NEW PEDESTRIAN CROSSING TO ST.MARY'S

Ready for Back-to-School-- City crews installed the new Active Pedestrian Crossing last week at the corner of Ave N South and 20th Street West. This crossing will provide a more direct pedestrian connection to the front entrance of St. Mary's Wellness & Education Centre. The pedestrian-activated signal one block west at Ave O will continue to provide a direct link to Grace Adam Park and other parts of Pleasant Hill Village.

NEIGHBOURHOOD ENTRANCE SIGN COMING SOON

The tender for the sign has now been awarded. Work on the footings will start by Labour Day and the sign will be completed by the end of October 2015.

The sign will be located in Grace Adam Park where Ave P South intersects the CPR tracks. This design was chosen by the Pleasant Hill Community Association and will serve multiple functions: heritage-- it will be built from brick preserved from the original 1913 St. Mary's School on-site; and traffic calming-- by alerting industrial traffic from the south that this is the start of a residential neighbourhood with significant foot traffic and crosswalks.

SELECTION OF DEVELOPER COMING SOON

Since the Request for Proposals (RFP) closed in March, the Pleasant Hill Village Community Review Committee has been meeting regularly to bring a recommended developer and recommended designs forward to Council for approval. Response to the RFP was very positive, and the Report to Council is expected in the early Fall.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RELEASED FOR LAST THREE PARCELS

On January 15, the City released the Request for Proposals on SaskTenders to select a developer to build on the three remaining vacant parcels at Pleasant Hill Village.

This is an exciting stage for the project as we near the end of the revitalization process begun in 2006. Three significant proposals were received in September through the Expression of Interest process, which is a sign of growing confidence in the neighbourhood as a place to invest and put down roots.

 

Based on the community vision for the site, all parcels will be built with ownership housing (no rental units), with each home having individual ground-oriented entrances. After the March 12 closing date, the Community Review Committee will evaluate the proposals and recommend a developer to City Council in May or June. The Committee includes several members from the Community Association as well as residents living on-site in the townhomes completed in 2010.

FINAL PARK PHASE COMPLETED, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS IN-PROCESS

Ahead of schedule and just in time for back to school in September, the last phase of construction at Grace Adam Metawewinihk Park was finished.

 

The most anticipated part of this was the basketball court, which was put into use immediately! Basketball is the #1 sport at Pleasant Hill Village, and it takes different forms-- in the St. Mary’s school gym both during the schoolday and with older youths and adults in the evening-- and now, outdoors in the park.

 

Another much loved park feature is the new community garden, with individual plots administered by partner CHEP Good Food. It opened just-in-time in June to produce its first crop by September.

 

 

 

Next to the new turf in the park field, there’s new furniture for both active and passive recreation. Benches to sit on and soak up the sun, and a skateboard rail and funbox to do the latest jumps and flips on.

 

Stay tuned for an update on planning the new housing developments that will face onto the park...     

NEW TURF AND SPRING BLOSSOMS ALL AROUND THE PARK

Grace Adam Metawewinihk Park is in full bloom on several fronts-- cherry trees, lilac bushes and the new turf on the playing field has transformed a dirt lot into a sea of green!

 

 

NEW PARK LANDSCAPE PLAN SHOWS FEATURES COMING THIS SUMMER

The new illustrated park plan shows where park furniture will be located, such as benches and the skateboard rail (coming in June). It also shows the half-basketball court (coming in August), which has been added since the last plan version. We're excited to be partnering with CHEP Good Food on the new community garden, located just behind Columbian Place. We're hopeful that everything will come together for it to be launched this summer! View the full size image here.

FIRST TWO DEVELOPMENTS IN PLEASANT HILL VILLAGE ARE SOLD OUT!

Exciting News!

The Pleasant Hill Village Redevelopment Plan has met another milestone by selling out our last City-owned condominium unit in the Pleasant Hill Village.

The City outlined some of the history of this process in a recent Public Service Announcement.
I have added some excerpts from that announcement below:

"The Pleasant Hill Village Project includes two separate developments with a total of 36 units.  As part of an agreement to attract developers to participate, the City agreed to purchase any unsold units."

"During its May 28, 2012 meeting, City Council adopted a new 9.99 Percent Sales Incentive  Grant funded from the Affordable Housing Reserve and a five-year property tax abatement for the project.  The adopted sales incentive grant and the property tax abatement have been instrumental in closing sales of 14 units since June 2012.

Since the Pleasant Hill Village project started in 2006, a main objective was to offer home ownership opportunities in a neighbourhood where rental occupancy rates were high.  Pleasant Hill Village is intended to attract families who want to live in a new home, in a community with a new school and wellness centre, daycare, and surrounded by a new park space, playgrounds, soccer fields, and a new seniors’ residence.

