Saskatoon
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- For other uses of "Saskatoon", see Saskatoon (disambiguation).
 | |
| Establishment - Incorporation | 1883 1906 |
|---|---|
| Population (city) - CMA | 206,500 236,000 (17th) |
| City land area - Density | ~ 176km² 1305.5/km² |
| Mayor | Don Atchison |
| Governing body | Saskatoon City Council [1] |
| MLA's | Graham Addley Pat Atkinson Lorne Calvert Ken Cheveldayoff Eric Cline David Forbes Andy Iwanchuk Judy Junor Ted Merriman Don Morgan Peter Prebble Frank Quennell |
| MP's | Carol Skelton Brad Trost Maurice Vellacott Lynne Yelich |
| Nicknames | The Bridge City, The Hub City, Toontown, POW City |
| GDP per capita - Income per household | C$26,551 (est. 2005) C$41,991 (est. 2005) |
| Time Zone - in summer | GMT -0600 (Central) n/a (does not change to DST) |
| Latitude Longitude | |
| Pronunciation | /ˌsæskəˈtuːn/ |
| Area Code | 306 |
Saskatoon is a city located in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Saskatoon is the most populous city in the province of Saskatchewan, and has been since the mid-1980s when it surpassed the provincial capital of Regina. Residents of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians.
Saskatoon is often called the "City of Bridges" for its seven river crossings (it is also occasionally referred to as "The Paris of the Prairies", for the same reason). The name Saskatoon comes from the Cree inanimate noun "misâskwatômina," which refers to a sweet, violet-colored berry that grows in the area. A long-time nickname for Saskatoon is "Hub City", while the name is also commonly abbreviated "S'toon". Following the release of the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, the city became popularly known as "'Toontown", after a similarly named location in the film, although the nickname "'Toontown" had been in use in Saskatoon prior to the film's release.
[edit] History
The first permanent settlement of Saskatoon occurred in 1883 when Toronto Methodists, wanting to escape the liquor trade in that city, decided to set up a "dry" community in the rapidly-growing Prairie region. Their organization, the Temperance Colonization Society, first examined this area in 1882 and found that it would make an excellent location to found their community based on the ideals of the Temperance League. The settlers, led by John Lake, arrived on the site of what is now Saskatoon by traveling by railway from Ontario to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and then completing the final leg via horse-drawn cart (the railway had yet to be completed to Saskatoon). The plan for the Temperance Colony soon failed as the group was unable to obtain a large block of land within the community. Nonetheless, John Lake is commonly identified as the founder of Saskatoon; a public school, a park and two streets are named after him (Lake Crescent which was developed in the 1960s and Eastlake Avenue, which was originally named Lake Avenue on the first map of Saskatoon in 1883 but later changed for reasons unknown). Image:Bess-rear.jpg
In 1885, several houses on 11th Street East were used as military hospitals during the North-West Rebellion. One house, the Marr Residence, is currently a heritage site run by the Meewasin Valley Authority. The first school, Victoria School opened for classes at the corner of 11th Street and Broadway Avenue in 1888. This small school, now called the "Little Stone Schoolhouse", now sits on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan. The Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway reached Saskatoon in 1890 and crossed the South Saskatchewan River, causing a boom in development on the west side of the river. In 1901, Saskatoon's population hit 113 and the community on the west bank of the river adopted the name "Saskatoon", while residents on the east side of the river adopted the name "Nutana". A third settlement, "Riversdale", also began just southwest of Saskatoon.
A town charter for the west side of the river was obtained in 1903 (Nutana became a village in that year). In 1906 Saskatoon became a city with a population of 4,500, which included the communities of Saskatoon, Riversdale, and Nutana. In 1956, the fast-growing community annexed the neighboring town of Sutherland.
One of the city's best known landmarks is the Delta Bessborough Hotel, better known as simply, The Bessborough, the Hotel Bessborough or, more colloquially, "The Bess" (or "The Bez"; the latter is phonetic). Built by the CNR, a federal crown corporation, as a railway hotel during the Great Depression of the 1930s as a make-work project, the hotel was designed to resemble a Bavarian castle. The hotel has passed out of the ownership of the CNR and has survived several changes in ownership, as well as the suggestion that it be demolished in order to restore the riverbank. The Bessborough and the Mendel Art Gallery are currently the only two major structures located on the river side of Spadina Crescent. Over the years, the Bessborough has become Saskatoon's most iconic symbol and most recognizable skyline feature; one of the most frequently-circulated photographs depicting Saskatoon is of the hotel framed in one of the arches of the Broadway Bridge.
