Saskatoon City Council has approved a request from Prairieland Park, which asked permission to remove the racetrack, grandstand, and barns at Marquis Downs.

Prairieland will be footing the bill for this project, which aims to replace the former horse racing venue with a large, gravel parking lot. At its last meeting, the Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services heard that the parking lot would only be a temporary fixture, as work is being done to develop a master plan for the area by 2026.

Architectural technologist and community planning specialist Cary Tarasoff voiced his concerns at the meeting, mainly surrounding a lack of public engagement, an apparent rush on the project, and conflict of interest ethics. 

He claims there are city councilors with ties to Prairieland Park, which suggests they may be voting in Prairieland’s best interest, not the city’s. 

“You can only have one master…and because there is a question of which it could be, they should excuse themselves, ethically, and should not have even been in the room for votes, and they should not be in the room now.”

Regardless, nearly all councilors voted in favour of the demolition project, except for Ward 3 Councilor Robert Pearce who agreed the decision was being rushed.  

Another item, mass-approved with the rest of the consent agenda, was a 5-year $1.6 million tax abatement for a new high-rise on the former site of Extra Foods on Broadway. The building will feature 124 residential units, three levels of above-ground parking, and a ground-floor commercial space, which will not function as a replacement grocery store. Construction is expected to be complete by 2027.