The Pleasant Hill Village Redevelopment Project will continue in 2014, with the release of three more sites for development.  The entire project is expected to be completed in 2015."

The 3 new sites for development will be Parcels A, C and F as shown above. Some small changes are proposed to these sites and the sites are currently being updated to continue the implementation of the Pleasant Hill Village Enhanced Concept Plan as intended.

The 2 sites labeled Parcels A & C are intended to be developed as condos aimed at ownership, while Parcel F is intended for a mixed use development that may include a residential component.

I look forward to continuing to work with the Community on this project. We have had a lot of input from the public through the Community Association and different groups associated with both Pleasant Hill School and St. Mary's School. If you feel you have any ideas or concerns feel free to share them with me, Keith Folkersen, by email through keith.folkersen@saskatoon.ca or by calling (306) 657-8779.

Decks on Cenith Solar Village and getting ready for the New Year!

Greetings from the City of Saskatoon!

My name is Keith Folkersen and I have started to take over some of the responsibilities for the Pleasant Hill Village Redevelopment! Nikki Newenham-Kahindi has left on Maternity leave and we would like to thank her for her hard work for the Pleasant Hill Community!

Construction has begun on the decks at the Cenith Solar Village and the Park Redevelopment.

The implementation of the Pleasant Hill Village Enhanced Concept Plan is ongoing and soon we will look to bring a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) to the Community to ensure we are still working towards the same goals.

Technical issues to implement the plan such as a new plan of proposed subdivision and a rezoning and concept plan amendment are all under way. These plans are all working to implement the original plan for the community. Most of these steps are to correct for the new location of St. Mary's School, the Park and other features that have been part of the areas redevelopment.

I look forward to being able to reveal more great community news to you soon!

Keith Folkersen

City of Saskatoon

Planning and Development

Moving along...

If you have not been in Pleasant Hill for a few weeks, it is certainly worth a visit! The progress on the cul-de-sac construction is immense. I took some photos while I was out on site this morning.

 

The 19th St. W cul-de-sac (pictured above) is nearing completion, with the sidewalks and curbing poured and the ground prepared for base gravel and asphalt.

 

I took this photo while standing the 19th St W cul-de-sac, looking north. You can just make out Columbian Place, the new seniors' residence, in the background of the picture. It is not hard to imagine the fantastic park space that will soon be created in this very space. Those trees that are healthy enough to preserve are protected, as you can see in the above pictures, with wooden stakes forming tree guards.

The above picture is taken looking south, from the new cul-de-sac at Columbian Place, just off 20th St. with the new St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre in the background. The view in this picture illustrates the sharp grade differences within this site. Careful grading and landscaping of the enhanced park space will properly drain water to the catchbasin southeast of the area pictured in the above photograph. The final details in the design of Phase II Grace Adam Park are coming together. The tender will close in late June, and construction is due to commence, on schedule, in July!

SaskEnergy needs to bury the gas line a little deeper than it is currently located, so construction on this cul-de-sac at Columbian Place will halt for the next few weeks until their work has been completed and it is safe to resume construction. The construction crew will focus their efforts on completing the 19th St. W cul-de-sac and come back to Columbian Place in due course.

Some of the ASL crew were hard at work this morning. They were clearly enjoying their work and taking pride in their progress. Thanks ASL, the work is coming along very nicely indeed!

Other things to watch for this summer include decks at the townhouses in the Pleasant Hill Solar Village and the neighbourhood entrance sign in the southwest corner of the project area, just north of the railway tracks. To be continued...

Progress!

Another two sales in the Pleasant Hill Solar Village, the snow has melted and construction is well underway at Columbian Place and 19th St!

It is happening now and so far things are on track and progressing smoothly. Currently the storm and sewer infrastructure is being laid, following which the cul-de-sacs will be created. The Saskatoon Light and Power pole has been relocated as required to accommodate the construction, and the fence at Columbian Place is also being relocated for the same reasons. We will see some of the overhead wiring buried too. There will be much to report over the next couple of months, so I will be providing more regular updates.

Take a look at the show suite in Parkview Green too! This unit has an amazing view of the new park area, the school and the tot lot!  

Is Spring here yet?

Well, yet another sale and occupancy in Pleasant Hill Village in March and ongoing behind-the-scenes work are contributing to the progress of this exciting and unique project!

When Spring finally does arrive, we will see the construction taking place on the new cul-de-sacs at Columbian Place and 19th St. W. There is a Saskatoon Light and Power pole that will be relocated to accommodate the cul-de-sac at Columbian Place, and the portion of the fence that is parallel to Columbian Place (formerly Ave O) will be moved back, to be flush with the seniors' building, again to accommodate the new cul-de-sac.

