Construction for Regina's revitalization of Dewdney Avenue to begin next week - Action News
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Saskatchewan

Construction for Regina's revitalization of Dewdney Avenue to begin next week

The $32-millionrevitalization of a stretch of DewdneyAvenue between Albert Streetand Broad Street is set to be carried out over two years.

Along with new streetscape, construction will lay groundwork for new development at The Yards

Three people, one man and two women, hold shovels full of dirt while posing for a photo.
Saskatchewan's Minister of Government Relations Don McMorris, left, executive director of Regina's Warehouse Business Improvement District Leasa Gibbon, centre, and Regina Mayor Sandra Masters take part in a groundbreaking ceremony on April 25, 2024. (Alexander Quon/CBC)

A long-gestatingproject is set to start constructionin Regina next week.

The $32-million revitalization of a stretch of Dewdney Avenue between Albert Street and Broad Street is expected to take two years.

OnThursday, officials with the municipal and provincial governments broke ground in aceremony.

While the revitalization will improve transit routes and prioritize safety for pedestrians on the stretch of Dewdney, officials say the work that residents won't seewill alsohave long-reaching consequences.

"For our business to not only survive but thrive, we need this investment in infrastructure," said Leasa Gibbons, executive director of Regina's Warehouse Business Improvement District.

"We're going to transform this traffic corridor into a main street and that's going to have a generational impact to our city that most other cities are frankly dying for."

A woman in a black and white blouse with a black blazer stands at a podium.
Leasa Gibbons, executive director of Regina's Warehouse Business Improvement District, speaks with media on April 25, 2024. (Alexander Quon/CBC)

Mayor Sandra Masters saidthe revitalization project will help spurnew development at The Yards,a piece of land located betweenCasino Reginaand Dewdney Avenue.

The Yards has sat empty since CP Rail moved its rail yard out of Regina's downtown in 2012.

The $32-million Dewdneyrevitalization is supported by all three levels of government and serves as apart of thelarger $64-millionRailyards Revitalization Initiative.

A sign shows the total cost of the Railyard Renewal Project at $64 million.
Construction will begin on the Dewdney Avenue Revitalization the week of April 28, 2024, and is expected to last for two years. (Alexander Quon/CBC)

Masters said The Yards is intended to be a mixed-use neighbourhood that will include residential, green space and potentially a recreational facility.

"I'm just really pleased it's happening now. So that two years from now we can haveland available that's got the services necessary to build here, to actually revitalize The Yards and connect it into our city centre core," said Masters.

Kurtis Doney, deputy city manager of city operations, said this year's work will focus on replacing underground infrastructure that is now more than 100 years old.Rather than the old cast iron water mains that are underground now, the new infrastructure will be PVC plastic, which will last much longer and will be sized to accommodate future growth.

The second year of construction will focus on surface work, including paving and beautification.

Masters said that once construction is complete, the area will be ready to serve as a district in its own right.

"Brand new infrastructure, brand new buildings, brand new tenants, brand new residents," Masters said.

"I think that will cause support for all of these businesses, but also support for nightlife in the downtown as well."