Ottawa infuses $920K to revive the former Gordon Block site

Be there or be Skuare.

Downtown Regina is getting a significant lift from Ottawa as officials announced new federal support for the city’s long-planned outdoor community hub, The Skuare.

Read more:

• Fire-damaged building in downtown Regina to be torn down
• ‘Outdoor event space’ use approved for former Gordon Block space
•  Two major constructions projects are nearly done: City of Regina

The federal government, through Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), is investing $920,000 over three years to help transform the fire-damaged Gordon Block site, located at 12th Avenue and Scarth Street, into a three-season venue for food, art, and community events.

In Sept. 2024, 980 CJME reported a development application was proposed to develop the 1,000 square metres where the Gordon Block used to be on the Pat Fiacco Plaza, and an adjacent space on Cornwall St. into an outdoor event space on an interim basis.

A site plan shows the proposed layout for The Skuare, a new outdoor event space planned for the former Gordon Block site in downtown Regina. The design includes a stage, bar area, retail units and performance space. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

The project, led by the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District, carries a total budget of about $1.5 million. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2026, with an opening date targeted for the summer of the same year.

Once complete, The Skuare will replace a site that symbolized loss for nearly two years. It will host music, markets, and help create shared moments for residents in the city’s core.

Mayor Chad Bachynski called the announcement “exactly what downtown needed” to keep the city’s revitalization momentum going.

“The investment is happening, and the momentum is here; this carries it forward,” Bachynski said.

“We’re creating a downtown that’s not just a place to pass through, but a place to connect and celebrate.”

Regina Downtown Business Improvement District executive director Judith Veresuk speaks about The Skuare project after receiving $920,000 in federal support from PrairiesCan. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

Regina Downtown Business Improvement District Executive Director Judith Veresuk said the funding turns years of planning into action.

“It really helps us take that big step forward to getting those shovels in the ground,” she said.

“We saw these shipping-container parks in other cities and thought, let’s dip our toe into this, and now we can finally do it.”

Veresuk said The Skuare will include modular food and drink units, a performance stage, washrooms, and public art spaces. She hopes the design will attract people to downtown areas after work hours and provide a platform for local artists and businesses to shine.

Kenric Exner, vice-president of corporate services with Harvard Developments, speaks at the funding announcement for The Skuare in downtown Regina. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

Kenric Exner, vice-president of corporate services for Harvard Developments Ltd., said the project shows what’s possible when the public and private sectors work together.

“It helps rebuild something we’ve all been missing, pride in our downtown,” Exner said. “Harvard has called downtown home for more than a century, and we’re excited to see it come to life again.”

A video message from Minister Eleanor Olszewski plays during the funding announcement for The Skuare, as officials unveil the downtown site plan at the former Gordon Block location. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

Minister Eleanor Olszewski, appearing in a recorded video message, stated that downtowns are the heart of Canadian cities and must adapt to the future.

“This project is about renewal, rising from the ashes of the historic Gordon Block,” Olszewski said. “It shows how we can rethink and repurpose public spaces to bring people together and spark lasting economic activity.”

Local PrairiesCan representative Arla Cameron attended the announcement on behalf of the federal agency but did not speak.

Along with the federal contribution, the project received $250,000 from the City of Regina’s Downtown Vibrancy Fund and $160,000 from Harvard Developments. Regina Downtown Business Improvement District will cover the remaining costs through operating funds and sponsorships.

— with files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick