REGINA - The sod has officially been turned for an interim use project aimed at bringing new life to downtown Regina.
It is called The Skuare, and it is billed by Regina Downtown Business Improvement District as the first of its kind in Saskatchewan. The site is located on the former location of the Gordon Block and Burns Hanley building, which were ordered demolished following a major fire in 2023.
Instead of leaving an empty lot in downtown Regina, the plan is for a new interim-use venue to locate there and open to the public in 2025. The plans for the site are to include a beer garden, additional retail and food and beverage units, food trucks, activation and performance space, washrooms, and ancillary storage for the Downtown Clean Team.
The idea is to use shipping containers to house the retail and office units. Shipping containers are seen as preferable because they can be easily moved if a permanent development comes along for the space down the road.
The idea is for the venue to host a variety of activities including live music, as well as movie nights. It is also potentially an area for recreation such as mini-golf and ping pong tables.
The plan is for The Skuare to be open by next summer. The intention is to have it follow a spring-through-fall schedule, though it could also open outside those months for special events such as the Frost Regina festival.
Some activations at the space would be run by Regina Downtown BID, but they are willing to have partners come in as well. The food, beverage and retail units will be selected through a call for operators for the space.
There are also plans to put up a mural that would commemorate the history and buildings located on the site before, done in partnership with Heritage Regina. As well, there are plans for a large scale art installation with a call for artists to be issued.
Funding for the project comes from the City of Regina, Harvard Developments and the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District. Phase one of construction would run between now and December with site preparation. Construction prep would run January through April, with construction base happening in May 2025 and the above ground construction next June and July, followed by the official grand opening.
According to the Regina Downtown BID, the project construction would range between $600,000 and $750,000.
Mayor Sandra Masters told reporters that earlier this year the city had approved a $500,000 Downtown Vibrancy Grant, which will fund the project in part. Harvard Developments will provide additional funding for tenant improvements, according to the news release.
Masters touted the project as a way to attract more people to the downtown core, including during the evening hours.
“That idea of placemaking, how do we attract folks, make it beautiful, make it well lit, have live music, perhaps movies at night — things, reasons for people to come down after 5 o’clock,” said Masters.
It’s also seen as a way to create more foot traffic and also encourage more safety in the area by having “more eyes on the street.” There will also be more Regina Police Service alternative response officers in the area starting this week.
“Activation creates safety for people,” said Masters. “The businesses that operate after 5 o’clock will have a source, and a reason for patrons to go and enjoy restaurants downtown here as well.”
The idea for the space was based on how other downtowns and our cities have activated space. One of the inspirations was Toronto’s Stackt Market, a similar gathering place with a number of retailers and recreation that was also built using shipping containers.
Judith Veresuk of the Regina Downtown BID said there had been interest in the Gordon Block space by a local business interested in a beer garden. As conversations went on the Downtown BID realized how big the site was, and how much opportunity was there.
“I think this is the first step,” said Veresuk when asked how this project would revitalize downtown.
“To revitalize downtown there are a lot of things that have to come together, almost like years. But this is one step — providing a space where people can gather, people feel safe, there’s critical mass in giving people who work downtown a reason to stay downtown after 5 o’clock. That’s what this will accomplish. While it will not be the silver bullet, it will be an important piece that hopefully catalyzes other things that can happen downtown, whether that’s other events and activations that are happening in the park. It will hopefully raise what existing businesses are doing that kind of match the energy.”
The land itself is owned by Harvard Developments and has done a lease agreement with the Regina Downtown BID for the project.
Terri Klyne, Senior Director, Property Management of Harvard Developments, said this development will be a "game changer."
"It's going to complement the already existing public realm spaces that we have in the downtown. It's going to provide a safe, inclusive gathering space for local retailers, pop-ups. It's going to allow the people of downtown, whether you work or live downtown or even if you don't do any of those other things downtown to be able to come down and gather. And we're hopeful that it will complement the existing events that we have in downtown Regina as well as perhaps act as a catalyst to bring more events into downtown. You know, we feel it's going to be a contributor to the downtown economy, and we're hoping it will act as a place for folks to gather in our downtown. "
