People line up to board the bus to tour the site of The Yard District. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

By paNOW Staff

BOOMING BUSINESS

Residents pleased with progress on P.A’s Yard District

Sep 29, 2023 | 1:45 PM

It’s the biggest development project the City of Prince Albert has ever undertaken and on Thursday, residents got a first-hand look at the city’s future recreation and entertainment district.

Signature Developments, the company behind The Yard District, hosted a celebration evening in front of the Art Hauser Centre as a way to showcase the new development with the community.

The company also offered a guided tour of the construction site thanks to Northern Bus Lines.

Hundreds took advantage of the opportunity to tour the future facilities and hear directly from the developers about what’s happening and what it will mean for the community.

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Phase 1 of the Yard District will feature a new aquatic centre and ice rinks for the city along with several businesses including car dealerships, restaurants, and hotels. One of the hotels, the Holiday Inn Express, is slated to open in November.

paNOW caught up with those who took part in the tour and the consensus was one of excitement for the future project, especially the new pool.

“Not having to go to Melfort to play in a wave pool or waterslides because we don’t have that,” said one participant. “The Kinsmen Water Park is great but unfortunately, it’s not open long enough for everyone to enjoy it.”

“We need an indoor swimming pool because instead of travelling to Melfort, we have one that can access the north as well,” said another.

Many people who took part in the tours were grateful that questions about the development were answered, including the costs and expected revenue. Rusty Clunie with Signature Developments and the Broda Group spoke during the guided tours and said the developers are fronting the majority of the costs and that tax revenue is expected to be in the millions per year.

One tour participant admitted the development is costing a lot of money but believed it’s worth it.

“A lot of people were very upset that the city was putting out so much money, but I think this is how we bring more money into our city,” she said.

The City of Prince Albert originally budgeted around $60 million for the aquatics centre and ice rinks but that number shot up to $70 million in the summer of 2022 because of the pandemic, inflation and effects from the war in Ukraine. That brought the city to approve $30 million in loans to help fund construction for the project.

The next Phase of The Yard will be a future events centre and home to the Prince Albert Raiders. A timeline for construction of that arena hasn’t been finalized but Signature Developments is hopeful it could be ready in the next couple of years.

One woman who toured The Yard said she remembers when the Art Hauser Centre opened in the early 1970s when fans had to sit on the concrete before the seats were ultimately installed. She admits that can’t house the team or fans for much longer.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com