Railyard renewal remains on the horizon

The renewal of Regina’s railyards could be ready to roll soon.

During a visit to the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Tuesday, Mayor Michael Fougere said preparations for the project are to get started this summer. The city already has $33.6 million in joint funding in place, so planning for the work can get started in earnest.

“The first focal point is Dewdney Avenue,” Fougere said. “This summer, we’ll be looking at preparing that site for renovations (that are) coming next year, probably. We have to actually design a new-looking Dewdney Avenue.”

Since the Canadian Pacific Railway moved its operations out of downtown Regina to the Global Transportation Hub on the city’s west side, 17.5 acres of land in the middle of the city has been virtually vacant.

The rail lines will still run through the downtown after the project is completed, but most of the surrounding space is to be redeveloped as part of the Regina Revitalization Initiative, with housing and commercial opportunities available.

According to Fougere, the goal on Dewdney is to widen sidewalks, slow down traffic, create bikepaths and give people a chance to move around in the area while construction is underway.

“It’s the beginning of public investment in infrastructure for private-sector investment in the site itself,” Fougere said.

The mayor also was asked about the status of a feasibility study on rail relocation on Ring Road at Winnipeg Street.

“It’ll be out this summer,” Fougere said.

Another topic of interest to many Regina residents is the hole at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Albert Street, where the Capital Pointe condominium project was to be built.

Now that the project has died, the city has control of the hole and plans to fill it. To that end, the city asked for bids from contractors eager to do the work.

The deadline for tenders was Thursday.

“We’re evaluating them now,” said Fougere, who noted he expects a final decision to be made “in the next couple of weeks.”