Saskatoon's City Centre Plan aims to change downtown

Saskatoons skyline could look drastically different in 15 years.

The City of Saskatoon has unveiled more details regarding its "City Centre Plan", a proposed long-term plan to change the downtown's image.

Alan Wallace is the city's director of planning and development. He saysthe city wants to make some big changes.

[We would]allow taller buildings. There is currently a height restriction of 76 metres.We would like to add some design guidelines for buildings designed in the future, Wallace said.

Saskatoons Planning and Operations Committee will review the plan Tuesday.

The plan outlines a series of design ideas and new policies aimed at creating more core housing unitsas well asimproving public transportation, infrastructure and commercial opportunities.

Wallace said Thursdaythe plan reflects what residents what to see in the downtown.

We need more public places, more places for people to gather and more green space, Wallace said.

In 2011,Saskatoon residents, business owners and other interested partieswere consulted by the city and asked to help guide the vision of the plan for downtown.

The plan aims to fill inareas of north downtown that are currentlylarge bald spots, includingthe parking lot next to the Ramada Hotel.

Wallace saidthere are many opportunities for development in regions surrounding IdylwyldDrive North.

Developers are showing interest in those parcels along Idylwyld Drive," said Wallace. "They see a different street.We are trying to encourage and entice more private investment downtown in those parcels that are currently vacant parking

lots.

The city hopes to implement the plan in stages over the next 15 years. Right now, there is no dollar amount attached to the ambitious project. But Wallace saidmoney for the changes will come from a conglomerate of current operating budgets for the city, as well as private-public partnerships..