SaskatoonCity hall confirmed Thursday that the structures, which housed buses until 2017, are too old and updating them to meet current safety standards would be too expensive.City hall says Caswell Hill buildings are too old to be rehabilitated at a reasonable costPhil Tank · CBC News · Posted: Dec 12, 2025 6:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.The former bus barns and Saskatoon Transit administration building south of 24th Street, seen here on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, are scheduled for demolition next year. (Phil Tank/CBC)The dream of those who wanted to breathe new life into Saskatoon’s bus barns in Caswell Hill is expected to come tumbling down next year.City hall confirmed Thursday that the structures, which housed city buses until 2017, are too old and updating them to meet current safety standards would be too expensive.The city declined to answer questions about when the demolition will take place and how much it will cost. A proposal to save $75,100 next year by disconnecting power and utilities at the site was approved by council last month at budget talks.A city report accompanying that proposal says demolition is “projected” in April.“Given these findings, it was determined there is no short-term return on investment for renovation or continued daily occupancy against the existing risks,” a prepared statement from the city says.“The building is not currently accessible or code compliant, and maintaining operations would require substantial upgrades to meet safety and regulatory standards.”Another set of former transit buildings, located north of 24th Street between Avenue C and Avenue D, is being redeveloped by a group named Caswell Bus Barns, which purchased the site for $2 million last year. That site includes structures that date back to 1913 and were originally used to store streetcars.The former bus barns and administration building south of 24th Street is the amalgamated structure scheduled to meet the wrecking ball.According to the city, it was completed in 1964, with a big expansion and update in 1981. The city’s property tax assessment tool says it’s assessed at $4 million and has the “effective age” of a structure built in 1978.The city plans to sell the land once the structure is demolished.The former bus barns and Saskatoon Transit administration building south of 24th Street, seen here on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, are scheduled for demolition next year. (Phil Tank/CBC)Saskatoon Transit moved to the civic operations centre located south of the Montgomery Place neighbourhood in 2017. By then, debate over the future of the bus barns was already underway.A 2010 report on redeveloping south Caswell Hill suggested the buildings south of 24th Street be razed and replaced with a park to make up for a lack of public green space in the neighbourhood.More than a decade ago, a group of artists objected to that plan and pushed for repurposing the bus barns to house studios. Back then, demolition was estimated to cost $1.5 million and remediating contaminated parts of the site was pegged at $1 million.Efforts to sell and redevelop the site stalled after the pandemic hit in 2020.The group that bought the buildings north of 24th Street is advertising space for artist studios and seeking a restaurant to locate there.LISTEN | From February: CBC’s Chelsea Cross takes us on a tour of the Caswell Bus Barns:Saskatoon Morning7:02Caswell Hill Bus Barns where city transit used to house its buses is being transformed into a daycare, hub for creatives and artistsThe CBC’s Chelsea Cross takes us on a tour of the Caswell Bus Barns along with Crystal Bueckert, who is one of the people behind transforming the space.Coun. Senos Timon, who represents Caswell Hill, said he has no concerns about the demolition and expressed optimism about the plan to redevelop the buildings north of 24th Street.The Saskatoon Heritage Society did not immediately reply to a message asking whether there are any heritage concerns about bulldozing the property. Saskatoon Land, the city’s land development branch, which deals with city-owned land, said the buildings have reached “end of life” and lack heritage value.ABOUT THE AUTHORPhil Tank is an award-winning journalist based in Saskatoon. He can be reached at phil.tank@cbc.ca.
Saskatoons historic bus barns face demolition
