and Captain, in the Fire Prevention Division as an Inspector and Investigator, in the Training Division as a Fire Service Instructor and Assistant Chief, and now as the Assistant Chief of Communications and Public Relations with responsibility for Central Dispatch, Community Relations and the media.

“We are actively working to increase our visibility throughout the community by sharing and participating in our neighbourhoods,” says Bykowy. “Communications and Public Relations are a critical focus for our Department to move forward in this area.”

Bykowy replaces Morgan Hackl who became Fire Chief in August 2015.