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An extension of the Meewasin Trail is in the works for Saskatoon’s rapidly growing northeast, and local residents are being invited to help map out its future.
The Meewasin Valley Authority has unveiled a new conceptual blueprint that aims to bridge a major gap in the city’s primary trail network, the authority said in a news release on Sept. 5.
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The proposed development will stretch along the east side of the South Saskatchewan River, connecting the Circle Drive North Bridge all the way to the Chief Mistawasis Bridge.
The project will include trail lighting, new site furniture, wayfinding markers, interpretive signs, and fresh plantings.
Currently, the northeast corner of Saskatoon’s trail system remains incomplete, forcing users to navigate disconnected stretches between Sutherland Beach and Crocus Prairie.
Alan Otterbein, Meewasin’s Director of Development, said in the release that the project is about more than just laying down new pavement — it is about linking urban neighbourhoods directly to the prairie landscape.
“Once completed, it will provide new primary trail connections to significant natural areas such as Crocus Prairie, the Northeast Swale and the Small Swale, as well as existing and future neighbourhoods,” Otterbein said.
The project has been broken down into three critical milestones:
Creation: This is the phase Meewasin is wrapping up right now, which covers background studies, site analysis, and draft designs.
Validation: The upcoming phase where the public, landowners, and stakeholders get to critique the designs. This stage will require formal regulatory stamps of approval from the City of Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan, and Meewasin.
Implementation: The final stretch, which hinges entirely on securing funding. Construction will be rolled out in a series of distinct phases as dollars become available.
Have your say
Meewasin staff are taking the blueprints directly into the community with four outdoor pop-up events scheduled across the city this fall for residents to ask questions and view the alignment drafts.
The first will be held on Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Northeast Swale parking lot on Range Road 3050, running alongside scheduled conservation grazing demonstrations.
The second will be held on Sept. 23 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the west side of the Circle Drive Bridge pedway, just off Pembina Avenue.
That will be followed by an event at the entrance of the Sutherland Beach Dog Park on Oct. 3 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with the final showing on Oct. 8 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Crocus Prairie.
For commuters and trail enthusiasts unable to make it down to the pop-ups in person, Meewasin has posted the conceptual trail drawings, a detailed FAQ, and a public feedback survey online at meewasin.com/masterplans.
The Meewasin Valley Authority is a non-profit that exists to ensure a healthy and vibrant river valley. It looks after 67 square kilometers of land and 108 km of established trails, which has seen up to 2.365 million trail visits per year, the authority said in the release.
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