City of Saskatoon considers relocating Downtown City Yards

Next week, city councillors will discuss a plan to move Saskatoon's city yards to a new location in the city's Marquis Industrial Park.

A new report is recommending the city buy two plots of land between Wanuskewin Road and Arthur Rose Avenue to move the current site out of the downtown core.

"In addition to city growth increasing demand on civic operations, planning for a Saskatoon population of 375,000 to 500,000 over the next few decades,and the physical limitations on expanding the current City Yards, there is a need to relocate some of these civic operations and begin to make the land available for future redevelopment," reads the report.

The current City Yards islocated just off 25th Street andhas been in its current location since the 1940s.

In 2010, the city bought land near the Saskatoon Landfill and built the Civic Operations Centre. It isnow home to Saskatoon Transitas well as the city's snowmelt facility.

With a major part of civic infrastructure now located in the city's south, administration felt it was important for other services to be located in the north end as well.

"A north district yard would also improve efficiencies in operations and better serve residents, as back-and-forth commuting from work zones in the northern portion of Saskatoon to City Yards and COC would be significantly reduced," read the report.

"One of the operational efficiencies identified is that slow-moving vehicles would not need to be trailer hauled to work sites and the need for additional hauling equipment would be reduced."

The plan would purchase the current location of Norseman Structures off Wanuskewin Road for $15 million. However, the deal would also include an annual leaseback payment to Norseman of $1.125 million over eight years.

The city would also buy a second, adjoining parcel of land on Arthur Rose Avenue for $1.79 million.

The total net cost of the land would be $7.8 million.Administration said the eight-year leaseback payment would give the city time to plan for the new City Yards developmentand give Norseman Structures time to plan and develop another facility.

The city plans on paying for the project through gas tax funds, selling city assets and borrowing.

The current city yards is used for refuelling and storing equipment for road maintenance, garbage collection and fleet maintenance.

Councillors will discuss the proposal at the Standing Policy Committee on Finance Monday afternoon.