Design Council of Saskatchewan

Architecture

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Premier's Awards for Excellence in Design

Community Planning Category

Award of Excellence

Pleasant Hill Village
City of Saskatoon
Melissa Austin & Allan Wallace

Design Statement
The Pleasant Hill Revitalization Project is located in the heart of the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood. The project has a "campus style" form of design which includes the creation of a new elementary school with community space, a 165% increase in greenspace and new housing and mixed-use development parcels that are expected to increase the residential density by over 500%.

In 2004, the City had a rare opportunity to purchase 29 houses, in a two block area within Pleasant Hill from one property owner. By 2006, a new Federal, Provincial, Municipal funding program called the 'Urban Development Framework Agreement' was developed and allowed the City to obtain $3.3 million in funding to acquire the dwellings, assemble and clean-up the land, as well as develop new infrastructure, housing and park space.

Overcoming Challenges:
Foster a Sense of Community - the design creates a unique sense of place, which fosters a sense of community. The park space will accommodate a wide variety of community uses and is intended to allow for a free-form circulation by pedestrians and cyclists.

Foster a Sense of Safety - housing design will encourage casual surveillance of activities in the park. No through-streets are present in the redevelopment area, thus increasing the overall safety of pedestrians.

Create an Attractive Environment - the design includes increasing the visual buffer between the railway and industrial area to the south, from the project. The public realm will be enhanced with street trees, lighting, benches, playground equipment and park features.

Partnerships - successful partnerships were formed. The City has developed partnerships with the Board of Education for Greater Saskatoon Catholic School (BEGSCS), non-profit housing providers, for-profit homebuilders and private corporations.

Community Involvement - a key to making this redevelopment work is to bring the residents into the revitalization process as participants. Earning and retaining the confidence of the local residents is a key factor in the success of the redevelopment.

Create Viable Development Sites - the design must lend itself to the development of saleable, new housing units in a distressed neighbourhood. The dwellings must demonstrate that they will maintain their value in the short term, and appreciate in value over the long term.

This project was a result of recommendations from the Pleasant Hill Local Area Plan (LAP), 2002. The purpose of the revitalization project was to create new economic and social development in the Pleasant Hill area. The LAP envisaged new development in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood including the reduction of vacant lots, improved property maintenance, increased safety and land development.