The city is currently redeveloping the south downtown region of River Landing. This redevelopment will result in the development of a Hotel/Spa to the downtown core, a huge, new theater complex with twelve theatres with stadium-style seating owned by Cineplex Entertainment which opened in the Summer of 2006, parkland and a year round home for the Saskatoon Farmers Market.
[edit] Demographics
Saskatoon is growing at an annual rate of 0.62 per cent. According to the 2001 census, some 1 in 5 people, or 20.6 per cent of the population consists of youths under the age of 14, while those over 65 constitute only 11.8 per cent of the population. The median age of Saskatoon residents is 34.4 years of age, three years younger than Canada as a whole.
According to the Canada 2001 Census:
| Population: | 206,900 (+1.6% from 1996) |
| Land area: | 176.6 km² |
| Population density: | 1,326.8 people/km² |
| Median age: | 34.3 (males: 33.1, females: 35.5) |
| Total private dwellings: | 84,281 |
| Mean household income: | $41,991 |
As of 2005, the civic government of Saskatoon claimed a population of approximately 220,000. The above land area figure was provided by the City of Saskatoon in January 2006 and takes into account recent annexations.
Ethno-cultural Groups[2]
- White Canadian: 190,120 or 85.39%
- Aboriginal: 19,900 or 8.93%
- Chinese: 3,725 or 1.65%
- Asian Canadian: 1,730 or 0.77%
- Other: 2,600 or 1.16%
The majority of Saskatoon's inhabitants profess to be of Christian faith. A large contingent of people also do not profess a faith at all. Some 78.5% profess to be Christian, mostly Protestant and Roman Catholic. Minority faiths include Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam, who do not constitute 1 per cent combined.
[edit] Economy
Saskatoon is recognized as one of the world's leading Agricultural Biotechnology centres. Some of this research takes place at Innovation Place Research Park and the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). The U of S hosts the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization(VIDO) that conducts infectious diseases research to develop infectious diseases controls for humans and animals. The U of S owns Pharmalytics, Inc; Prairie Swine Centre Inc; Prairie Diagnostic Services, Inc; Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc; and the Western Beef Development Centre.
The University of Saskatchewan is also home to the Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory, which studies environmental and climate change around the world. These studies provide secular records of environmental change that are critical to developing more accurate models of future environmental and climate variability that will dictate the economic well-being of the Prairie Provinces over the coming decades.
The U of S campus hosts the POS Pilot Plant. As well, the campus is home to the Canadian Light Source, a national synchrotron radiation facility that is used for a wide range of scientific research and POS Pilot Plant Corporation.
The world's largest publicly traded uranium company, Cameco, and the world's largest potash producer, PotashCorp, have corporate headquarters in Saskatoon. Nearly two-thirds of the world's recoverable potash reserves are located in the Saskatoon region. Uranium plays an important role in Saskatoon's economy, with the city also hosting AREVA NC Canadian headquarters (a subsidiary of France-based AREVA).
Food processing is an important industry in Saskatoon. The city is the headquarters of Mitchell's Gourmet Foods, formerly known as Intercontinental Packers, which produces the Olympic Fine Meats line of products and is one of Canada's largest meat processors, employing more than 1,400 Saskatonians. However, on October 12, 2006, Maple Leaf Foods, owners of Mitchell's, announced it would be closing down its major plant in Saskatoon over the next three years, resulting in the loss of approximately 450 local jobs, along with an additional 350 jobs that were expected to be created by the construction of a new Mitchell's "kill plant" in the city's north end.[3]
Saskatoon is home to several manufacturing companies such as Hitachi Canadian Industries, as well as several companies in the Information Technology and telecom fields. Saskatoon is home to SED Systems, MPR Teltech, and VCom. Saskatoon also hosts a Minacs and a Marriott International call centre.
