The Central Business District is one of seven development districts in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The central business district is Ward 6 of a Mayor-Council government represented by councillor Cynthia Block. Formerly called West Saskatoon, this area arose when the steam engines built their pumping stations on the lower west bank of the South Saskatchewan River. Retail enterprises sprang up around the newly created train station and rail yards. The city of Saskatoon's Central Business District has shopping malls and boutiques.

History

In 1890 the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway Line (QLLR) or The Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Steamboat and Railway Line (QLLSR) extended from Regina through to Prince Albert, crossing the South Saskatchewan River where the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge crosses the river presently. Steam engines could be refilled easier on the west banks of the river which were not so steep. Businesses sprang up around the pumping station forming the beginnings of the Central Business District.A History of Saskatoon To 1914 URL accessed February 1, 2007 The first post offices were named Saskatoon and West Saskatoon. For clarification, the post offices adopted the titles Saskatoon down town and Nutana (meaning "first born") for the east side of the River settlement.Saskatoon Gen Web Narratives of Saskatoon URL accessed February 2, 2007] Section 28, Twp.36, R.5, W3 was the location of West Saskatoon Post office located at 21st & 1st Ave.Archivia Net National Archives Dominion Land Grants URL accessed February 2, 2007

With settlement on the west side of the river, 32 children needed to cross the river to attend the Stone School on the east side where there were 67 students in total. To cross the river, there was only the wooden rail bridge without walkway or by ferry. Another school – Pioneer School – was envisioned in 1900 at Third Avenue around 19th Street.Saskatoon Gen Web Narratives of Saskatoon URL accessed February 2, 2007]

This area became a village of 100 citizens on November 16, 1901, named Saskatoon, and July 1, 1903, became a town. 1912, City Hall had official headquarters in the old King Edward School; 23rd St and 3rd Avenue. 1928 saw Eaton's opening in the building on 21 Street and Third Avenue, which later housed the Army and Navy Department Store and now the Saskatoon Board of Education offices. The armouries of the 29th Saskatchewan Light Horse Regimental Headquarters and 105th Fusiliers Division were constructed in south downtown in 1922. The Saskatoon Arena was constructed in 1937 on 19th Street and torn down in 1989.

The Central Business District is one of Saskatoon's seven suburban development districts. The Saskatoon downtown revitalization project began in the 1950s and 1960s when the Canadian National Railway yards were removed and replaced with a shopping mall in its image called the Midtown Plaza, and its neighbour the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium and Convention Centre (recently renamed TCU Place). Eaton's and Simpson's Sears were the first anchors for the Midtown Plaza.Saskatoon and District Chamber of Commerce South Downtown Taskforce URL accessed February 1, 2007]

The present day City Hall had its opening ceremonies on June 23, 1956City of Saskatoon – Archives – History URL accessed February 1, 2007] October 5, 1965 was the last day the Canadian National Railway (CNR) passenger train ran through downtown Saskatoon over the old CNR bridge; it was replaced by the Idylwyld Bridge Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge on October 28, 1966. April 1, 1968 saw the official opening ceremonies of the Centennial Auditorium, and a short while later the first businesses in Midtown Plaza opened (the complete mall opened officially on July 30, 1970; it was enlarged in the 1990s. The Hudson's Bay Company building on 23rd Street East and 2nd Avenue has been converted to condominium living, and the adjacent Bayside Centre is now owned by Ashley Furniture. The Hudson's Bay Company and Sears Canada are the current anchors in the Midtown Plaza shopping mall, The Bay having replaced the now-defunct Eaton's.Saskatoon Retail Survey URL accessed February 1, 2007] A longtime downtown landmark, the "Skywalk" that used to connect the 23rd Street/2nd Avenue Bay store with a neighbouring parkade was demolished in the late 2000s (along with the parkade). Book written about Down Town Saskatoon: City of Saskatoon Core Neighbourhood Study Review, 1980: vol. 3: Land use Policies and Land Use Patterns.How to research a subdivision – Local History pathfinder ... URL accessed April 1, 2007

Demographics Condominiums are located in the downtown core area which house mostly seniors, University of Saskatchewan students and employees of the downtown business sector.

The average family income in the central business district is $35,420 amongst households which average 1.4 persons. Homeownership in this area is 24.5%. The 2nd Avenue Lofts is an example of one building originally intended for commercial operations that has in recent time been converted to residential. The population of downtown was approximately 3258 people as of 2022.

Economy

There is of retail and restaurants in of building development in the allotted to the downtown core.Saskatoon Down Town Plan URL accessed February 4, 2007

Second Avenue was revamped to provide angle parking and created a unique strip mall type of shopping area in the revitalised downtown core. The ceremonies of July 30, 1970 celebrated the opening of Saskatoon's enclosed downtown shopping mall named Midtown Plaza and developed on the former CNR yards.

The Scotia Centre Mall houses office of the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and boutiques and restaurant.

