Idylwyld Drive isn't pretty. But it's an artery that keeps this city pumping.

As Saskatoon grows, the city wants to make sure Idylwyld keeps pace. That's why Saskatoon Morning is hosting a live show at Station Place Friday morning.

After talking to several people, it's clear Idylwyld is often congested with drivers trying to make their way to work on time. Pedestrians complain it's a dangerous street to cross.

But it carries us from point A to point B; to the airport, a Blades game, past Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and into the vibrant neighbourhoods that surround it.

"It will take more than hanging a few flower baskets," said Bob Patrick, a professor in urban planning when I asked him about the street. Everything from traffic to neighbourhood gathering places needs to be considered.

Idylwyld is one of the busiest streets in Saskatoon (Kim Garritty/CBC)

Traffic

"This is a pretty typical freeway access," said Kent Smith-Windsor, the head of Saskatoon's Chamber of Commerce when we went for a spin from the airport to downtown via Idylwyld.

"We're coming up on a Thrift Lodge, an Esso gas station, and McDonalds. These things would be not in the least bit dissimilar to what people would see in other centres."

But when Smith-Windsor picks business travellers up at the airport, he usually doesn't take Idylwyld.

"The traffic can be distracting and cumbersome along Idylwyld Drive," he said, opting for the scenic route from 51st to Spadina.

Business

On the same stretch, you can browse through a sex shop, get your winter tires put on, and pick out light fixtures for your new home in Stonebridge.

One store owner told me the bustle of the street is good for business, which is why Idylwyld was an attractive location for Bistro 172, a relatively new gourmet sandwich shop.

"When you're in an area like this, you kind of have an instant lunch crowd," owner Terry Linsley-Kreutzwieser said.

According to Kent Smith-Windsor, the key to Idylwyld's success is business investment in the area.

"Success breeds success," he said. "You've got to have someone who sees an opportunity, pursues it, and then you'll get others who will kind of copy the opportunity."

Crime

Crime is an issue for some of the people who live near Idylwyld.

I met Frank Regeir at a neighbourhood park in Mayfair, not far from Idylwyld.

"It can be unsafe at times," he said, "Especially in some of the hotels. The police are very busy there."

He said that those officers help, but adding a citizen patrol could deter unsavoury activity even more.

Leisha interviews Frank Regier. He is a proud defender of his Mayfair neighbourhood. He believes some changes along Idylwyld could have a positive impact on his neighbourhood. (Kim Garritty/CBC )

Community

Idylwyld connects us as a city, but it is also divides the east-side from the west-side.

Many of the vibrant communities surrounding the main drag say people's experiences on Idylwyld influence whether or not they will go up 20th or 33rd to shop or hang out.

Make Idylwyld accessible, and the neighbourhoods will benefit is something I've heard several times. And of course, every community has a great coffee shop that serves as a gathering place, including Idylwyld.

"The Tim Hortons," Frank Regier said with a grin. "It is busy, it's packed, it's vibrant."



Join us Friday between 6 and 8:30 at The Station Place to talk about the past, present, and future of Idylwyld, one of Saskatoon's busiest and most dynamic streets.