After explosive residential growth in the 1970s and early 1980s, by the late 1980s development of new communities slowed to a trickle as the economy experienced a downturn. By 2005, however, Saskatoon was in the midst of another growth boom with construction under way on no less than four major residential areas, plus early planning launched on several proposed business parks and the Blairmore Suburban Development Area, also known as the "West Sector", a large recently annexed area on the city's west side which is expected to include seven residential communities, a business park, and a "suburban centre" in the coming years. (Construction of the suburban centre, which will include two major high schools and necessitate realignment of Highway 7, began in 2006.)
In terms of commercial development, Saskatoon was somewhat slow in embracing the big box store format that replaced the traditional shopping mall in the mid‐to‐late 1990s, with the city's first true "power centre" not opening until the early 2000s. One of the city's main commercial districts, 8th Street East, experienced an influx of new businesses in the early 2000s after a number of automobile dealerships relocated to a new "auto mall" on the city's south side, leaving large vacancies along 8th Street. The opening of the city's first power centre, Preston Crossing, in 2002–2003 saw several major retailers such as Wal-Mart Canada and Canadian Tire leave their original shopping mall locations in favor of the new site, requiring the malls to scramble to find replacement tenants. Construction of a second power centre on the city's south side is under way. The development of these larger centres has led to something of a decrease in services in the downtown areas, with the few grocery stores in that region going out of business or closing their doors in favour of the larger stores in the peripheral regions of the city.
The downtown core is seeing increased development with projects such as River Landing, lofts and entertainment going ahead. Located in the downtown core, Midtown Plaza is the largest shopping centre in the city with Sears Canada and The Bay as anchors. The city is also home to Market Mall and The Centre on the east side, Confederation Mall on the west side and The Mall at Lawson Heights in the north end.
[edit] Queen Elizabeth Power Station
The city receives its power from the main SaskPower grid. The city's nearest power generation plant is located on Saskatoon's southwestern outskirts on Spadina Crescent (south of the city dump entrance on Power Road). The station was built in the 1950s and christened after Queen Elizabeth II in 1959. This is a natural gas fired station to meet peak demand. SaskPower base load facilities are primarily hydro electric and coal fired.
[edit] Climate and geography
Saskatoon lies on a long belt of rich, potassic chernozem in middle-southern Saskatchewan and is found in the Aspen parkland biome. The lack of surrounding mountainous topography gives the city a relatively flat grid, though the city does sprawl over a few hills and into a few valleys. The lowest point in the city is the river, while the highest point is disputed between the suburb of Sutherland in the east side and the Silverwood-River Heights areas in the city's north end. Saskatoon, on a cross-section from west to east, has a general decline in elevation above sea level heading towards the river, and on the east bank of the river, the terrain is mostly level until outside the city, where it begins to decrease in elevation again.
Saskatoon is in a dry-prairie/savanna biome and experiences warm summers and very cold winters. The city has four distinct seasons. Extreme temperatures range from -40°C in winter to 40°C (-40°F to 104°F) in summer. Saskatoon is fairly dry; the average annual precipitation is 347.2mm (13.7in), with the summer being the wettest season. A positive aspect of the low precipitation is that Saskatoon is one of the sunniest cities in Canada as a result, averaging 2,381 hours of bright sunshine annually. The extreme temperatures are also more tolerable on account of the typically low humidity.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Saskatoon was -50°C in 1893. The lowest wind chill ever recorded was -61.9°C.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Saskatoon was 41°C in 1988.
[edit] Saskatoon's neighbourhoods
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Roads and bridges
Saskatoon is located on the Yellowhead Highway also known as Saskatchewan Provincial Highway 16 connecting Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. Provincial Highways #5, #7, #11, #12, #14, and #219 all meet at Saskatoon. Provincial Highway #60, which meets up with route 7 just west of Saskatoon, goes south to nearby Pike Lake Provincial Park. Another provincial Highway, #41, terminates at Hwy. 5 just east of the present city limits.
The following bridges cross the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon:
- Broadway Bridge
- Circle Drive Bridge
- Sidney L. Buckwold Bridge
- McDonald Bridge (rail)
- University Bridge
- Victoria Bridge
- Grand Trunk Bridge (rail)
The above names are the official names, however locally several of the bridges are known by a number of different names. For example, the Victoria Bridge is also known as the Steel Bridge, the 19th Street Bridge, the Short Hill Bridge, and - most commonly - the Traffic Bridge. The University Bridge is also commonly known as the 25th Street Bridge.
