Moose Jaw City Council approved an application to subdivide the west 150 feet of the zero block of River Street West. 

The subdivision is the final step as the city is purchasing back the parcel of land. 

The subdivision returns the street to the legal right-of-way and once again creates two parcels of land on the north and south sides of the street. 

“When this first came to us, a lot of people were confused about what this was really about. I think it’s important to reiterate again that this just returns the street portion of River Street will become a right-of-way again and then it will be two parcels, one on the north and one on the south side of the street. That’s all it is. We’re taking our street back,” explained Coun. Heather Eby. 

The city will pay $10,000 for the costs associated with the application. The city is purchasing the land for a price of $290,000. 

Mayor Clive Tolley confirmed during his New Year's address in January that the zero block of River Street West has been privately purchased and that the new owners are in the final stages of developing an All-Suites Hilton Tapestry Collection Hotel across from the Moose Jaw Events Centre. 

The development of River Street West goes back as far as 2008 when Little Chicago Development Company planned to build shops, restaurants and a massive hotel in the former location of the historic Brunswick Hotel. The Brunswick Hotel was demolished in 2009. 

At the time, the developer said construction would begin in early 2011 and be completed by 2012. However, the project never got off the ground and the city subdivided the lots for sale in 2018.