SASKATOON —The Meewasin Valley Authority is happy to announce the opening of the newly upgraded Meewasin Trail promenade behind the Bessborough Gardens in Kiwanis Memorial Park. This is a key milestone in enhancing one of the most beloved stretches of riverfront in the city.
This upgrade is an important step for safety, accessibility, and user experience. As this is one of the most heavily used sections of the Meewasin Trail, the improvements help to better accommodate the thousands of pedestrians, runners, cyclists, and visitors who rely on it each year. The promenade, in combination with the adjacent trail, has been widened, now measuring more than six metres to reduce congestion, improve mobility, and create safer separation of trail users. New lighting, site furniture, signage, and landscaping all contribute to a more welcoming and fully accessible public space.
Two new lookouts now offer great vantage points of the South Saskatchewan River, creating more opportunities for residents and visitors to pause, gather, and enjoy the Valley.
Additional amenities are still to come, including a distinctive feature lighting installation that will be announced at a later date. Minor finishing work will continue through the end of the year, with new plantings planned for spring. None of this activity is expected to significantly affect public access.
"We are incredibly grateful to the community of supporters who brought this project to life," said Mike Velonas, CEO of Meewasin. "Our thanks go to our funding partners, the Government of Saskatchewan, the City of Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan, as well as the Government of Canada, Trans Canada Trail, and Meewasin’s generous donors. We also want to thank the dedicated Meewasin staff, city staff, consultants, contractors, and suppliers for their hard work. Finally, to the public, thank you for your patience and understanding with the detours. We are so excited to welcome you to this beautiful new space.”
This project marks one phase of a series of planned trail enhancements through downtown, which will ultimately extend from River Landing to Kinsmen Park, strengthening connection, accessibility, and the vibrancy of the Meewasin Valley.
This project marks one phase of a series of planned Trail enhancements through downtown, which will ultimately extend from River Landing to Kinsmen Park, strengthening connection, accessibility, and the vibrancy of the Meewasin Valley.
-30-
About Meewasin Valley Authority
The Meewasin Valley Authority exists to ensure a healthy and vibrant river valley, with a balance between human use and conservation by:
Providing leadership in the management of its resources;
Promoting understanding, conservation and beneficial use of the Valley; and
Undertaking programs and projects in river valley development and conservation, for the benefit of present and future generations.
There are 67 square kilometers of land and 108km of established trail, which has seen up to 2.365 million trail visits per year, in the Meewasin Valley. The area also features sites that help people to connect to nature through experiences such as Beaver Creek Conservation Area, the Meewasin Northeast Swale, Saskatoon Natural Grasslands, the River Landing Spray Area, and the Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink @Nutrien Plaza. Meewasin is a non-profit organization that relies on donations and volunteers for sustainability.
For Information Contact:
Emily Sweeney
Manager,
Marketing and Fund Development
306-477-9149
esweeney@meewasin.com