Regina council votes in favour of backing joint bid to host 2025 World Juniors Championship

Regina and Saskatoon are teaming up in the hopes of bringing back the IIHF World Junior Championship to Saskatchewan.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Regina City Council voted in favour of backing a bid to co-host the 2025 World Junior’s with the City of Saskatoon.

If the bid is successful, the city will provide $400,000 from the 2023 annual Events, Conventions and Tradeshows attraction budget and reserve.

The City of Saskatoon already approved funding of $500,000 for the bid, earlier this month.

Last month, Hockey Canada contacted three communities to submit expedited host bids, which included a joint opportunity for Regina and Saskatoon due to the venue capacity in both cities.

The championship would host 10 international teams from Dec. 26, 2024 to Jan. 5, 2025.

Executive committee recommended council approve the funding.

“A large part of Regina’s cultural vibrancy is tied to its many diverse and well-established festivals and events. These events contribute to a sense of civic pride and cohesion among residents while also bringing significant economic benefit to the city,” according to a report from administration.

Hockey Canada estimates $50 million in economic impact as a result of hosting the championship. Roughly 300,000 fans would attend the 31 games.

More than 15,000 hotel room nights would be booked with over 20,000 out-of-town visitors expected.

All games would be broadcast on TSN, resulting in over 120 million viewers worldwide.

Teams in Pool A, including Team Canada, would play their round robin games in Saskatoon due to the higher seating capacity at SaskTel Centre. Saskatoon would host the medal rounds, while Regina would host the pre-tournament Team Canada games and Pool B.

The split is consistent with the 2010 World Junior Championship that was co-hosted by Regina and Saskatoon.

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The two cities were unsuccessful in a previous joint bid to host the 2023 championship. The bid lost out to Halifax and Moncton.

REAL, Regina Hotel Association, Tourism Regina, Tourism Saskatchewan, SaskTel Centre, Discover Saskatoon and city administration are developing a “competitive Team Saskatchewan bid,” according to a city report.

The deadline to enter a bid is April 28.

COUNCIL FILLS VACANT CSIR BOARD POSITION

City council has finally found the right fit for the Community and Social Impact Regina (CSIR) board of directors.

Council unanimously voted for Coun. Cheryl Stadnichuk should replace Coun. Dan LeBlanc as a non-voting member on the inaugural board.

Council voted to remove LeBlanc from the position in February. Mayor Sandra Masters brought forward the motion for his removal following LeBlanc’s involvement in the lawsuit against City Manager Niki Anderson over homelessness funding in the city’s budget.

Councillors previously voted against Coun. Bob Hawkins as the replacement after several delegates expressed their opposition. Residents told council they wanted someone who represented the North Central and Heritage neighbourhoods on the CSIR board.

Stadnichuk's term on the board will last until the end of the year.

FILLING THE VACANT YARDS

Council approved $100,000 of funding to help support the Warehouse Business Improvement District’s (RWBID) interim plans for The Yards site along Dewdney Avenue.

The money will fund objectives in The Yards Interim Use Activation & Plan, including the development of a four-season program and infrastructure.

“It’s going to help set the stage for what we’re going to see over the next few years,” said RWBID executive director Leasa Gibbons.

In phase one, Gibbons said RWBID is looking at finding infrastructure for the site, including power, water, sewer and wifi.

The Yards is meant to complement and support the Warehouse District and downtown, not compete with the neighbourhoods, according to RWBID.

In the coming months, Gibbons said the group will begin implementing phase one. The city will create 120 temporary stalls on the Yards site to replace parking that will be lost during the Dewdney Avenue Rehabilitation Construction Project scheduled for 2023 and 2024.

They will also start developing a small section on the site that Gibbons referred to as “the backyard.”

“That space is going to have some green space. We’re looking at some patio lights, picnic tables, inviting food trucks in and we’d love to host market under the stars with our friends at the farmers market,” she said.

The Warehouse District and its partners hosted two facilitation sessions and considered a number of temporary parks and multipurpose public spaces worldwide before developing several concept renderings and programs.

The Yards is meant to complement and support the Warehouse District and downtown, not compete with the neighbourhoods, according to RWBID.

Concept renderings, created by P3Architecture, illustrate a number of possibilities and programs that could take place in the Yards, including volleyball and basketball courts, green space, dog parks, event stages, market vendors, community gardens and parking stalls.

A concept rendering shows the potential green space at the Yards site. (Photo credit: P3Architecture)

“Those are ambitious plans,” Gibbons said.

“That’s likely our $3 million ask if we were to come actually put that together.Likely with phase one we’re going to get community engagement that’s going to build a different plan that will be reflective of our community.”

Eventually the group wants to develop a longer-term plan