Construction of Saskatoon's "ring road", Circle Drive, began in the mid-1960s (after having first been proposed in 1913) but as of 2006 the freeway was still only three-quarters completed. As well, unexpected growth has led to sometimes severe congestion problems, the necessity of transport trucks to pass through busy commercial areas and a large number of light-controlled intersections, only recently being rectified by overpass constructions. Planning for the final section of Circle Drive, which will involve a new river crossing on the south side of the city and several interchanges, is under way and construction is expected to begin in the next few years. The province also has plans to construct another ring road (dubbed the "Perimeter Highway" like the "Perimeter Highway" in Winnipeg, Manitoba) farther out from the city within the next 20 years, as Saskatoon's population continues to steadily increase. Also now under construction is a realignment of Provincial Highway #7, one that will eventually link it to the Yellowhead Highway north of the city's airport.
In the fall of 2005, the Victoria Bridge was closed when an inspection identified structural problems. After some debate over whether to fix the bridge or replace it, the city chose to repair the landmark structure and a $500,000 contract was tendered. The bridge reopened to vehicular traffic on September 8, 2006.
Along with the repairs to the Victoria bridge, the city has constructed Saskatoon's only roundabout at just off its north end, at the intersection of 3rd Avenue South and Spadina Crescent. This is the city's second attempt at using this form of traffic control; in the 1960s a large roundabout (referred to locally as the Traffic Circle) was constructed at the junction of Circle Drive and 8th Street East, but over the next 25 years was the site of many accidents as a number of drivers found the roundabout confusing to use (the city at one point in the 1970s hosted special driving classes on how to navigate it). Eventually the city bowed to public pressure and removed the roundabout, replacing it initially with standard traffic signals and later an interchange.
Additional traffic improvements under way or planned in Saskatoon include an interchange at College Drive (Hwy. 5) and Circle Drive (now completed), and interchanges at Circle Drive's intersections with Clarence Avenue and Preston Avenue South, both of which are necessary to facilitate planned residential and commercial development on Saskatoon's south side. Residents have been lobbying for interchange construction at the two accident-prone intersections for some 35 years. Construction of the Clarence/Circle interchange is now underway [4], although it is being constructed primarily to provide access to a proposed big box commercial development; construction of the Preston South/Circle Drive interchange has yet to be announced. The Circle Drive Bridge is also undergoing construction to add an extra lane to each side to handle additional traffic; the pedestrian walkways will be moved to the centre between the traffic lanes.
On January 9, 2006, the city announced the demolition of the 19th Street underpass — a city landmark since the 1930s and the last vestige of the rail yards that used to dominate central Saskatoon — as part of the redevelopment of the city's south downtown. [5]
[edit] Railways
The Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian National Railway have connections to Saskatoon. Saskatoon is a stop on The Canadian passenger transcontinental rail route operated by VIA Rail. A station for passenger travel is located in the west end of the city. The many provincial transportation connections and geographic location of Saskatoon give it one of its nicknames The Hub City. The Saskatchewan Railway Museum is located just outside the city.
[edit] Airports
The Saskatoon International Airport (YXE) is officially called the John G. Diefenbaker International Airport. It was renovated in 2004 and is the largest in the province, with over 900,000 travelers yearly. The airport has many non-stop flights to/from many major centres in Canada, as well to Minneapolis, via Northwest Airlines. In the winter charter flights operate to Mexico.
Saskatoon/Corman Air Park is located south-east of Saskatoon and is primarily used by private aircraft.
[edit] Education
[edit] University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan campus, is located along the eastern bank of the South Saskatchewan River and spans 7.55 km2. The university was established in 1907. The first classes were held in the Drinkle Building in downtown Saskatoon. Construction of the university campus in its current location began in 1909, and all of the original greystone facade buildings remain today. The university has a yearly attendance of roughly 19,000 students. The university is home to the Canadian Light Source, Canada's only synchrotron.
St Thomas More College is a Catholic federated college of the University of Saskatchewan. Affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan are the Lutheran Theological Seminary, College of Emmanuel and St. Chad (Anglican Church of Canada), and St. Andrew's College(United Church of Canada). All three are located on the university campus.
[edit] Research
The Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory is a center for the study of environmental variability and climate change around the world. The laboratory is centered around a core facility of 7 mass spectrometers, a world-class clean room, and custom designed robotic micromilling facilities. Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory projects are being conducted with over 300 collaborators in over seventy countries.
