Regina, with a population of about 180,000 people[1], sits in the midst of the flat plains, suddenly popping out of the flat prairie wheat fields. Back in the day, this city used to be called Pile O’Bones because of the pile of buffalo bones left behind by generations of Indians. Eventually, it was renamed Regina in honor of Queen Victoria and crowned the capital of the province of Saskatchewan. After the railroad was constructed, Regina developed into a graceful, tree-lined city. A royal onion-domed Legislature was built and enclosed by the formal gardens of Wascana Park.[2]
Regina is by far the sunniest of Canada’s cities. With the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway passing through the city, it has become the industrial, financial, and agricultural heart of Saskatchewan. While you won’t find much excitement in Regina, you’ll find a healthy cultural life with a handful of dance and theatre groups, as well as the country’s oldest symphony orchestra and top-rated concert halls. Regina is also the home of the training school for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), giving the city a splash of red and a dose of ceremonial pomp. The museum that traces the development of the RCMP and other museums throughout Regina give visitors a fascinating glimpse into Saskatchewan’s past.[3]
Regina was once a muddy, miserable site along the banks of the Wascana, but has been transformed into a splendid and serene urban centre of parklands, well-planted trees, and modern public facilities, offering travelers a comfortable respite from the vast lonely plains that surround it. The heart of the city lies in a pleasant parkland of gardens, trees, and a man-made lake, which symbolizes Regina’s triumph over the once inhospitable terrain and testifies to the pioneering spirit of its people. Around this 930-hectare core, Wascana Park, you’ll find the buildings and major attractions of the city.[4]
Attractions
Wascana Park
There are several parks along the banks of Wascana Creek, but Regina's pride is the Wascana, a 930-hectare (2,300-acre) park that forms the heart of the city. It was once a muddy, ugly area that filled with water sometimes and dried up at other times. The early settlers dammed it and created Wascana Lake to serve as a water reserve. Today, Wascana is a beautiful park with cultivated flowers and lush trees. The lake has a nice marina used by ferries running over to Willow Island, which is a great picnicking area. It is also a popular place for sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, and boating. There is also a science center and art gallery that make it a place of culture and education.[5]
Legislative Building
The Legislative Building is situated on the western side of the Wascana park, which was constructed between 1908 and 1912 in the English Renaissance Revival style. The building is lavishly ornamented inside and surrounded by a landscaped garden. Public tours are available for visitors who get to see the Legislative Chamber, the lower-level art galleries, and the huge library.[6]
Museum of Natural History
The Museum of Natural History is located at the corner of Albert Street and College Avenue on the north bank of Wascana Lake. It is a low building constructed out of Tyndall stone. The museum provides a great introduction to the kind of flora and fauna one would find in Saskatchewan. Dioramas organize by regions and realistic sound effects accompany wildlife displays. The Earth Sciences Gallery has some hands-on displays and galleries that present the province’s geological history as well as the history of the indigenous Native Americans. The “Megamunch” feature is particularly popular among kids, showcasing an animated full-size dinosaur.[7]
Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery
The Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery is located close to the Museum of Natural History at Albert Street and 23rd Avenue. The gallery started out as a private collection that was donated to the University of Regina. The collection has expanded over the years to include contemporary and older works from other countries. The emphasis, however, is on Canadian art. Every August, a theatre company comes to the gallery and uses court transcripts to re-enact the trial of Louis Riel. The event never ceases to raise controversy.[8]
Saskatchewan Science Centre
The Saskatchewan Science Centre is housed in the old city power station on the north shore of Wascana Lake. The centre has hands-on exhibits that teach about science and physics. The observatory and the IMAX theatre also present films in large screen on the subject.[9]
Diefenbaker Homestead
The Diefenbaker Homestead sits on the south side of the lake along Lakeshore Drive. It is the childhood home of John Diefenbaker, Prime Minister of Canada from 1957 to 1963. This pioneer dwelling was moved here from Borden, Saskatchewan, and is furnished with early 20th century fixtures. Some of the items belong to the Diefenbaker family.[10]
Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts
The Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts is located on Lakeshore Drive within the Wascana Centre. It houses a concert hall and other facilities.[11]
Waterfowl Park
The Waterfowl Park is near the lakeshore and the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts. The park is a habitat for Canadian geese, pelicans, and swans. Guided tours led by a naturalist can be arranged. The park also has a Speaker’s Corner and an outdoor bandshell that is used as an entertainment venue, especially in the summer.[12]
Government House
The Government House is at Dewdney Avenue and Connaught Street and is close to the Legislative Building. It used to be the residence of the Lieutenant Governors until the end of WWII. The rooms have been restored and decorated with period furniture.[13]
RCMP Centennial Museum
The RCMP Centennial Museum is at Dewdney Avenue West, north of the Wascana Centre. It is where the famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or Mounties, have their training academy. The museum recounts the history of the RCMP and their role in the early development of Canada. They were called to march out west to a land of unknown wilderness and establish law and order. The museum certainly recognizes that the duty the Mounties had went beyond that of any ordinary police force. On display are weapons, uniforms, archived materials, artifacts, and memorabilia. The museum also retraces other events in the police force’s history. There are also interesting displays, including Chief Sitting Bull’s tobacco pouch.[14]
Outside the museum, military drills are conducted every day at noon, called the Sergeant Major’s Parade. In the summer, Tuesday evenings feature the Sunset Retreat Ceremony when the flag is lowered before huge crowds.[15]
Regina Plains Museum
The Regina Plains Museum located on the fourth floor of one of downtown’s historic buildings at 1801 Scarth Street provides a window into the life of the early settlers. The history of the Native Indians and pioneers on the plains are retraced. There are exhibits of the dwellings used by the settlers, which were primarily primitive huts. The interiors have been reconstructed. The museum is open daily in the summer and on certain days during the winter.[16]
Events and Festivals
Every late July and early August, Regina celebrates Buffalo Days, an event dedicated to reliving the days of the Wild West. Residents get dressed up in pioneer style clothes and head for the Regina Exhibition Park where livestock exhibitions, sports events, music, parades, and various shows are enjoyed. The Wascana Park also has free entertainment of its own.[17]
Sports
Regina is the home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. They recently won the 2007 Grey Cup. Games are played at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, located on Dewdney Avenue and Albert Street.[18]
Horse-racing fans get check out the betting action at Queensbury Downs, which is west of the city center at Lewvan Drive and Elphinstone Street in the Exhibition Park.
