News Releases

The waterslide in the leisure swimming pool at Lakewood Civic Centre is now up and running, and ready for the public to enjoy! 

The waterslide had been closed for repairs for several months as a result of ground movement issues in the mechanical crawlspace affecting the pump that supplies water to the slide.  All necessary repairs have now been completed.

The City of Saskatoon sincerely thanks the public for their patience and understanding, and would like to invite everyone to enjoy free access to celebrate the reopening of the waterslide on Saturday, April 11, from 1 to 5 p.m.  During this time, no admission fee will be required to public swim, access the fitness or weight rooms, or take part in drop-in basketball.

For more information, call Lakewood Civic Centre at 306-975-2944 or visit www.saskatoon.ca/lakewood.

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

WANUSKEWIN RD SB LANES CLOSED BETWEEN 71ST STREET AND MARQUIS DR
(SaskEnergy gasline work)
Detour via 71st St WB and Arthur Rose Ave. 71st St EB closed between Arthur Rose Ave and Wanuskewin Rd
Start: April 10, 9:30 a.m. End: April 10, 11:30 a.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 Spring Street Sweeping Blitz programs and the Pothole Blitz program will begin on Monday April 13.  These programs are designed to address the high-traffic (priority) streets over a three week period. The Priority 1 streets will be swept at night to enhance public and crew safety and reduce the impact for drivers.  The Priority 2 streets will be swept during the daytime hours.

“With warmer weather finally here, we want to get out there and clean things up as quickly as possible,” says Pat Hyde, Director of Public Works. “Less sand and debris on the priority streets as a result of the improved winter de-icing and snow removal programs will contribute to the success of the spring clean-up programs.”

The Spring Sweeping Blitz is designed to collect the bulk of the debris left behind over winter and benefits the Accelerated City Wide Neighbourhood Sweeping program by making it more efficient and cost effective. The Blitz will also remove sand and debris from medians where snow was stored. There will be no parking enforcement applied during the Blitz programs.  Sweepers will go around parked vehicles.

2015 Improvements:

• When weather permitted, crews were out as early as March 30, pre-sweeping many high-traffic streets in advance of the Blitz.
• A new coordinated approach to first sweeping medians and boulevards on high-priority streets will be more efficient and reduce traffic impact.

Once the Blitz sweep programs are complete, the Accelerated City-Wide Neighbourhood Sweeping begins and will continue for approximately six weeks, weather dependant.  Should the Blitz sweep programs progress as scheduled the City Wide program is expected to start on May 4.  During the City-Wide program parking enforcement will be applied in order to allow for a full curb-to-curb sweep.  Further information will be provided closer to the program start date.

The Spring Pothole Blitz will be focused along many of the same high-traffic streets as the Spring Street Sweeping Blitz programs. Pothole repairs for all remaining streets will also continue throughout the Accelerated City Wide Neighbourhood Sweeping program. Hot-mix asphalt is now available and is being used to repair potholes. Residents are encouraged to report locations with the online Report-a-Pothole map or call Public Works Customer Service at 306-975-2476.

The Spring Sweeping Blitz Schedule is available at saskatoon.ca/betterroads. Stay tuned for the Accelerated City-Wide Neighbourhood Sweeping Schedules to be posted soon.

The City of Saskatoon’s Wildwood Golf Course and Holiday Park and Silverwood Driving Ranges are now open for the season.  Holiday Park and Silverwood Courses are being targeted to open late next week, and updates on the scheduled opening dates will be posted at www.saskatoon.ca/golf.

Holiday Park (Phone:  306-975-3325; 1630 Avenue U South)

Silverwood (Phone:  306-975-3314; 3503 Kinnear Avenue)

Wildwood (Phone:  306-975-3320; 4050 8th Street East)

Online tee time reservations are available during the season at www.saskatoon.ca/golf.  Golfers are able to book 9 or 18 holes of play for groups of one to four players up to ten days in advance at any of the three municipal golf courses.  Online tee time reservations are not available for same day bookings.  Same day bookings can be completed by phone or in person.  A valid email address is required to make tee time reservations.

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.

For the second year in a row, the City’s Housing Business Plan has exceeded the targets set by City Council.  The plan supported the creation of 542 new attainable units in 2014.

“Adequate housing is an important part of the City’s Strategic Plan adding to the quality of life for all residents,” says Director of Planning and Development, Alan Wallace.  “It enables young people and newcomers to put down roots and contribute to the growth of our city.”

 The recently released Annual Report on the 2013 – 2022 Housing Business Plan shows the City has slightly exceeded the target for each of the five housing types identified in the plan, with the exception of affordable ownership housing; that target is expected to be met and surpassed this year: 

            Targets and Results Achieved in 2014

 While the plan has helped make improvements throughout 2014, the cost and supply of attainable housing in Saskatoon continued to be a challenge for some low- and moderate-income earners.  The average price of a Saskatoon home was $356,476, and the monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment averaged $1,093.

 “A priority of the City’s Housing Business Plan is to create attainable housing in all areas of the city,” Wallace says.  “In 2014, 82% of the newly created attainable units were located on the east side, including the first purpose-built rental units in the new Evergreen neighbourhood.  These new units are providing attainable housing options in some of Saskatoon’s more expensive neighbourhoods.”

