Hello Ward 7 Residents,
I hope that Spring is treating you well so far. Below are some updates on recent Council matters and City programs which I hope you’ll find helpful.
Speed Limit Changes
At the end of March, City Council approved the proposed amendments to the Reduced Speed Zones for Schools policy and a new draft policy for Playground Zones. These changes include a year-round speed reduction to 30 km/h daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The goal is to have the zones in effect prior to the new school year on September 1, 2022.
These changes will align the City’s school zone policy with national transportation guidelines and implement other best practices for pedestrian safety. The amendments include:
- New playground zones with reduced speed limit of 30 km/h;
- Year-round lower speed limits in both school and playground zones 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Adjustments to posted signs and length of current school zones; and
- Removal of lower speed school zones from high schools, designating them as a “school area” where u-turns are still restricted.
An amendment to the Traffic Bylaw will need to be presented to City Council before the effective date is approved, and signage and a public education campaign will be in place prior to the changes taking effect this fall. If you’re interested in learning more, you can New signs to identify the school and playground zones and an awareness campaign will advise drivers of the changes this fall. More information is available at saskatoon.ca/engage/speed-limit-review.
Changes to masking requirements
As of Monday, April 4th, masking requirements at a number of civic facilities have changed, and people accessing City Hall, Leisure Centres, indoor arenas, golf course buildings, indoor spaces at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo and the downtown Saskatoon Transit Customer Service Centre are no longer required to wear a face mask. Mask use continues to be welcomed, and masks will be available to residents upon request.
That said, masks will continue to be required for users of Saskatoon Transit. Masks will continue to be made available to Transit users, and audible announcement reminders and education on Saskatoon Transit will be ongoing.
The Saskatoon Emergency Management Organization continues to monitor the COVID-19 impacts on City staff and services in accordance with the COVID-19 Response Levels. A monthly update will be presented at the next meeting of City Council in April.
Spring roadways
Spring brings with it a need for street cleaning and repair, and so you’ll start to see street sweepers out for the early spring clean-up work. The intent of this program is to do a quicker pass around parked vehicles to get debris and dust off the roadways. Crews will return for the more thorough street cleaning program later in the spring, and schedule for this second sweep – and information about when your neighbourhood is likely to see this work – will be posted in early here in early May. The full, residential street sweeping program starting in May will require you to move your vehicle when your street is scheduled, so please be sure to watch for those yellow No Parking signs in your neighbourhood.
Pothole repairs are also underway – major potholes that can cause vehicle damage or injury are being temporarily repaired before hot mix asphalt for permanent repair is in production mid-April. At that time, City and contractor crews will be out in full force along high-traffic priority streets. In May, potholes will be repaired in residential streets once they are swept.
If you see potholes in your travels around Saskatoon, please report them using the City’s interactive map. To report emergency pothole locations, please phone our Customer Care Centre immediately at 306-975-2476.
Green Bin Program
I mentioned this in last month’s update, but consider this a reminder that you must be signed up for the Green Bin program before April 30th to be eligible for the early bird price of $65! Find more information here.
Dog Parks for Small Dogs
Over the years, a number of residents have asked me whether or not the City would consider building a dedicated off-leash area for smaller dogs. and a survey is now underway to get feedback on two proposed locations. Please register your feedback prior to April 25th, when the survey closes.
Downtown Event and Entertainment District
Plans for the development of a Downtown Event and Entertainment District are in the preliminary stages, with the current phase focused on the selection of a future site location for a new arena. As a key component of the plans for this process, Council has now appointed an Advisory Group from the project, comprised by residents and representatives of key stakeholders like the Province, Tourism Saskatoon, the Saskatoon Tribal Council, the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan, the Chamber of Commerce, the NSBA, and the Downtown and Riversdale BIDs. This Advisory Group has been established to foster connections between business, community partners, the provincial government and the City to support the successful implementation of the project.
An important next step in the process will be public engagement related to the preferred site selection for this project. Watch this page for updates on the overall project.
Thanks for reading!