Also in Spring/ Summer this year, we will see lots of progress on the expansion and enhancement of the Grace Adam Park and the installation of a neighbourhood entrance sign at Avenue P, just north of the railway tracks. This will be an attractive feature announcing entry to a residential neighbourhood and the sign will incorporate the red bricks that were purposely salvaged from the old St. Mary's school building.

New decks will be installed at the Pleasant Hill Solar Village and create functional private space for residents to enjoy the view of the park and have friends over for a barbeque. These decks will go over the swale to provide a more usable and attractive private yard for residents in the north/ south building, backing Columbian Place.

Let us hope that the snow melts and the ground thaws soon! We have lots of work to do! Watch this space :-)

latest progress

Well, 2013 opened with a final sale and another family taking up residence in Pleasant Hill Village!

We had a concrete swale constructed at the back of the townhouses in the Pleasant Hill Solar Village, in the north side yard adjacent to Columbian Place. It successfully diverts water away from the parking lot, and cuts beneath the sidewalk at Avenue N.

 

Swale January 2013

  

Swale October 2012

   

The bus layby at St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre on Avenue N is complete and there is now much needed traffic calming in place at the school zone.

 

The construction fencing and landscape fencing around the school is coming down and opening up the linkages from the school to the park and adjacent stacked townhouses at Parkview Green.

The loading zone and disabled persons parking zones are now in place at Columbian Place.

 The fence parallel to Columbian Place on the west side of the property and the Sasktel pole (pictured below) will be relocated to make way for the cul-de-sac and associated right of way. The new fence line will be flush with the building.

Later this Spring, we will see more construction taking place as the progress continues! Infrastructure Services expects to complete the cul-de-sacs on 19th St.W. and Columbian Place and have the storm and sewer infrastructure in place by June this year. At this point, Parks will continue with the design and implentation of the final phase of Grace Adam Park!



Watch this space!

I have lots of good news to share today. Another unit has sold in the Pleasant Hill Village! This is exciting as we are really seeing the plans come to fruition and everything taking shape. Further, as the finishing touches are being applied to the new school and seniors' residence, interest in the purchase of the condominiums is accelerating. The showhomes looks fantastic and the cash grants and property tax discounts being offered by the City are sparking new momentum! I am eager to see how it will all come together when the new park is completed.



Columbian Place, Avenue O, gearing up for the official opening in September.

Paving and curbing at St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre, Avenue N.

Drop-off zone for St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre, Avenue N, looking south

Showhome at 315 Avenue N




as the project unfolds...

It has been quite a while since we posted the project's progress. I will now be posting the blogs instead of Alan, as I have been tasked with project managing Pleasant Hill Village.

It is rather exciting to see the project unfold as it is. Construction of the drop-off zone and bus layby at the St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre is well underway and the goal is for this to be completed when school resumes in the Autumn.

Construction of drop-off zone on Avenue N

Columbian Place now has the parking area paved and a decorative fence backing onto the Pleasant Hill Solar Village. 

Decorative fencing and paving at Columbian Place

Home Sweet Home! Have you visited the City of Saskatoon web page for Pleasant Hill Village lately? It's worth a visit and outlines the details of the new 9.99% sales incentive towards the purchase of a condominium and property tax discounts to boot! It is the perfect time to buy a new home in a fantastic location within Pleasant Hill. With the final touches being put on St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre, Columbian Place in the final stages, and the park expansion commencing later this year, what better time to move into your own abode? Click here to visit the Pleasant Hill Village website! Our realtors Jennifer (241-2229) or Kimberlee (717-1663) would love to give you a tour of one of the showhomes!

I hope you will enjoy watching how this exciting venture continues to unfold, as much as I am enjoying being part of it. Please feel free to post a comment below.

New St. Mary Education and Wellness Centre Looks Fantastic

The exterior treatment on the new St. Mary Education and Wellness Centre is nearly done.  The school looks substantial with lots of masonry, yet friendly and warm.  Plenty of windows are part of the design to allow natural light to enter the building and take advantage of what will be great views of the new Grace Adam Park.

St. Mary Front Entrance - South & East Facade

St. Mary North Facade



The masonry work on the new Columbian Place Seniors' complex also has similar exterior brick work to tie the developments together.  These two developments are the largest within the Pleasant Hill Village project.  Once these are completed in 2012, there are three remaining development sites which will be offered to home builders for construction of more family-oriented housing in 2013.

Columbian Place 20th Street (north) Facade