[edit] First Nations University of Canada
The First Nations University of Canada Saskatoon campus is located on Duke St, with the main campus in Regina.
[edit] Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology
The Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) Kelsey Campus is located at Idylwyld and 33rd Street. The campus was first established in 1963. SIAST is a college offering programs in business and agriculture, health and science, technology, industry, nursing, hospitality services, community services and basic education.
[edit] Gabriel Dumont Institute
The Gabriel Dumont Institute is a Métis education institute based in Saskatoon, that provides education services across Saskatchewan to the Métis community.
[edit] Regency College
Regency College, a private, for-profit post-secondary career college.
[edit] Public and Catholic School Divisions
Saskatoon has 78 elementary schools and 14 high schools (with three more under construction), serving about 37,000 students. Saskatoon has two school boards, The Saskatoon Public School Division and the Saskatoon Catholic School Division.
[edit] Public High Schools
- Aden Bowman Collegiate
- Bedford Road Collegiate
- Centennial Collegiate
- City Park Collegiate
- Evan Hardy Collegiate
- Marion M. Graham Collegiate
- Mount Royal Collegiate
- Nutana Collegiate
- Tommy Douglas Collegiate (To open in the 2007-2008 school year)
- Walter Murray Collegiate
[edit] Arts and culture
Saskatoon's major arts venue is the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium, recently renamed as TCU Place effective January 1, 2006, which is located adjacent to Midtown Plaza downtown. Since opening in 1967, it has hosted scores of concerts, theatrical performances, live events such as the Telemiracle telethon, high school graduation and university convocation ceremonies, and conventions. It is also home to the Saskatoon Symphony. It recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation to its main theatre (named in honor of former mayor and senator Sidney Buckwold) and in 2005 began an expansion to add additional convention facilities; this project is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2006.
[edit] Concerts
For rock concerts and major shows, the Credit Union Centre (formerly Saskatchewan Place) is the main venue. It is Saskatchewan's largest arena, with a capacity of 11,300 for sporting events and 14,000 for concerts. Some acts that have played at Credit Union Centre include Aerosmith, AC/DC, Elton John, KISS, Metallica, Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, Garth Brooks, Cher, BB King, James Brown, Britney Spears, Black Eyed Peas, Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, Velvet Revolver, Pearl Jam, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Brooks & Dunn, and George Strait.
[edit] Art galleries
The Mendel Art Gallery is situated on the bank of the South Saskatchewan River. Over its forty-year history, the Mendel Art Gallery’s permanent collection has grown to exceed 5,000 works of art. In 2005, it began a major renovation project that will expand the size of the gallery by seventy per cent. In September 2005, however, the City of Saskatoon announced that it had entered discussions with the Mendel to the end of having the Mendel abandon its renovation/expansion project in favor of instead relocating the facility to a new arts and culture centre that is planned for the south downtown area; the Mendel has reportedly rejected this suggestion.
Saskatoon hosts a number of artist-run centres and smaller galleries, including AKA Gallery, Paved Art & New Media, The Saskatchewan Craft Council, Art Placement Gallery, The Centre East Galleries in The Centre mall, and the Kenderdine Gallery on the University of Saskatchewan campus.
[edit] Western Development Museum
Saskatoon is also home of the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum. This museum, one of four throughout the province, documents early pioneer life in Saskatchewan. It is noted for its interior recreation of a "Boom Town" main street, including one original building relocated from its original site. The Saskatchewan Railway Museum is located just outside the city and includes displays of rolling stock and historic railway buildings from various parts of the province.
[edit] Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is a National Historic Site situated 5 km to the north of Saskatoon. It is an aboriginal archaeological site and features displays, special events, and activities.
[edit] Festivals
Saskatoon hosts many festivals and events in the summer, including the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival, the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, the Northern Saskatchewan International Children's Festival, the Saskatoon International Fringe Festival (a showcase of alternative theatre), FolkFest (a cultural festival), and the Canada Remembers Airshow.
