Keep in the loop with all things Ward 8.
I hope you have had a wonderful summer. I know many families are now gearing up for the start of school. I hope you enjoy these last few weeks of summer.
This month's newsletter contains some ward specific updates, including the proposal near Lakewood Civic Centre, and rezoning in Brighton. There are also some big items up for discussion related to the Downtown Event and Entertainment District, including a private partnership agreement and the funding strategy. Updates on all these items are included in the body of this email.
Don't forget to check out the community events at the bottom of this newsletter. Our local Community Associations, including Briarwood and Greystone, are planning community events in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Sarina
Ward 8 UpdatesHousing Accelerator Fund – Removal of Municipal Reserve Designation – 1635 McKercher DriveIn follow up to direction issued in June, a report will be before Council this month recommending removal of the municipal reserve designation from a portion of 1635 McKercher Drive in order to offer the land for sale. This is in response to an initiative outlined in the City of Saskatoon’s Housing Action Plan for the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) to make City-owned land available for development to increase the supply of affordable housing. Some key pieces of information related to this proposal include:
At this time, no details have been determined around how the project will look but the sale criteria will have some aspects regarding integration with the surrounding community. The June report provides an appendix which includes an example photo of what a building in this zoning district might look like. This can be found here on page 4. As with any Public Hearing item, any member of the public is able to provide correspondence or request to speak. Details on how to do so can be found here with the full agenda available here. Furthermore, the leaflet that was shared with the adjacent Community Associations can be found here. Proposed Brighton Neighbourhood Concept Plan Amendment and Rezoning – Brighton Gate and Gibson BendNorth Prairie Developments Ltd. applied to amend the Brighton Neighbourhood Concept Plan to change the land use of the site located adjacent to Brighton Gate and Gibson Bend, from Mixed Use 1 – Residential/Retail/Institutional to Medium Density Multi Unit Dwellings. The application also includes rezoning the site from RMTN(H) – Townhouse Residential District subject to Holding Symbol to RM4 – Medium/High Density Multiple-Unit Dwelling District to facilitate residential development. More information on this application can be found here. Update on blue-green algae testing at Briarwood PondThe City of Saskatoon is pleased to provide an update regarding the recent blue-green algae testing conducted on July 30, 2024 with samples collected from Briarwood Pond. Laboratory results have been received, confirming the presence of blue-green algae in local water samples, however the levels of cyanotoxins detected are significantly lower than safety thresholds. The test results indicate that the cyanotoxins present in sampling were found to be thirty times lower than the provincial safety guidelines established by the Healthy Beaches Program. This means that the water quality remains within safe parameters for recreational use and poses no immediate health risks to the public. The City will continue to monitor and re-test based on visual assessment. In the interest of public safety, all recreational water activities will still be prohibited until further notice and signage around the pond will remain in place. Residents with pets also are still advised to avoid the pond. When ingested, water with blue-green algae can cause sickness and/or death in animals depending on the level of toxicity. Health Precautions:
Your cooperation in adhering to these safety measures is greatly appreciated. City Council MeetingsDowntown Event and Entertainment District1) Private Partner ReportThe Request for Proposals (RFP) process to identify a potential private partner to provide operations management and contribute funding to the development of the new event centre/arena and renovated and expanded convention centre and renovated theatre has been completed. Through negotiations, the Administration has reached an Agreement Framework with the preferred proponent. This Agreement Framework defines the various terms of agreement between both parties from which a detailed Master Agreement will be subsequently negotiated. This report seeks City Council’s approval of the Agreement Framework, after which the Administration would complete negotiation of a Master Agreement with the proponent. Negotiations to date have focused on the development of an Agreement Framework, which outlines the key points of agreement between both parties that will then be used as the foundation for the development of the Master Agreement. The City’s negotiation team is supported by a Deal Structure and Negotiations Advisor (Hunden Strategic Partners) and by a Legal Advisor (MLT Aikins LLP). A summary of the key principals for the Agreement Framework for Private Partner Master Agreement is provided in Appendix 1. Between the initial upfront capital contribution and annual revenue projections over the 25-year term of the operating agreement, the total net cash flow to the City over this period that can be used towards the capital cost of the project is projected to be $170 million. The proposal will result in $20 million in up-front capital contribution and an additional $150 million in forecasted operating revenue sharing over the 25-year agreement period. OVG’s financial proposal represents the company’s largest Canadian venue management capital investment. 2) Funding Strategy ReportThe long anticipated funding strategy for the DEED is being presented to City Council this month. City Council’s approval of the funding strategy is not a commitment to initiate construction. Approval of the recommendations in this report would signal to the Administration and to funding partners that the project is a priority for Saskatoon and would instruct the Administration to work towards a fully funded project. This approach is modelled after other large projects in Saskatoon such as the completion of Circle Drive South in 2013, the Traffic Bridge, North Commuter Parkway and Chief Mistawasis Bridge project that was completed in 2018, and the recently announced Bus Rapid Transit initiative. The approach is to evolve the project so that it is ‘shelf-ready’ for the point in time when funding from other levels of government becomes available, and the economic environment is conducive for a major public infrastructure investment. Although the vision may seem ambitious, Saskatoon has a track record of turning ambitious projects into reality by having the right project ready at the right time. Intergovernmental financial support is a fundamental component of the funding strategy. Similar to other major City projects that have benefitted from federal and provincial funding programs, Administration will work towards securing financial commitments from other orders of government consistent with cost sharing arrangements from recent major infrastructure programs such as the ICIP and Building Canada Fund. The City’s portion of funding within the funding strategy builds on the KPMG Study presented in 2023 and none of these funding tools require an increase in the property tax rate to support the project. The tools are comprised of the following elements:
This funding strategy is based on a 33-year plan that includes a 30-year debt repayment. The total estimated project cost is approximately $1.22 billion (2024 dollars) for the full scope of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District project, as outlined in Appendix 2. This includes the new arena/event centre, renovated and expanded convention centre, renovated theatre, new parkade, public plazas, park space, utility upgrades, public realm improvements and land assembly. The City would be able to fund approximately 27.5% to 33.0% of the total project costs using the proposed funding tools. This proportion is consistent with past funding requirements under the City’s ICIP (40% federal, 33.33% provincial, and 26.67% municipal) as well as the previous Building Canada Fund (33.33% from each order of government). The vision for the DEED is more than just an arena/event centre and convention centre; it includes revitalizing a significant portion of Downtown to be attractive places for residents and visitors of all walks of life to enjoy. City Council’s approval at this stage signals to the public, the Administration, private investors, community stakeholders, and other orders of government that the project is a priority for Saskatoon. What remains is a funding contribution by other orders of government and the necessary enabling legislative changes or agreements to take full advantage of the revenue tools described in this report and appendices. The full report, along with accompanying appendices (1 and 2) can be found at the attached hyperlinks. Additional reports of interest
The full agendas for the July meeting can be found here: Regular Business and Public Hearing. |
What's happening in Ward 8!
Here are some other great things happening in Ward 8 soon or put on by members of our community.
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Sarina Gersher - Ward 8 Councillor
www.wardeight.ca