Briarwood is a residential neighbourhood located in the southeast part of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The majority of its residents live in low-density, single detached dwellings. As of 2009, the area is home to 4,473 residents. The neighbourhood is considered a very high-income area, with an average family income of $117,619, an average dwelling value of $449,158 and a home ownership rate of 97.0%.[1]
History
The land where Briarwood now exists was originally farmland, owned by Mike Boychuk. He would become the owner of Boychuk Construction, a major Saskatoon homebuilder founded in 1945.[2] Boychuk Drive, which forms Briarwood's western boundary, bears his name. The land was annexed by the city in the period between 1975 and 1979.[3] Home construction began in 1988, but reached its peak between 1996 and 2001.[1]
Unlike most Saskatoon neighbourhoods, which name streets to honour noteworthy individuals or places, Briarwood's streets all begin with the letter "B". This makes Briarwood and the neighbourhood of Eastview somewhat unusual with their more generic street naming conventions. One exception is Wess Road; running down the eastern side of Briarwood, it is a remnant of an earlier highway alignment (prior to the development of Circle Drive) that, despite having businesses located on it and acting as an alternate route connecting to Highway 16 (prior to being truncated by residential development in Rosewood), was never given an official street name until the late 2010s.
Institutions
Education
The Saskatoon Public School Division and Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division opted not to build schools in Briarwood, much to the resentment of some residents, who purchased homes assuming that schools would be built. A conflict ensued between homeowners and the land developers who wished to have the land rezoned for houses.[4]
In Saskatoon's non-partisan municipal politics, Briarwood lies within ward 8. It is currently represented by Councillor Sarina Gersher, who was first elected in 2016.[8]
Parks and recreation
Homes around Briarwood Lake
Briarwood Linear Park - 2.2 acres
Briarwood Swale - 14.3 acres
Briarwood Lake Park - 16.1 acres
Briarwood Neighbourhood Park - 17.4 acres
The Briarwood Community Association represents local interests in discussions with the city on quality of life issues. To promote a sense of community, volunteers organize various events throughout the year, operate programs out of the Briarwood Recreation Centre and maintain the outdoor rink on Briarwood Pond.[9]
Public services
Briarwood is a part of the east division of the Saskatoon Police Services patrol system.[10] Saskatoon Fire & Protective Services' east division covers the neighbourhood.[11] Transit services to Briarwood are provided by Saskatoon Transit on route No. 84 (Briarwood).[12]
Commercial
At present, no parts of Briarwood have commercial development. 94 home-based businesses exist in the area.[1] The nearest commercial areas lies to the south in the Lakewood Suburban Centre and to the northwest along 8th Street including The Centre at Circle and 8th shopping centre; future development to the east is expected to include a new commercial hub along an extension of 8th Street, not far from Briarwood.
Location
Briarwood is located within the Lakewood Suburban Development Area. It is bounded by 8th Street to the north, Boychuk Drive to the west, Taylor Street to the south, and Wess Road to the east. Inside those boundaries, the roads are a mix of local and collector roads.
References
^ abc"Briarwood"(PDF). Neighbourhood Profiles. City of Saskatoon - Planning and Development Branch. 2010. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
^"About Us". Boychuk Homes. 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
^Populace Spring 2006, vol. 8, City of Saskatoon - City Planning Branch, Spring 2006, p. 5
^"Briarwood". Community Associations. City of Saskatoon - Community Development Branch. Archived from the original on 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
Canada
Saskatchewan
