City says survey shows high support for keeping Scarth Street pedestrian-only

The City of Regina may see opening its only pedestrian walkway to vehicles as an opportunity, but a survey suggests public feedback points to overwhelming resistance to the idea. 

A section of Scarth Street between 11th Avenue and 12th Avenue in downtown Regina has been pedestrian-only for nearly 50 years.

In recent years, it's become clear that the cobblestone street will have to be torn up, the city says.

"The reality is we're going to have to take it all up because we need to get to that underground infrastructure. So we're going to have to replace the lines that are underneath that street," said Mayor Sandra Masters. 

The city began examining ways to "activate" the street after the much-needed upgrades are completed at the end of 2022. 

Staff have proposed three possible solutions:

• Keep it a pedestrian streetscape.
• Open Scarth Street up to one-way vehicle traffic.
• Allow vehicles but only during specific times.

Over the last year, the city has held public consultations on those proposals. Between May 29, 2023, and June 10, 2023, it opened an online survey to the public.

More than 6,600 people took part, the City of Regina says. According to data released by the city, 90 per cent of respondents said they preferred a pedestrian-only street space.  

Laura Pfeifer, the City of Regina's manager of city revitalization, told CBC that at the time the survey was administered, it had the largest response rate the city had recorded.

Pfeifer said the survey gave city officials an indication of what residents feel about the reintroduction of traffic on Scarth Street and that going forward, the city wants to learn what people would like to see implemented there.

WATCH | Budget woes plague the City of Regina as two projects are delayed:

Budget woes plague the City of Regina as two projects are delayed

1 year ago

Duration 1:35

Two major projects meant to revitalize Regina's downtown are being delayed, due to inflation and soaring construction costs. The revamp of Saskatchewan Drive was meant to be a priority due to its aging infrastructure and increasing traffic. Meanwhile, the Scarth Street Mall could be transformed from a pedestrian-only space to include vehicle traffic.

Masters said the survey results will be important in informing the city's decisions.

"If this is a matter of restricting vehicles, I don't think that makes sense in a winter city, but that's my opinion. So I think you weigh [the survey] into some of some of the plans," she said.

More public consultations are set for this summer. 

Pfeifer said the details are still being worked out on what that may look like, but residents will likely see city staff at events across the city asking for feedback. 

By the start of 2025, there will be targeted consultations on a conceptual design, with Regina city council voting to approve or reject that design by March 2025.

Construction is set to begin in 2027. 

WATCH | Indigenous artists design 'beaded' Path to Reconciliation mural in downtown Regina:

Indigenous artists design 'beaded' Path to Reconciliation mural in downtown Regina

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Duration 2:25

What appears to be a beaded pathway running down the centre of Scarth Street Mall in Regina is a mural called the Path to Reconciliation. Two Indigenous artists from Regina took the lead in designing and installing the mural that was officially unveiled on National Indigenous Peoples Day.