Preparation for Redevelopment

By May 2007, the City of Saskatoon had completed the purchase of the first phase of properties. This totalled 1.5 blocks and 22 single unit dwellings. The Environment Services Branch conducted phase 1 and 2 environmental assessments of the land. Other than some heating oil tanks left over from the days before natural gas, the land was clean and could be used for park or residential purposes.

Rob Tomiyama and Bruce Bouthilette of the Facilities Branch obtained demolition permits and fenced the area. Demolition commenced in July/07. Unfortunately, none of the housing stock was in good enough condition to be re-used.

Demolition and clean-up was only the start. Simultaneously, the Planning and Development Branch were undertaking the subdivision and rezoning process to prepare the first two sites for development.

Terry Fusco and Kellie Grant of the Land Branch provided the subdivision services by contracting Saskatoon Land Surveyors to create the land parcels for development and road closure process.

Parcels B and D would be created first. Each was rezoned to accommodate the type of housing envisaged in the Redevelopment Concept Plan. Jesse Sirota handled the rezoning of these two sites.