Saskatchewan

Last chance to get your thoughts heard on Regina Railyard Renewal Project

People who want to weigh in on the latest plans for Regina's Railyard Renewal Project can make online submissions until June 12.

Online submissions can be made until June 12

Regina residents mull over plans for the rail renewal project. (Kirk Fraser/CBC News)

People who want to weigh in on the latest plans for Regina's Railyard Renewal Project can make online submissions until June 12.

The project is an overhaul of the rail yard on Dewdney Avenue, between the downtown area and the Warehouse District. 

A series of public forums have been held to help define the area's urban uses, said Mark Reid, partner and urban designer with Urban Strategies Inc. An online survey is available for the next couple of weeks.

The seven-hectare area is slated to host about 1,200 housing units, which could add 2,000 people to Regina's population, Reid said. 

Reid said people have expressed they would like the area to be a "vibrant" part of the city, complete with a market and a grocery store. 

As far as Dewdney Avenue goes, there would need to be significant work done, Reid said. 

"It has a very harsh physical environment," Reid said of the street, noting it has no sidewalk on the south side.

The plans for the railyard site include a mixed-use neighbourhood connecting the downtown to the city's Warehouse district. (Railyard Renewal project)

Reid said Dewdney Avenue has the opportunity to function similar to Edmonton's Whyte Avenue.

In 2015, the city announced the project would require funding of more than $500 million, the majority of which would come from the private sector. The city has planned to contribute about $50 million.

With files from CBC Radio's The Morning Edition