Rosewood, Saskatoon

History

The land where Rosewood is planned to exist was annexed between 1980 and 1984. It was considered challenging to develop - the area is dotted with sloughs and has a high water table. The majority of the wetlands were drained and filled with a single large wetland complex modified and used for drainage, eliminating the need for some storm sewer mains. Servicing of the land began in 2008, and home construction in the first phase of the community was underway in the summer of 2009.

The southwest corner of the community will consist of a commercial hub and multi-family dwellings, while a village square with businesses, parks and multi-family dwellings is planned for the centre of the neighbourhood. Housing will consist of 2731 single-unit dwellings and 1760 multi-unit condominium, townhouse and apartment dwellings. Between 2022 and 2025, Rosewood will reach completion and have an estimated population of 10,650. the city of Saskatoon has since updated the master plan eliminating a vital access point to highway 16, adding a large commercial property to the southeast and increasing density on the eastern portion of the subdivision by close to 50%. With a final estimated population exceeding 12,000.

Major access roads carry the Rosewood name, but street names assigned thus far by the city such as Ledingham, Rochelle, and Hastings, show no set pattern, other than to honour notable Saskatonians. One street name that attracted media attention when it was assigned in 2011 was Tweed Lane, named in honor of reality TV star, film actress and onetime Playboy Playmate of the Year Shannon Tweed, at the request of Tourism Saskatoon, which had honored Tweed with a faux street sign bearing the name in 2010.

A proposed amendment to the neighbourhood concept plan would add another 152 acres (62 ha) of land and 1200 people to the area. It incorporates a triangular piece of what was previously dubbed the Southeast Development Area. Originally it had been separated by a future perimeter highway, but in 2014 the alignment of the roadway was being reviewed, making the adjacent land available as an addition to the neighbourhood.

Government and politics

Rosewood was formally in the federal electoral district of Blackstrap; after the 2012 federal electoral redistribution, it is now in the federal electoral district of Saskatoon—Grasswood. It is represented by Kevin Waugh of the Conservative Party of Canada, first elected in 2015.

Provincially, the area is in the constituency of Saskatoon Southeast. It is represented by Don Morgan of the Saskatchewan Party, first elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2007 and 2011.

In Saskatoon's non-partisan municipal politics, Rosewood lies in ward 9. It is represented by Councillor Tiffany Paulsen, first elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2003, 2006 and 2009.

Education

The current proposal shows land allocated for two schools at the centre of the neighbourhood. On October 22, 2013, the provincial government announced funding for new schools in Saskatoon, including a joint-use public/separate school in Rosewood. Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools revealed on June 23, 2015 that the division's new elementary school in Rosewood will be named St. Therese after Thérèse of Lisieux and it is expected to be complete by 2017.

Parks and recreation

The current drawings show a core neighbourhood park at the centre of the neighbourhood adjacent to the school and mixed-use "village square" sites. Linear parks link to two neighbourhood parks closer to the east and west peripheries, and two small "pocket" parks in the northeast part of the neighbourhood.

Commercial

The plans for Rosewood show two dedicated commercial zones: one at the southwest entrance to the neighbourhood, and the other surrounding the village square. Another mixed-use site in the northeast is another possible location for businesses. Rosewood is located adjacent to the Lakewood Suburban Centre which already has established commercial development. Eight home-based businesses exist in the neighbourhood. A revision to the community plan released in 2014 shows a large highway commercial area is now proposed for the southeast corner of the development.

Location

Rosewood is located in the Lakewood Suburban Development Area. It is bounded by the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks and a future highway right-of-way to the east, Highway 16 to the south, Boychuk Drive to the west, and Taylor Street to the north. Inside those boundaries, the roads are a mix of local and collector roads.

The current proposal shows that Rosewood will have access points on all four sides of the community, including an access to Highway 16 to the south and the proposed Perimeter Highway to the east. There will be two access roads off Taylor Street, plus one off Boychuk Drive, Rosewood Boulevard West. Both the south Rosewood access road and Boychuck Drive are to have interchanges with Hwy. 16 in the future, but as of 2012 no construction dates have been set. As of late 2014 the City of Saskatoon has removed one of the southern accesses with little to no consultation with local area residents. Despite multiple concerns being brought forth by residents, the local community association and third party traffic engineers the city moved forward to remove this vital access to accommodate increased density and further condominium developments. Thus increasing community density and reducing access points. Repeating the mistakes of previously developed areas of the City.