Watch above: The city is considering opening up public parks to private businesses flogging everything from food to water taxis.
SASKATOON – The South Saskatchewan River is the city’s prized attribute where locals hang out, and connect with nature. It’s also a place where commercial enterprises could be in operation by summer 2015.
City administration presented its recreation and parks master plan at Monday’s committee meeting of planning, development, and community services. .
Cary Humphrey, the city’s director of recreation and sport presented the report.
“We’re not going to overcrowd our parks that it affects the overall programming of the park so we’ll look at that very carefully,” said Humphrey.
Businesses could include summer ventures such as kayak, canoe, and segway rentals. The city says it’s also important to incorporate winter activities such as rentals for snowshoeing and cross country skiing.
The next step is receiving approval from the Meewasin Valley Authority (MVA).
Mike Valonas with the MVA is excited about the animation this would add but is cautious.
“These spaces belong to all of us and we all have equal rights and access to them and if we are to cordon off an area and say that there’s a business happening here and say, unless you are engaged in a commercial transaction, you are not welcome,” said Valonas anticipating certain scenarios, “that’s of concern.”
The report did not include information about the food and beverage industry.
“The stakeholders that we talked to about this policy felt that our parks didn’t actually need more food service vending in the downtown area given the sidewalk vendors we currently have and the close proximity to downtown restaurants,” said Humphrey.
If the city passes this policy change, it would apply to all parks city wide.
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