The City of Saskatoon has agreed to purchase the downtown YMCA building with plans to demolish it if council proceeds with a downtown event and entertainment district.
More than 100 city staff, advisors and delegates filled a convention room at TCU Place Thursday morning for an unveiling of the design concepts of the district.
"To me, this isn't a nice to have," Coun. Cynthia Block said. "I worry what will happen if we don't do this project."
The roughly 40-minute program resembled a pep rally as multiple speakers spoke about the positive impacts the proposed legacy project could have for the city and province as images of the concepts were displayed on walls on the building.
As that event was happening, and agenda for next week's governance and priorities committee posted to the city's website show two preferred options for the proposed convention centre at the heart of the district. Both options involve buying and demolishing the YMCA's location at 22nd Street for just over $8.5 million.
"Negotiations with the YMCA for acquisition of the 25 - 22nd Street East property have been completed and a conditional purchase/sale agreement has been arrived at between the parties," a city report said.
If the committee approves the purchase, the city will have spent more than $30 million on five properties surrounding the proposed district.
"This is all part of a broader plan for the district itself," said Dan Willems, the city's director of technical services.
Ten options proposed for the development of a new convention centre were narrowed down to two options in a report before the committee next week. Administration recommends expanding west and renovating the current TCU Place.
Auditorium Avenue, which runs between the YMCA and TCU Place, would be closed permanently.
The option administration recommends involves less cost, demolition and construction than an entirely new facility. Administration says it would also create development opportunity at the southeast corner of Idylwyld Drive and 22nd Street.
Since May 2022, administration and the YMCA have been discussing a new East Side Leisure Centre, which would be operated by the YMCA.
A report outlining the acquisition of the building says YMCA "also expressed an interest" in potentially operating Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre once reopened after renovations.
Harry Bailey closed in March 2023 in preparation for extensive renovations. Tenders for construction came in higher than anticipated and as a result, the initial tender was cancelled before being reissued.
Construction is currently set to begin on May 20 and take two years to complete.
During Thursday's presentation, a large cake resembling the computer generated arena and convention space greeted guests as they arrived. Later on, virtual reality kits were handed out to attendees so they could explore the space in three dimensions.
"This is a really important step in the journey to make this dream a reality for our city," Block said. "If we're serious about a city that's going to be more efficient, more affordable and more sustainable, we must drive more density to the core."
The visuals showed what the proposed area could look like in both winter and summer with a focus on a transformed 22nd Street.
