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Saskatoon City Council received an update from the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo (SFFP&Z) on Monday regarding their master plan.
The new concept map outlines a large overhaul of the existing area, and is expected to take up to 15 years to complete.
The plan includes modern facilities, upgrades to existing amenities, and support of the facility as a National Historic Site.
Of the new modern facilities, “Habitat Hubs” include “the Hive,” and the “Northern Wilds Experience.”
The Hive will act as a central gathering area, with retail spaces and a feature attraction building. It’s hexagon-shaped, like a honeycomb, with a clear dome shaped roof.
The Northern Wilds Experience includes 38.3 acres, designed to represent the native prairies and the boreal forest.
“Cougar Mountain,” within the Northern Wilds Experience is proposed to be 4.8 acres of naturalized areas for open viewing.
The plan also outlines what they call “the worlds largest bear habitat” is also in the concepts, at 17.6 acres. Wolves, Elk, Bison, and Pronghorn are also included in the Northern Wilds Experience.
A proposed 250-seat ampitheatre is also in the works, with the hopes of hosting special events and free shows.
Encompassing the new attractions and facilities, is the Outdoor Adventure Parkland. It is said to, “tell a story as you walk through about the history of the site.”
It includes the early days, when the land was occupied by Indigenous peoples to now, the iteration of the SFFP&Z.
You can see the full concept map for the master plan here.
Concerns with admissions, parking lot
This marks the third master plan outlined by the SFFP&Z, and at Saskatoon City Council Monday morning, there were some issues laid out.
First, the parking lot plan garnered a lot of attention, mainly due to where it’s proposed to go.
The new lot is planned to be put directly when you enter the facility, a “ten minute walk,” said Saskatchewan Perennial Society’s Bernadette Vangool.
Shuttle service is proposed as well, but there are some concerns around the overall cost, and the manpower it will need to operate.
Vangool said her walk between the proposed parking lot and the admission area would have been a lot different if it was after a long day at the park.
“I don’t have toddlers along, I’m not coming home after they’re tired of walking the zoo. These are things to keep in mind.”
On the other end, the new admissions area is another concern.
Bernie Cruikshank, President of the Friends of the Forestry Farmhouse says all these new buildings could hurt the integrity of the historic sites.
“When we start putting new buildings in there, we change that landscape..as well as the pedestrian traffic flow, that’s where the concern lies.”
Even though the latest plan outlines a lot more about the new ideas for the SFFP&Z, nothing is solidified at this point, and the finalized plan is still set for this fall.