SASKATOON — For Saskatoon residents, Meewasin Valley offers serenity amidst the city, where people can embrace nature and the great outdoors in the city.
SaskToday asked Meewasin Valley Authority how many parks MVA encompasses? Mitchell Happ, Marketing Coordinator for MVA responded, “Meewasin's jurisdiction includes many sites that allow people to connect with nature. These include large conservation areas and urban parks such as:
- Beaver Creek Conservation Area
- The Northeast Swale
- Saskatoon Natural Grasslands
- Cranberry Flats Conservation Area
- The River Landing Water Spray Feature
- The Cameco Meewasin Skating Rink @Nutrien Plaza
- Gabriel Dumont Park
- Wanuskewin Heritage Park
- Crocus Prairie
That’s not all. MVA encompasses over 108 km of established trails with the network seeing up to 2.365 million trail visits each year.
“The Meewasin Valley includes 67 square kilometres (6,696 hectares) of land contiguous to the South Saskatchewan River. That is approximately 13,400 Canadian football fields put front-to-back, side-to-side,” affirms Happ.
Created in 1979, Meewasin Valley Authority was founded as a partnership between the City of Saskatoon, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan, intended to conserve the cultural and natural resources of the river valley.
The MVA Marketing Coordinator adds, “The organization's philosophy is rooted in a 100-year conceptual master plan by landscape architect Raymond Moriyama, titled “The Meewasin Valley Project”, which emphasizes that the partners can more effectively utilize the Meewasin Valley in a sustainable manner by working together through a single agency. The 100-year plan heavily emphasizes the theme of “health and fit”, providing recommendations for how those located within the valley can harmoniously incorporate themselves into the area as a thriving, growing city while continuing to conserve and protect the native flora and fauna that inhabit Meewasin.”
Meewasin actively shaped Saskatoon's river valley
Since its creation in 1979, Meewasin has actively shaped the river valley by developing an extensive trail system that provides recreation, transportation and access to nature.
Undertaking significant conservation and restoration work, MVA includes innovative techniques like targeted conservation grazing and prescribed fires to improve grassland health.
MVA also manages invasive species to protect native habitats, having treated tens of thousands of European Buckthorn stems.
Trail enhancements prioritize accessibility for all users as well as increasing public access to the river.
There is ongoing development and future plans with MVA such as a downtown trail and site enhancements.
“A major, multi-phase project is underway to revitalize the trail system through the downtown core, including Kiwanis Memorial Park South, from the Broadway Bridge north to the Bessborough Gardens,” acknowledges Happ.
Happ also states that Meewasin is working with Parks Canada and a regional steering committee to explore the potential for the valley to be designated as a national urban park, with decision framework expected by 2025.
“The MVA is governed by a board of directors composed of 12 members representing the City of Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Saskatchewan.”
Happ adds, “In terms of staffing, the MVA is made up of a team of around 30 employees (which expands during the summer months). Since we are a small team, we rely on the support of a large and growing volunteer base, which increased from 823 to 1,062 volunteers in the 2022-23 fiscal year. Each spring, we hold Clean up Campaign, which provides supplies and organization for a large-scale cleanup of garbage in and around the river valley. This regularly attracts thousands of participants and continues to grow year over year.”
Funding comes from many sources, community support vital
Fundraising assists with support for trail enhancements, a new greenhouse and seed bank facility, upgrades to educational programing that responds to increasing demand.
Meewasin’s Dedications Program allows for memorial markers within their area. This allows the public to commemorate a person, event or organization. The program is a vital source of funding for this non-profit organization, with the money from these donations allocated to maintenance and enhancement of the specific dedicated items and the surrounding valley areas. This program ensures the legacy of both the person being honoured and the valley itself.
“Additionally, donations can be made towards certain projects or objectives of the MVA if a donor so chooses. For example, if a donor feels strongly about conservation efforts being done in the Northeast Swale, they may request that their donation goes towards funding those particular efforts.”
Options to commemorate a loved one include sponsoring a bench or chair along the trails and include a personalized plaque. Engraved bricks can be placed in several key locations such as River Landing.
A tree or shrub can be planted along the riverbank or a contribution can be made to the natural Memorial Forest in Gabriel Dumont Park.
There is also an option to sponsor an interpretive panel and/or bike rack, which includes a personalized plaque.
“One lesser-known aspect of Meewasin's work is its use of a Species At Risk Habitat Assessment Tool. Meewasin has been involved in testing this new monitoring method, which helps conservation practitioners assess habitat suitability for multiple at-risk species at once, allowing for more effective and prioritized conservation efforts.”
Some MVA highlights
Highlights of MVA are included in the organization’s annual report however Happ mentions several that include: The Meewasin Trail saw 2.32 million visits in 2022. The 42nd annual Clean Up Campaign, presented by Nutrien, involved nearly 2,800 volunteers and removed over 11,000 kg of litter from natural areas.
Like many other non-profit organizations, Meewasin faces common challenges primarily related to reliance on donations, grants and other revenue generation opportunities to supplement its core funding from the participating parties, and keep up with demands of a growing population.
“This has been a large driver of pursuing the National Urban Park project. In 2022-23, almost $5 million of total funds came from short-term funding sources,” says the MVA Marketing Coordinator, who also adds, “Resource capacity is a constant concern. Our ability to conduct conservation work, like restoration projects and prescribed fires, can be limited by available resources (both financial and human), weather conditions, and increasing liability obligations."
