Saskatoon councillors discuss fate of Marquis Downs

WATCH: The future of the Marquis Downs Racetrack was up for discussion at an executive committee meeting Wednesday – it could be heading for demolition.

Saskatoon’s Marquis Downs is one step closer to demolition after Wednesday’s executive committee meeting.

Prairieland Park, which operated the now-defunct horse racing track on land leased from the city, has asked for approval to demolish the grandstand horse barns and other infrastructure.

On Wednesday, the organization made its pitch at city hall.

“To refurbish it, there would have to be a use for it. Horse racing is not a financially viable business and so we need to look at what’s beyond. For prospective use in the future, it doesn’t have a strong use...to maintain and use [it] in a new way is not possible,” Christopher Hills, director of facilities management and operations for Prairieland Park told the committee during Wednesday’s meeting.

The racetrack had to cancel its 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been unable to return since.

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Prairieland Park is in the process of determining a new use for the land.

“At this time, the plan is just for demolition of those buildings that are at end of life, and then just do a gravel parking lot as an interim additional facility,” said Daryl Dawson, the City of Saskatoon’s manager of development and review.

While the parking lot is a temporary idea, the city committee voiced concerns about the lack of a master plan, which would outline a long term goal for the space.

“You have lease of that land because you provide amenities to the city. A gravel parking lot is uninspiring and I just hope to see a master plan come back to us,” Ward 6 Councillor Jasmin Parker told Prairieland Park representatives during the meeting.

Hill shared that his team is in the early development stages of a master plan, which they hope to complete by 2026. He told the committee that this plan will highlight a larger view of the organization’s plans for the future.

Following discussion, the committee opted to move the motion forward to city council for approval.