 Approved by City Council in June 2013, the Housing Business Plan contains a variety of incentives and initiatives, which support the creation of attainable housing units across the housing continuum:  from emergency shelters to home ownership units for first-time buyers.

 For more information on the Housing Business Plan and the work the City is doing in this area, visit www.saskatoon.ca/housing or call 306-975-3340.

 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.

Beginning Monday, April 13, 2015, the Landfill will be operating on summer hours from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week.  Summer hours are in effect until mid-October.

The Landfill is located off of Valley Road, south of 11th Street and accessible by residents and commercial customers.  Our entrance fee remains at $10 per vehicle per visit this year; however, some changes to other disposal fees are available on our website.

Advise the scale attendant if you are bringing in recyclables, as some materials can be recycled for free.  Please follow all signs and/or instructions from Landfill staff.

For more information about the Landfill, including service alerts, and the City’s Waste and Recycling programs, visit saskatoon.ca/garbage.  

New this year, weekly collection of residential Black Carts begins May 4, one month later than previous years. 

Black Carts will continue to be collected every two weeks through April, as shown in the Waste and Recycling Calendar available at saskatoon.ca/collectioncalendar and the print calendar that was mailed to each household in January. 

Reduce your household garbage by recycling all your paper and packaging in your Blue Cart and consider subscribing for a Green Cart for un-bagged leaves, grass clippings and garden waste.  Residents can also take yard waste to the City’s compost depots free of charge, beginning April 13.

Sign up online for e-mail or phone reminders to never miss a Blue and Black Cart collection date at saskatoon.ca/collectioncalendar.    

NEW

3RD AVE S NB CLOSED FROM 21ST ST E TO 22ND ST E
(Transformer Installation)
Start: April 7, 6:30 p.m. End: April 7, 8:30 p.m.

3RD AVE N NB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 24TH ST E TO 25TH ST E
(Transformer Installation)
Start: April 7, 8:00 p.m. End: April 7, 10:30 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.

As warmer temperatures near, the City of Saskatoon (City) reminds visitors to the Woodlawn Cemetery of the guidelines for gravesite memorials, which are intended to maintain a pleasant environment and respect the final resting place of loved ones.

Only approved monuments or memorials are considered permanent items and are permitted to remain in the cemetery year-round.  All other items placed on a gravesite, flowerbed, monument, or concrete foundation are considered temporary and need to be removed weekly.  Flowers and other items are permitted on the gravesite the day of the burial and will be left for a period of seven calendar days.  After this time period, items will be removed by the City.  Please note, the City does not take responsibility for any removed, damaged, or missing items placed in the cemetery by the public.

From May 1 to October 15:

• Families may establish a flowerbed at the gravesite (with the exception of Military burials in the “Field of Honour” and flat marker areas) upon approval from the Cemetery Office.  Annual flowers are allowed, provided they do not hang over the edge of the flowerbed or impede maintenance of adjacent gravesites.
• Items not allowed within flowerbeds include shrubs, perennials, decorative fencing, rocks, stones, concrete, and breakable or fragile items.
• The City assumes no responsibility for the appearance, maintenance, and fall cleanup of approved flowerbeds planted by the public.  If flowerbeds are neglected, they will be removed.

The Cemetery Office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays.  All inquiries should be directed to the Cemetery Office at 306-975-3308.

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 has launched the Building Better Roads plan for 2015. This is the second year of a three year strategy to dramatically improve the condition, safety and longevity of Saskatoon’s road network.

“Despite the significant gains we made in 2014, we recognize that more work is required to ensure that our public infrastructure meets the needs of residents,” says Angela Gardiner, Acting General Manager of Transportation and Utilities. “We are heading into another busy season of road work that will rival 2014 in terms of the number of work zones and traffic detours. We expect residents will again see a noticeable difference in the condition of our roads.”

In 2015, more than $53 million will be spent on Saskatoon roads, including street sweeping, pothole patching, sidewalk rehabilitation, back lane upgrades, road construction and repair, as well as snow and ice management. In 2014, $50 million was invested, 47 per cent more than in 2013. This investment into roads demonstrates the commitment to improving roads as residents have again identified road conditions as the single most important issue facing Saskatoon, according to the annual Civic Services Satisfaction Survey.

“Last year we used more efficient ways to complete the road repair work to minimize the amount of time high-traffic roads were closed for construction, such as evening work and 24 hour work,” says Gardiner. “The 2015 construction season will continue to see these efficiencies to allow the work to be completed timely and effectively, while reducing the impact to drivers, residents and businesses.”

We are also pleased to launch our upgraded Report a Pothole map allowing residents to report potholes online. The enhanced version allows residents to include more descriptions that will help crews locate and repair potholes more quickly and efficiently. It is available for use on desktop browser, mobile phone or tablet device. Residents can find the tool on saskatoon.ca under Popular Services for Residents. Residents should continue to report emergency potholes to Public Works Customer Service at 306-975-2476.

Crews have already been repairing larger potholes on priority streets since the snow melted and will continue full force into the spring and summer. Pre-sweeping programs on priority streets have also begun with Downtown already complete. For more information and schedules throughout the season visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads.