News Releases

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is extremely honoured and proud to be the recipient of two awards at the 2021 Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) Annual Awards of Excellence. 

The new Prairie Dog Exhibit at the Zoo won the Thomas R. Baines award. This award recognizes excellence in habitat design and development as well as the ability to apply unique approaches to animal care and welfare.  

“We are so proud of our new Prairie Dog Exhibit and to receive an award recognizing the new habitat is very exciting,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “A big thank you our zookeepers and our partner organizations including the Saskatoon Zoo Foundation, that came together to make this exhibit a reality.” 

The Prairie Dog Exhibit was designed to feature a naturalistic habitat and provide a new permanent home for the prairie dogs at the Zoo. The exhibit is over nine feet deep with one-inch stainless steel mesh covering the entire bottom of the exhibit allowing the prairie dogs to exhibit their natural behaviours of digging and exploring. The design also allows for visitors to the Zoo to get an up-close look at the prairie dogs with over 40 feet of glass for great viewing opportunities and is anchored with original artwork created by the Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Program. Behind the scenes, a shifting area was created to provide space for future medical and physical checks for the animals.  

The Saskatoon Zoo Society received the Eleanore Oakes Award for Education Program Design. This award recognizes outstanding achievement and innovation in education program design that enhances conservation knowledge. 

“Our team developed virtual programs when restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic forced our programming to move to a virtual environment” says Kathleen Zary, Education Manager, Saskatoon Zoo Society. “We were so thankful to receive support from several funders to deliver over 350 virtual programs designed to connect students to nature by bringing animals and students together through interactive education while fostering a respect for nature with a Saskatchewan focus.”  

20th Street will be closed between Avenue W and Avenue Y starting Friday, October 8, at 8:00 a.m. for valve replacement work. Avenue X will be closed between 19th and 21st streets during this project. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around this work. This project is expected to take two days to complete, barring any unforeseen circumstances or weather delays.            

Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information is available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.                                        

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.     

2nd Avenue will be closed between 20th and 21st streets on Friday, October 8, at 6:00 a.m. for valve replacement work. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around this work. This project is expected to take one day to complete, barring any unforeseen circumstances or weather delays.           

Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information is available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.                                       

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.      

Baltzan Boulevard will be closed between McOrmond Drive and Horner Crescent on Friday, October 8, at 9:00 a.m. for crack sealing work. Detours will be in place guiding motorists around this work. This project is expected to take three hours to complete, barring any unforeseen circumstances or weather delays.           

Saskatoon Transit may be affected by these detours. Transit service alerts and real-time bus information is available on third-party apps like Transit and Google Maps Transit on desktop.                                       

For more information about current road restrictions and construction, visit saskatoon.ca/construction.      

An approval report will be presented to the Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services on October 12, 2021, outlining the proposed amendment to Bylaw No. 7860, The Animal Control Bylaw, 1999 to permit pets on-leash in Kiwanis Memorial Park.  

In 2019, City Council heard from residents and the business community that there was support to amend the current bylaw prohibiting pets in Kiwanis Memorial Park. City Council directed Administration to report back on the current feasibility of allowing pets on-leash in all riverbank parks along Meewasin Trail including the possible impacts, both positive and negative, of amending the Animal Control Bylaw No. 7860. 

Kiwanis Memorial Park is currently one of four areas in Saskatoon that prohibits pets on-leash and off-leash. Kiwanis Memorial Park has been designated and maintained as a pet-prohibited park since 1982 and is currently the only riverbank park or park along the Meewasin Trail where pets are not permitted.  

Administration from Recreation and Community Development engaged with both internal and external stakeholders, including the Animal Services Working Group, as well as the community on whether on-leash pets should be allowed in Kiwanis Memorial Park, identifying the associated opportunities and barriers of doing so. More than 2,200 respondents participated in a community survey, with the majority of respondents stating they strongly supported (72%) or supported (10%) allowing on-leash pets full access to the park at all times.   

“We were very excited to see great participation and positive support provided from the community as well as key stakeholder groups,” said Andrew Roberts, Director Recreation and Community Development. “With the majority of the 2,200 responses to the community survey and stakeholders supporting allowing pets on-leash in Kiwanis Memorial Park, Administration is recommending to Council to amend the bylaw”. 

The full report and attachments can be found here.