Saskatoon

Saskatoon is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Located in the central part of the province, on the South Saskatchewan River, it is a major center for manufacturing and transportation. Nicknames include "Paris of the Prairies," "City of Bridges" (there are seven), "Hub City" (because of its status as a transportation center), and "Science City." The city was first settled in 1883, as a colony for temperance advocates, and incorporated in 1906.

The name "Saskatoon" comes from "misaskwatomin," the Cree name for the local saskatoon berry (also known as the juneberry, Amelanchier alnifolia). Saskatoon is home to the University of Saskatchewan, a major research center and local employer. The city's culture reflects a mix of British, Eastern European, and aboriginal/First Nations influences. Despite its frontier heritage, Saskatoon also enjoys a cosmopolitan culture, with numerous art galleries, performing arts venues, and festivals. Tourists are drawn to the area's extremely sunny weather.

Landscape

Saskatoon is located in the southcentral part of Saskatchewan, a prairie region on the South Saskatchewan River. The city is surrounded by wheat fields, which are important sources of agricultural products for Saskatoon's food processing industry. The city enjoys plentiful green space, with many hiking and biking trails.

Saskatoon is a major transportation hub, on the routes of the Yellowhead Highway (part of the Trans-Canada Highway), the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Canadian National Railway. It is the only major city between Edmonton, Alberta, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Saskatoon is also around 322 kilometers (200 miles) north of the United States border.

The city enjoys four distinct seasons. The weather is usually extremely sunny and dry. Summer temperatures are as high as 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). Spring and fall temperatures are also relatively mild, ranging between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius (50 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit).

People

Saskatoon is the most populous city in Saskatchewan. In the 2016 census the city's population was estimated at 246,376 and its census metropolitan area (CMA) at 295,095, out of a total provincial population of about 1.1 million. The population is largely of British origin. There are sizeable minorities of French Canadians, Aboriginal Canadians (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Eastern Europeans (particularly Ukrainians and Poles), and Asians (particularly Chinese, Filipinos, and Indo-Chinese).

Saskatoon has produced several notable politicians. Ramon John "Ray" Hnatyshyn (1934–2002), a Ukrainian Canadian who belonged to the Progressive Conservative Party, served as Canada's Governor-General from 1990–95. Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker (1895–1979), who served from 1957 through 1963, attended the University of Saskatchewan and worked in local politics before attaining national office. Roy Romanow (1939–), the New Democratic Party premier of Saskatchewan from 1991–2001, was also born in Saskatoon.

Famous authors connected to Saskatoon include novelists Farley Mowat and Guy Vanderhaeghe, as well as singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Saskatoon holds numerous cultural festivals, many of them for the city's ethnic communities. Some of the best-known festivals are the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, the Fringe Theatre Festival for alternative theater, and the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival. Cultural centers include the Mendel Art Gallery and the Western Development Museum.

Hockey, Canadian-rules football, and auto-racing are among the most popular sports in Saskatoon. Professional sports teams include the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. There are also two car-racing tracks: Wyant Group Raceway (formerly Auto Clearing Motor Speedway) and the Saskatchewan International Raceway (SIR) for championship drag racing.

Saskatoon is governed by a mayor and ten-member city council. Each councilor represents one of the city's ten wards. Following British practice, the mayor is called "His Worship."

Economy

Saskatoon's economy revolves around manufacturing and transportation. Other important economic sectors are food processing, energy, and agricultural biotechnology.

The University of Saskatchewan is a major research center, with facilities such as the Innovation Place research park, and the Canadian Light Source synchrotron, for nuclear research. The presence of the university has helped Saskatoon build a well-educated workforce.

The city is home to many corporate headquarters, including uranium firm Cameco and potash firm Nutrien. Saskatoon is located near most of the world's recoverable potash reserves.

Saskatoon is a transportation hub, located on the routes of major highways and railways. It is located on the east-west Yellowhead Highway, part of the Trans-Canada Highway. The city is also along the route of two major railways: the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian National Railway. Saskatoon is home to the province's largest airport, the Saskatoon International Airport, also known as the John G. Diefenbaker International Airport.

As the province's largest city, Saskatoon is well-provided with mass media. The daily newspaper is the StarPhoenix. There are many radio and television stations, including those of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC).

Landmarks

Saskatoon's downtown is full of high-rise buildings. The Canada Building, an eight-story high-rise constructed in 1913, was formerly the city's tallest and remains a landmark.

