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The Downtown area of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada is a mixed-use neighbourhood and its central business district. Its residents live almost entirely in apartment-style multiple unit dwellings. As of 2016, the area is home to 3,273 residents. The neighbourhood has an average family income of $33,760, a home ownership rate of 23.6% and and average home sale price of $375,807. As the town of Saskatoon, the Central Business district was one of three communities that merged in 1906 to form the city of Saskatoon.

History
In 1890, the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway Line (QLLR) or The Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Steamboat and Railway Line (QLLSR) extended from Regina through to Prince Albert, crossing the South Saskatchewan River where the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge crosses the river presently. Steam engines could be refilled more easily on the west banks of the river, which were not so steep. Businesses sprang up around the pumping station forming the beginnings of the Central Business District. The first post offices were named Saskatoon and West Saskatoon. For clarification, the post offices adopted the titles Saskatoon downtown and Nutana (meaning "first born") for the east side of the River settlement. Section 28, Twp.36, R.5, W3 was the location of West Saskatoon Post office located at 21st & 1st Ave.

With settlement on the west side of the river, 32 children needed to cross the river to attend the Stone School on the east side where there were 67 students in total. To cross the river, there was only the wooden rail bridge without walkway or by ferry. Another school – Pioneer School – was envisioned in 1900 at Third Avenue around 19th Street.

This area of 100 citizens became the village of Saskatoon on November 16, 1901, and on July 1, 1903 incorporated as a town. 1912, City Hall had official headquarters in the old King Edward School; 23rd St and 3rd Avenue. 1928 saw Eaton's opening in the building on 21 Street and Third Avenue, which later housed the Army and Navy Department Store and now the Saskatoon Board of Education offices. The armouries of the 29th Saskatchewan Light Horse Regimental Headquarters and 105th Fusiliers Division were constructed in south downtown in 1922. The Saskatoon Arena was constructed in 1937 on 19th Street and torn down in 1989.

The Central Business District is one of Saskatoon's seven suburban development districts. The Saskatoon downtown revitalization project began in the 1950s and 1960s when the Canadian National Railway yards were removed and replaced with a shopping mall on its land called the Midtown Plaza, and the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium and Convention Centre (recently renamed TCU Place). Eaton's and Simpson's Sears were the first anchors for the Midtown Plaza.

The present day City Hall was had it opening ceremonies on June 23, 1956 October 5, 1965 was the last day the Canadian National Railway (CNR) passenger train ran through downtown Saskatoon over the old CNR bridge; it was replaced by the Idylwyld Bridge {Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge} on October 28, 1966. April 1, 1968 saw the official opening ceremonies of the Centennial Auditorium, and a short while later the first businesses in Midtown Plaza opened (the complete mall opened officially on July 30, 1970; it was enlarged in the 1990s. The Hudson's Bay Company building on 23rd Street East and 2nd Avenue has been converted to condominium living, and the adjacent Bayside Centre is now owned by Ashley Furniture. The Hudson's Bay Company and Sears Canada are the current anchors in the Midtown Plaza shopping mall, The Bay having replaced the now-defunct Eaton's. A longtime downtown landmark, the "Skywalk" that used to connect the 23rd Street/2nd Avenue Bay store with a neighbouring parkade was demolished in the late 2000s (along with the parkade).
 * Book written about Down Town Saskatoon: City of Saskatoon Core Neighbourhood Study Review, 1980: vol. 3: Land use Policies and Land Use Patterns.

Government and politics
Wildwood exists within the federal electoral district of Saskatoon—Grasswood. It is currently represented by Kevin Waugh of the Conservative Party of Canada, first elected in 2015.

Provincially, the area is within the constituency of Saskatoon Greystone. It is currently represented by Rob Norris of the Saskatchewan Party, first elected in 2007 and re-elected in 2011.

In Saskatoon's non-partisan municipal politics, Wildwood lies within ward 9. It is currently represented by Councillor Tiffany Paulsen. She was first elected in 2000 and has been re-elected four times: 2003 (by acclamation), 2006, 2009 (by acclamation) and 2012.

Education

 * Bishop Pocock School - separate (Catholic) elementary, part of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools
 * Cliff Wright Branch Library - officially opened on January 9, 1989, as part of the Lakewood Civic Centre.
 * Wildwood School - public elementary, part of the Saskatoon Public School Division

Public Safety

 * Fire Station #6 - covers the southeast area of Saskatoon. This hall has a one captain and four firefighters that work on each of the four shifts.

Parks and recreation

 * Heritage Green - 1.65 acres
 * Heritage Park - 9.1 acres
 * Lakewood Park, district section - 14.51 acres
 * Wildwood Park - 20.61 acres
 * Lakewood Park, multi-district section - 25.34 acres

Parts of Lakewood Park are landscaped with natural prairie grassland vegetation. As well, the park contains a constructed wetland area, designed to remove pollutants from stormwater and control runoff. The wetland's waters and native plants in turn provide habitat for native aquatic animals, insects, and birds.

The Wildwood Community Association coordinates recreational programs and social activities, maintains the park and outdoor rink, and promotes the well-being of residents. The volunteer-run association also provides a voice for the community on issues of local concern.

The Lakewood Civic Centre houses a swimming pool and waterslide, fitness facilities, meeting and recreational space, and the Cliff Wright Branch Library all in one facility.

The Wildwood Golf Course is an 18-hole course that has an intermediate level of play. It includes a practice green, pro shop and coffee shop.

Commercial


Wildwood's northern border includes the eastern end of the 8th Street business district. Predating Wildwood's residential development to the south, the County Fair Plaza shopping centre operated at Circle Drive and 8th Street and included as Zellers department store and Canada Safeway. In 1977, Wildwood Mall opened across Acadia Drive from County Fair Plaza on the former Stephenson dairy farm land and added retailers such as Woolco (and later Wal-Mart) to the area. In the mid-1980s, County Fair Plaza was expanded into a larger mall called Circle Centre Mall. In the late 1990s, Wildwood Mall (which had been struggling since losing one of its anchor tenants, Dominion grocery stores) and Circle Park merged to become The Centre at Circle and 8th, which was later rebranded The Centre, with the two malls linked via an underground tunnel under Acadia Drive. In addition to The Centre, a few satellite businesses are located in freestanding buildings along 8th Street, straddling the mall property.

Location
Wildwood is located within the Lakewood Suburban Development Area. It is bounded by 8th Street to the north, Boychuk Drive to the east, Taylor Street to the south, and Circle Drive to the west. Inside those boundaries, the roads are a mix of local and collector roads. McKercher Drive, a north-south arterial road, roughly bisects the neighbourhood; Acadia Drive is another north-south arterial road in the west half of Wildwood.