A former City of Saskatoon planning director is pointing out core neighbourhood development issues he thinks needs to be addressed by the next mayor and council.
Alan Wallace spent two decades working for the city and sees a lot of missed opportunity when it comes to making downtown Saskatoon more inviting.
He pointed out 10 items the new council could address including vacant spaces, boarded up homes and a permanent dock along the river.
Three of the items on the list are to do with downtown properties: vacant service station sites owned by oil companies, the go-kart track and the gravel parking lot across the street from the Delta Hotels Bessborough.
“Imagine a site with a river view, across from the Bessborough, on the best pedestrian street in Saskatoon. Now imagine a gravel parking lot on that site. This is what our provincial government thinks is the highest and best use for this site,” Wallace said.
He also addresses boarded up homes noting it takes too long for these properties to be addressed.
Earlier this year, city council made boarded up houses a higher priority for the Saskatoon Fire Department in an attempt for the city to work with property owners to address the problems around these homes more quickly.
Wallace pointed out the infrastructure from the temporary bike lanes are still in place along 23rd Street and 4th Avenue from pilot projects that started in 2015.
“The temporary infrastructure is still on the street, reminding everyone how awful bike lanes can be. (We) need to move forward and make this permanent infrastructure,” he said.
The municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 9.
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