Saskatoon offers a wide variety of cultural attractions, mixing the city's frontier and ethnic heritage. The city's riverfront has been developed, with numerous hiking and biking trails. Winter activities include ice-skating and cross-country skiing. There are many local parks and open spaces.

The city is home to the University of Saskatchewan, established in 1909. A major research center, all of the university's original building, complete with their limestone facades, remain standing. The university also boasts several major art galleries and museums, including the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery and the Museum of Antiquities.

Notable houses of worship in Saskatoon include St. John's Anglican Cathedral, a 1912 gothic revival brick structure which has the highest church spire in Western Canada. The building is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Saskatoon, in the Anglican Church of Canada.

Historic sites in Saskatoon include the Batoche National Historic Site, site of the Battle of Batoche during the 1885 North-West Rebellion led by Métis leader Louis Riel. Historic parks include the Wanuskewin Heritage Park, which focuses on the six thousand years of aboriginal settlement in the region. Museums include the Ukrainian Museum of Canada and the Western Development Museum. The latter focuses on the development of frontier Saskatoon.

History

The area that is now known as Saskatoon has been inhabited by aboriginal peoples for at least six thousand years. The First Nations peoples that inhabited the area included the Cree.

Permanent White settlement began in 1883, when a group of temperance activists from Toronto decided to establish a "dry" colony there. They moved because of their distaste for Toronto's thriving liquor business. The Temperance Colonization Society was founded in 1881. John Lake, a Methodist minister, was the group's leader. In 1883, the members traveled by rail to Moose Jaw, then by horse-cart to the site of present-day Saskatoon. There they established an agricultural colony.

Saskatoon was affected by the 1885 North-West Rebellion. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police used several buildings as hospitals to care for the wounded from the Battle of Batoche.

In 1890, the railroad arrived, when the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway built a bridge across the South Saskatchewan River. This allowed settlement on both sides of the river. The original community of Saskatoon was divided in two, based on the water boundary.

In 1901, the west-bank community which had grown up around the railroad station was incorporated as the Village of Saskatoon; in 1903, the village became a town. The original, east-bank community became known as Nutana. Another site, named Riversdale, grew up along the railroad. The three communities came together in 1906, incorporating as the city of Saskatoon, with a population of 4,500.

In 1907, by an act of the provincial legislature, the University of Saskatchewan was established in Saskatoon. The school began accepting students in 1909, and the first building was completed in 1912.

The city experienced an economic boom in the years before World War I, developing a large business district. The Municipal Railway was constructed, carrying several million passengers a year. During the war, many men served in the 105th Saskatoon Fusiliers, an infantry regiment which saw service in France. Future Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker was an officer in the regiment. The city also served as a major producer of war supplies and food, and the Royal Canadian Air Force conducted training nearby.

The postwar slump hit Saskatoon hard, as it did many other parts of the world. Times improved during the 1920s, but the city suffered during the Great Depression. World War II brought renewed prosperity, with the great need for foodstuffs and war materials. The Royal Canadian Air Force maintained a base there during the war.

After the war, Saskatoon's economy improved with the development of mining and other natural resources. A high-tech industry also developed by the 1980s. Like Saskatchewan in general, Saskatoon developed a reputation for political radicalism, and postwar politics were generally dominated by the New Democratic Party.

After decades of relative stability, Saskatoon experienced another economic and population boom around 2007. Around this time house prices increased by over half from previous years and many buildings were converted into condominiums.

Trivia

• The inhabitants of Saskatoon are known as "Saskatonians."
• During World War II, male students of the University of Saskatchewan were required to take part in military training, through the Canadian Officers Training Corps (COTC).
• Saskatoon has produced many top-notch athletes and sports teams, particularly in the sports of curling and ice hockey.
• Despite being landlocked, Saskatoon is home to a Canadian Naval Reserve unit, the HMCS Unicorn, established in April 1923.

Bibliography

City of Saskatoon. City of Saskatoon, 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center, 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.

Sarjeant, A. Margaret, William A. S. Sarjeant, and Don Kerr. "Saskatoon." The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, 4 Mar. 2015,www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/saskatoon/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2018.

Saskatoon Heritage Society. Saskatoon Heritage Society, 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

The StarPhoenix Website. Postmedia Network, 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.

Tourism Saskatoon. Tourism Saskatoon, 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.