The city's annual exhibition (now called the Saskatoon Exhibition but also known in previous years as Pioneer Days and "The Ex") is held every August. Until the late 1990s the fair was held in mid-July, and for many years coincided with "Louis Riel Day", a downtown-based celebration of the life of the famous rebel, which included a canoe/running/horseback riding relay race winding through the parks on both sides of the river and on the river itself. Other events included a cabbage roll-eating contest, tug-of-war competitions and live musical performances. Louis Riel Day was a regular summer event from the late 1960s until the early 1990s when a lack of major sponsors forced its cancellation. In the late 1990s, the Saskatoon Exhibition was rescheduled to August so that it no longer was in direct competition with the Calgary Stampede, which frequently overlapped the event.
Another former festival in Saskatoon was Pion-Era, which was hosted for many years by the Western Development Museum at its original location on 11th Street West; in the 1970s, following the museum's relocation south of the Exhibition Grounds, the event was combined with the Exhibition (leading to the event being renamed Pioneer Days). In the 1980s the Exhibition and WDM distanced themselves and the "pioneer" aspects of the fair were downplayed over time; eventually the WDM ceased to participate in the Exhibition.
Saskatoon will be the 2007 host city for the Juno Awards which are Canada's foremost music industry honours.
[edit] Movie theatres
Despite its population, Saskatoon is noted for its relatively low number of movie theatres. (This fact was noted by Star-Phoenix columnist Les McPherson in a 2004 column). At present, there is only one single-screen theatre in the city -- the Broadway Theatre, which primarily shows arthouse films. The Roxy (formerly the Towne Cinema), is an 'atmospheric-style' theatre which recently reopened after sitting unused for over a decade. The remainder of the city's theatres are multiplex-style buildings. In the downtown core, there are presently only two theatres: the Capitol 4 and the Galaxy. The city's other movie theatres are the Rainbow (a second-run cinema) and the Centre Cinemas, located adjacent to each other in The Centre at Circle and 8th shopping mall on the city's east side. Other local cinemas including the Pacific, Paramount, Odeon, Sutherland Park Drive-In, Skyway Drive-In, Place Riel (a student union-run theatre formerly located on the U of S campus), and Duffy's Cinema Centre (formerly known as Cinema Twins) have all closed down over the last two decades.
[edit] Royal presence
Saskatoon has welcomed the following members of Canada's Royal Family:
| Year | Visitor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1919 | The Prince of Wales (subsequently Edward VIII) |
| 1939 | King George Vl and Queen Elizabeth |
| 1951 | Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh |
| 1978 | Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Edward |
| 1980 | Princess Margaret |
| 1982 | The Princess Royal |
| 1987 | Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh |
| 1989 | The Duke and Duchess of York (Prince Andrew and Duchess Sarah) |
| 2001 | The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) |
| 2004 | The Princess Royal |
| 2005 | Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh |
The culmination of The Queen's visit during Saskatchewan centennial celebrations in 2005 occured in Saskatoon, when the city hosted the Lieutenant Governor's Centennial Gala. The nationally-televised event held at Credit Union Centre showcased provincial talent that included such noteworthy participants as Joni Mitchell.
Schools in Saskatoon with royal namesakes:
- Ecole Victoria School
- King George School
- Queen Elizabeth School
- Prince Philip School
- Princess Alexandra School
- King Edward School (closed - current site of the King Edward Manor, 25th Street East & 6th Avenue North)
Neigbourhoods:
- King George
- Queen Elizabeth
Parks:
- Victoria Park
- Coronation Park (named for King George VI in 1937)
Originally named the South Saskatchewan River Generating Station, Saskatoon's natural gas-fired Queen Elizabeth Power Station was renamed and commissioned by the Queen in 1959.
Several streets in Saskatoon also have royal namesakes, including Prince of Wales Avenue, Princess Street, King Street, King Crescent, Royal Avenue, Windsor Street, Queen Street, Victoria Avenue, Balmoral Street, Empress Avenue, Empress Street. These streets are found in the City Park & North Park areas of the city.
The Prince of Wales Promenade along the South Saskatchewan River was opened by the Prince of Wales in 2001 and is a popular viewpoint along the Meewasin Valley trails.
[edit] Sports and recreation
The Saskatoon Blades of the WHL host their games in Credit Union Centre (formerly known as Saskatchewan Place). In women's hockey, Saskatoon and the province as a whole are represented by the Saskatchewan Prairie Ice of the NWHL.
Many Saskatonians support the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. The Roughriders play in Regina but are notable for their strong support from all areas of the province. The Saskatoon Hilltops of the Canadian Junior Football League host their games at Gordie Howe Bowl. The Hilltops have won 12 national junior championships throughout their history.
