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The most popular stretch of Saskatoon’s Meewasin Trail is getting an upgrade, but it will have to close down for the renovation job.

The Meewasin Valley Authority (MVA) plans to spend $683,866 to upgrade the trail between the former Mendel Art Gallery building and the weir on the west side of the South Saskatchewan River.

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The City of Saskatoon is not directly contributing to the cost of the rehabilitation, but city council voted in 2015 to increase the city’s annual contribution to the MVA by $250,000 in order to help repair and upgrade its crumbling trail network.

“The project will involve closing the trail for the duration of construction,” Alan Otterbein, the MVA’s design and development manager, told Monday’s meeting of city council’s planning, development and community services committee.

“It’s the busiest section of trail in the Meewasin Trail network.”

Trail users will be diverted to the west side of Spadina Crescent during construction, Otterbein told the committee. Coun. Darren Hill spoke in favour of placing signage for motorists and trail users, since Spadina is a narrow street with just two lanes and parking, which poses a risk for cyclists.