Education Currently the downtown core hosts private vocational schools, career colleges and trade schools such as CDI College, Academy of Learning, Marca College, Marvel Schools – Saskatoon School of Esthetics and Hairstyling, McKay Career Training, Regency College, Saskatoon Business College and Universal Career College.Saskatoon Career Colleges and Trade Schools URL accessed February 7, 2007 Pioneer School, an early stone elementary one room schoolhouse, was ready for use in 1900. This frame building was moved to the King Edward School site c.1912 to provide more classrooms to the replacement brick building. King Edward School opened July 1904. The frame Pioneer school closed at its location, but was soon moved to supplement classes at King Edward School. It was not long before another King Edward school was rebuilt to serve the educational needs of the public school children still residing in this area. It was located in City Park now Kinsmen Park a part of the City Park subdivision. The second King Edward School was on 25th Street until it was demolished in 1980A View From Above A Key to Landmarks URL accessed February 14, 2007 The Gathercole Building started out as the Technical Collegiate Institute in 1931. In 1968, the Technical Collegiate Institute housed the administration offices and Riverview Collegiate. In 1972 it was called the Dr. F. J. Gathercole Education Centre. This building has recently been torn down and the area is part of the South Downtown – River Landing Project.Heritage Resources Impact Assessment of the Gathercole Property in ... URL accessed February 7, 2007 The T. Eaton Store which later became the Army & Navy Department Store is now the location of the Saskatoon Public School Board.

Governance

The village of Saskatoon, often referred to as West Saskatoon was incorporated in 1901. When Saskatoon, Riversdale and Nutana amalgamated to form the city of Saskatoon in 1903, James R. Wilson (Russell Wilson) was the first mayor. In 1912, the King Edward School building housed the City of Saskatoon City Hall Chambers in the heart of the Central Business District at Third Avenue and 23rd Street. The first King Edward School building was used as City Hall until 1956, when it was demolished and replaced with modern civic buildings. The municipal government holds weekly meetings Monday evenings at City Hall located at 222 3rd Avenue North located in the Central Business District.

Federally, Saskatoon and Saskatoon City were the electoral districts that represented the central business district in the House of Commons of Canada from 1908–1968. Currently the central business district lies within the Saskatoon West riding and has been represented by Brad Redekopp of the Conservative Party of Canada since 2019.

Provincially, the area is mostly within the boundaries of Saskatoon Centre. It is currently represented by David Forbes of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party who was first elected in 2001. A small portion of the neighborhood north of 24th Street is within the boundaries of Saskatoon Meewasin.

In Saskatoon's non-partisan municipal politics, the Central Business District lies within ward 6. It is currently represented by Councillor Cynthia Block who was first elected in 2016.

Public services

Saskatoon Light & Power provides electrical utilities to all Saskatoon neighbourhoods which existed prior to 1958. Water is treated and supplied by the City of Saskatoon Water and Wastewater Treatment Branch. There are health professional offices in the central business district, such as physician, dentist, optometric services. The three Saskatoon hospitals are located in other nearby neighbourhoods. St. Paul's Hospital is located in Pleasant Hill, Royal University Hospital is located in the University of Saskatchewan Land Management area, and Saskatoon City Hospital is located in City Park. The Saskatoon Police Service Headquarters location is within the central business district located at 130 4th Avenue North. The Central Division oversees the Central Business District, the Riversdale Business District, SIAST and nine other residential areas. The central business district is served by the City of Saskatoon Saskatoon Fire & Protective Services, Fire Hall number 1 and head office is located at 125 Idylwyld Drive South, Riversdale.

Recreation

Arena The Saskatoon Arena, originally located on the south side of 19th Street between 1st and 2nd avenues, was the city's main venue for sports events from 1937 until its closure in the early 1980s, and was also used for concerts and other events. The Arena was home to the early Western Hockey League's Saskatoon Quakers (and later the Saskatoon Blades) hockey games, wrestling events, concerts, and the Shrine Circus. The Arena was replaced by Saskatchewan Place, now known as Credit Union Centre, on the city's outskirts, while the construction of Centennial Auditorium (now TCU Place) and improvements to the Exhibition Grounds led to these venues becoming preferred for concerts and other specialty events in the later years of the arena's history.

Galleries

Opened in 1964, the Mendel Art Gallery is located on Spadina Crescent East and overlooks the South Saskatchewan River near the base of the University Bridge.Mendel Art Gallery URL accessed February 7, 2007 Frederick (Fred) Salomon Mendel, Intercontinental Packers Limited entrepreneur began the gallery in appreciation of a new life began in Saskatoon. The gallery hosts a permanent locations, and galleries of rotating collections to celebrate the arts.

The Art Placement Gallery is a commercial enterprise on 3rd Avenue SouthArt Placement URL accessed February 7, 2007

The Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium was opened April 1, 1968. In 2006 the centre underwent major renovation with funding from TCU Financial. The name TCU Place Arts & Convention Centre is sponsored for 10 years. TCU Place – Saskatoon's Arts and Convention Centre hosts ballets, symphonies, musicals, plays, concerts, and conventions in the heart of downtown.

Movies