Meewasin Needs You: Help Shape Saskatoon’s Future National Urban Park 🌿
Picture this: Miles of trails weaving through native grasslands, along the riverbank forests alongside the waterway. A welcoming visitor centre that brings people together through storytelling, learning, and community events. Spaces designed for cultural ceremony, environmental learning, and year-round recreation. That’s the vision for the new Meewasin National Urban Park—and now is your chance to shape it.
The Meewasin Valley is already one of Saskatoon’s most cherished gems. But becoming a National Urban Park through Parks Canada is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
The community survey is open now—and your voice is essential. Whether you visit Meewasin (including the east half of RSBBAA) daily or just once a year, this is your park. It should reflect your values, your needs, and your dreams for the future.
📝 What’s in the Survey?
The Meewasin National Urban Park survey is designed to hear directly from you, the people who live, learn, play, and reflect in the Valley. It takes about 10–15 minutes and covers topics that matter:
🌿 Your Experiences
Do you walk, bike, picnic, canoe, or simply unwind by the river? The eastern half of Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation area is included- share how you use the afforestation area. Do you use forest trails to walk quietly among the trees, unwind from daily stress, and reconnect with nature through peaceful reflection and fresh air. Share how you use the Valley across the seasons and what matters most—be it birdwatching, community events, or accessible trails for everyone.
🎯 Focus Areas
From wellness and education to reconciliation and conservation, weigh in on six core priorities. Are these ideas on the right track? What’s missing?
🌎 Vision Statement
Read the draft vision for the park and let the team know—does it reflect your hopes for a healthy, inclusive, vibrant future? Do you think forests and trees should be part of the vision – or only grasslands and water?
🗺️ Park Boundaries
Explore the proposed boundaries along both sides of the South Saskatchewan River. Support them—or suggest where to include more.
🏛️ Visitor Centre
What should this future hub feel like? Welcoming and earthy? Innovative and bright? Should it host educational programs, storytelling, food services, or co-working space?
🚶 New & Improved Trails
Imagine themed Discovery Routes with interactive signs, play areas, art spaces, and river access. What changes would make Meewasin’s trails more accessible, exciting, and meaningful to you?
🤝 Reconciliation & Indigenous Leadership
This is your chance to comment on key Truth and Reconciliation priorities like outdoor gathering spaces, Indigenous governance, and intergenerational knowledge sharing. Do you see a way of blending All Nations with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit ways of knowing?
🌱 Conservation & Nature Protection
Choose where to start: protecting endangered species, expanding the seed bank, or promoting eco-tourism? Every decision helps Meewasin grow greener and stronger. Do you think degraded areas should be restored and revitalized as healthy ecosystem habitats?
📌 Top Priority Investment
If you had to choose just one place to start—what would it be?
- Cultural gathering space?
- Species at Risk habitats?
- New visitor centre?
- Greenhouse and seed bank?
- Safety?
- Trail upgrades?
- Forests and Tree planting?
💬 Why Your Input Matters
This isn’t just a bureaucratic form—it’s a direct invitation to co-create a legacy.
The final design of the park will reflect the feedback gathered from this very survey. It will guide what gets built first, how the park supports learning, conservation and reconciliation, and what it feels like for families, students, Elders, tourists, and everyone in between.
Whether you’re passionate about prairie ecology, Indigenous heritage, fitness, bird watching trails, river access, or year-round access for all abilities—your input is powerful.
📅 Take the Survey Today!
Don’t wait for someone else to shape this space.
👉 Take the Meewasin National Urban Park Survey here:
🔗 meewasin.com/urbanpark
The survey is open for a limited time – till September 12, 2025—so act now and help Meewasin become a flagship for what National Urban Parks can and should be.
🧭 Meewasin Means “It’s Beautiful” — Let’s Keep It That Way
This is your chance to help Meewasin grow as a sanctuary for wildlife, wisdom, and wellness. A place where generations gather, stories are shared, and nature thrives—all within Saskatoon’s heart.
📣 Your Valley. Your Voice. Your Future Park.
Let’s build it—together.
Addresses:
Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A
Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A
S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A
NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063
Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com
Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map
Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)?with map
Blogger: FriendsAfforestation
Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.comFacebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park
Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation Area
Facebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas
Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Support via Zeffy
Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )
Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!
Support using Canada Helps
Support via a recycling bottle donation and Join the plastic-recycle challenge!
United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
- Use the UN Decade’s Visual Identity
- Make it your own
- Spread the word about the UN Decade
- Let’s Bring Back Forests
- Let’s Green Our Cities
““Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause. Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward. Bend to the winds of heaven..”
Richard St. Barbe Baker
Forests of Memory. Forests of Learning. Forests for Life. 