The Saskatoon Yellow Jackets minor league baseball team is a member of the Western Major Baseball League and play their games at Cairns Field. They are not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies play Canadian Interuniversity Sport league games at the University Campus. Their facilities include 3,000 seat Griffiths Stadium, 700 seat Rutherford Arena, and a new state-of-the-art Physical Activity Complex that opened in August 2003 with the opening of the new College of Kinesiology Building.
In 2003, Lions Skatepark was built in the Riversdale area.
[edit] Local media
[edit] Newspapers
- Saskatoon Star-Phoenix (daily)
- Saskatoon Sun (weekly, published by the Star-Phoenix)
- Planet S (independent bi-weekly)
- The Sheaf (University of Saskatchewan student newspaper)
- Saskatoon Shopper (distributed on Thursdays by the Star-Phoenix)
- The Neighbourhood Express (monthly variety)
[edit] Radio stations
- 540 AM - CBK, CBC Radio One
- 600 AM - CJWW, country music
- 650 AM - CKOM, news/talk
- 860 AM - CBKF, La Première Chaîne
- 90.5 FM - CFCR, community radio
- 91.7 FM - CITT, tourist information
- 92.9 FM - CFQC, country music (Hot 93)
- 95.1 FM - CFMC, hot adult contemporary (C95)
- 98.3 FM - CJMK, adult contemporary (Magic 98.3)
- 100.3 FM - CFAQ, Christian Music (FREE 100.3)
- 102.1 FM - CJDJ, active rock (Rock 102)
- 104.1 FM - CIRN, MBC Radio (First Nations community) * 105.5 FM - CBKS, CBC Radio Two
[edit] Television stations
- Channel 4: CFSK, Global
- Channel 7: (Cable) Saskatchewan Communications Network
- Channel 8: CFQC, CTV
- Channel 10: (Cable) Shaw community channel
- Channel 11: CBKST, CBC
- Channel 13: CBKFT-1, SRC
[edit] Law and order
[edit] Police services
- Saskatoon Police Service
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Corman Park Police Service
[edit] Correctional facilities
- Saskatoon Correctional Centre
- Regional Psychiatric Centre
[edit] Hospitals
[edit] Sister cities
- Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Umeå (Västerbotten, Sweden)
- Image:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Shijiazhuang (Hebei, China)
[edit] Notables
Notable persons who were born, grew up or lived in Saskatoon:
- Kaare Andrews - comic book artist
- Mel Angelstad - professional ice hockey player
- Mike Babcock - NHL head coach
- Jon Ballantyne - NYC Jazz Musician Composer, Artist
- Allan Blakeney - former Premier of Saskatchewan
- Sidney Buckwold - former Mayor of Saskatoon
- Sandy Burnett - record producer
- Ethel Catherwood - Olympic medalist
- Blair Charters - Tai Chi Chuan Master and Teacher
- Kim Coates - actor
- Lorna Crozier - poet
- John Diefenbaker - former Prime Minister of Canada
- Sylvia Fedoruk - scientist, former Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
- Don Freed - singer/songwriter
- Dawna Friesen - NBC journalist
- Michael Garnett - NHL Goaltender - Atlanta Thrashers
- Joanna Glass - playwright
- Homer Groening - father of The Simpsons creator Matt Groening
- Tom Grummett - comic book artist (Superman, Teen Titans)
- Jay Hails - singer/songwriter
- Chris Hajt - professional ice hockey player
- Stu Hart - professional wrestling patriarch
- Ray Hnatyshyn - former Governor General of Canada
- Gordie Howe - former NHL hockey player
- Bill Hunter - ice hockey entrepreneur
- Jeff Hyslop - actor
- Susan Jacks - singer
- Miklos Kanitz - Holocaust survivor
- Don Kerr - poet
- Dave King - university and NHL hockey coach
- Patrick Lane - poet
- Regan Lauscher - Canadian luge champion
- Catriona LeMay Doan - speed skater, Olympic medalist
- Curtis Leschyshyn - former NHL hockey player
- Keith Magnuson - former NHL hockey player, Chicago Blackhawks (d. 2003)
- Yann Martel - Booker Prize winning author
- Mike Maurer - CFL fullback
- Shane Meier - actor
- Andrea Menard - musician, actress
- Cameron Mitchell - actor
- Joni Mitchell - musician, artist
- Keith Morrison - former NBC television news anchor
- Farley Mowat - novelist
- Nicole Muller - pianist
- Darin Nesbitt - professor at Douglas College
- Michaela Pereira - KTLA Morning Show co-anchor
- RHD (Bob) Phillips - former Editor and Publisher of the Western Producer, writer and journalist
- Northern Pikes - Rock Band
- Rich Pilon - former NHL hockey player
- Drew Remenda - sports announcer
- Roy Romanow - former Premier of Saskatchewan
- Rob Roy - philanthropist
- Dr. W.A.S. Sarjeant, a.k.a. Antony Swithin - geology professor and author
- Theresa Sokyrka - musician, artist
- Don Sparrow - illustrator
- David Sutcliffe - actor
- Brian Skrudland - former NHL hockey forward / 2 time Stanley Cup Champion.
