Stephen Yee

When I saw that the City of Saskatoon wanted to include members of the community in the process of creating a Downtown Event & Entertainment District, I was immediately interested in becoming a part of the project. I’ve lived within walking distance of downtown for 10 years and have worked downtown for seven years. I love the walkability of our city’s centre, with the river, parks and 2nd Avenue providing many opportunities to hit up a patio or go to a concert, especially during the summer months. 

The prospect of having a new downtown event centre/arena and a new or renovated convention centre means opportunity to me. Opportunity for the many small business owners downtown who would benefit from the increased foot traffic. Opportunity to bring world-class concerts and conventions to Saskatoon. Opportunity to spur the densification of our city’s core and reduce the per capita tax burden guaranteed by urban sprawl. Opportunity for investment and job creation in our city’s construction industry that would benefit from all the new infrastructure and development. 

The economic spin-off from both the construction of this district and all the foot traffic it will bring in the decades to come presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our city. Saskatoon is a first-class city and our downtown deserves this investment to create an environment that all of our residents can enjoy and of which they can be proud.