Regina’s Executive Committee has approved the temporary use of ‘The Yards.’
In a report presented to the committee, the Regina Warehouse Business Improvement District said they want to provide interim parking to support businesses impacted by construction on Dewdney Avenue, along with programming on The Yards site.
A total of 120 temporary stalls on The Yards will be built to replace parking that will be lost from the Dewdney Avenue Corridor Revitalization Project during construction.
Once Dewdney Avenue is complete, the Warehouse District will look towards planning for a longer-term solution, which will complement the addition of park space and continue to provide programming in the adjacent space.
Executive Committee approved $100,000 in funding to establish temporary uses.
“The funds are necessary for infrastructure, programming and planning for longer-term interim use,” the report read.
Construction on Dewdney Avenue is scheduled through the 2023 and 2024 construction seasons and will be phased to maintain traffic along Dewdney Avenue to minimize impacts to residents, businesses and commuters.
Leasa Gibbons, the executive director of the Regina Warehouse Business Improvement District, said using The Yards temporarily is the first step in seeing further development.
“On-street parking will be temporarily relocated onto The Yards,” she said. “Business interruption is bound to happen; as such, temporary use can be a tool to support safe parking and enhance the pedestrian experiencing, attract people, and encourage the development of The Yards by private investors.”
Mayor Sandra Masters said that she is excited to see The Yards being used and a long-term plan.
“The Yards is in need of community space and activity. Figuring out power and wi-fi, and water and those types of things are important,” she said. “Things that will bring people down and actually be amenities for the residents that live in the Warehouse and as well as the businesses to attract people down there.”
“I think any activation is good; I think anything where you can have community gathering together or provide space for them to enjoy the outdoors or to promote different events going on in the City,” she continued.
The report will now go before City Council next week for final approval.