- Arthur Slade - author
- Stereotrap - Christian rock band
- Jarret Stoll - Edmonton Oilers forward
- Anne Szumigalski - poet
- Roderick Toombs, a.k.a. Rowdy Roddy Piper - wrestler
- Shannon Tweed - actress and one-time Playboy Playmate of the Year
- Guy Vanderhaeghe - author
- Cam Ward - NHL hockey goaltender / 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy winner
- Wide Mouth Mason - Rock Band
- David Williams - physician, astronaut
- Chad Williams - Most Promising Hockey Canada Official 2005-06
- Blair Witzel - artist
- Ed Whalen - host, Stampede Wrestling
- Henry Woolf - actor
[edit] Saskatoon in popular culture
- On the episode of "The Simpsons" Midnight Rx, Johnny Canuck tells Homer "You'll get enough drugs to make Regina look like Saskatoon."
- Canadian rock group The Guess Who recorded a song called "Running Back To Saskatoon."
- A verse in country singer Sammy Kershaw's song "Anywhere But Here" goes "Well I hear it's cold up in Saskatoon but it couldn't be colder than our bedroom."
- A verse in punk singer Dallas Green's song "Coming Home" goes "I've been through the rockies, I love seeing Saskatoon."
- The comedy the Royal Canadian Air Farce has a sketch of Luba Goy dressed as an old woman sitting on the bench throwing corn at ducks, when Roger Abbott comes along and sits down with her. A conversation ensues:
- Abbott: I heard people in Iraq fear going out during the day. It is so unsafe... and people are getting stoned everywhere, there's no security, and now with the American invasion...
- Goy: (interrupts) eh... still better than living in Saskatoon.
[edit] Location relative to other communities in Saskatchewan
| North: Martensville | Warman | ||
| West: Biggar | Saskatoon | East: Humboldt |
| South: Dundurn | Davidson | Craik |
[edit] External links
-
- WikiSatellite view at WikiMapia
- Street map from Mapquest
- Topographic map from Topozone
- Aerial photograph from Terraserver
- City of Saskatoon Official Website
- Tourism Saskatoon
- Saskatoon's Largest Online Business Directory
- Explore Saskatoon Weblog
- Toon Town Times: Saskatoon Life, Politics, and City Development News and Commentary
- An Interactive Map of Saskatoon
- Narratives of Saskatoon 1882-1912
- Development planning map as of October 13, 2005. (PDF format).
- (Chinese) Chinese in Saskatoon
| Image:Flag of Saskatchewan.svg | Saskatchewan |
|---|---|
| Census Divisions: | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 |
| SARM Divisions: | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 |
| Cities: | Estevan - Flin Flon (part) - Humboldt - Lloydminster (part) - Melfort - Melville - Moose Jaw - North Battleford - Prince Albert - Regina - Saskatoon - Swift Current - Weyburn - Yorkton |
| See also: | List of rural municipalities in Saskatchewan, SARM |
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A Alberta • B British Columbia • M Manitoba • NB New Brunswick • NL Newfoundland and Labrador • NS Nova Scotia • O Ontario • Q Quebec • S Saskatchewan
es:Saskatoon eo:Saskatuno (Saskaĉevano) fr:Saskatoon id:Saskatoon nl:Saskatoon ja:サスカトゥーン pl:Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) pt:Saskatoon simple:Saskatoon fi:Saskatoon (kaupunki) tr:Saskatoon