Runners, joggers, and cyclists should visit Exhibition Park where there are paved trails. Wascana Centre rents bicycles.[19]
Golfing enthusiasts can visit the 18-hole Emerald Park Golf and Country Club, which is on the east side of town.[20]
Horseback riding can be enjoyed at the Dude Ranch, which is on Dewdney Avenue about a few minutes east of Regina. Riding is offered year-round. The trails are excellent and lessons are provided, whether the rider is a beginner or more experienced. Some trail packages include supper and breakfast.[21]
Qu’Appelle Valley has a series of lakes northeast of Regina that are great for water-skiers and boaters. The lakes are also a fishing hot spot, but visitors need to obtain a license first.[22]
Shopping
Regina has a number of craft shops and galleries that sell local goods, including Native Indian crafts. Several shopping malls can be found around town, too.[23]
Nightlife
The Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts has two theatres, which are used as concert halls for Regina Symphony Orchestra performances. The concert hall is at Wascana Centre along Lakeshore Drive. Operas, theatre productions, and dance and musicals are presented regularly. The Globe Theatre also puts on various productions from classical drama to contemporary. It is located at 1801 Scarth Street.[24]
If you are looking for a dinner and a show, check out Stage West in Regina Inn Mall. The meals are decent and so are the professional acts. There are several bars and clubs in Regina. Most of them are in the nice hotels.[25]
Accommodations
A number of places in Regina offer a unique way of spending the night – farm accommodations. Most of them are in the Qu’Appelle Valley. Outside of Regina, there are also a number of campsites and Bed & Breakfasts.[26]
History
Before the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Saskatchewan had not joined the confederation as a province yet and was still part of the Northwest Territories. The Canadian government realized that the capital of the Northwest Territories at the time would be nowhere near the railway. They set out looking for a site that could be settled and decided upon Regina. At the time, the site was a dried-up creek that was muddy and dusty. The banks of the creek were used by the Cree Indians to slaughter buffalo and dry the skins for pemmican. A large pile of buffalo skeletons littered the site.[27]
The first train arrived into town in 1882. “Pile of Bones”, the Indian name for the site, was renamed Regina by Princess Louise, who was the wife of Canada’s Governor General. She named the city in honor of her mother mother, Queen Victoria.[28]
Not long afterwards, the whole country had its eyes on Regina. Metis leader, Louis Riel, led the Northwest Rebellion in 1885 against the Canadian government and the North West Mounted Police. Ultimately, Riel was captured, tried, and hanged for treason. People viewed the ordeal as just another French-British conflict in Canada.[29]
In 1905, the province of Saskatchewan was finally incorporated. With Regina being its capital city, immigrants and migrants flooded in. Gradually, the site’s creek was dammed and the parkland landscaped, creating the dignified grounds where the Legislative Building stands today.[30]
How to Get There
The airport is about 15 minutes west of Regina’s city center. Flights come in from all over Canada. There are also shuttles that take you from the airport to some of the downtown hotels.[31]
Greyhound buses take passengers from Regina to cities like Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, and Toronto. Local bus companies run routes from Regina to other towns in Saskatchewan. The bus station is at 2041 Hamilton Street.[32]
The Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) is the main highway for commuters traveling in and out of Regina. The highway runs east and west. Highway 6 runs south to the Montana border and north up to Melford. To reach Regina from Saskatoon, take Highway 11, which connects with Highway 6 just north of Regina. The latter highway will run into the city center.[33]
References:
Carroll, Donald. Insider’s Guide Canada. Edison: Hunter Publishing, Inc, 1996. ISBN: 1556507100.
Simpkins, Mary Ann. Canada. New York: Prentice Hall Travel, 1994. ISBN: 0671882783.
[1] Carroll, 134
[2] Simpkins, 232
[3] Carroll, 134
[4] Id.
[5] Id. at 135-36
[6] Id. at 136
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
[9] Id. at 136-37
[10] Id. at 137
[11] Id.
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Id. at 137-38
[15] Id. at 138
[16] Id.
[17] Id.
[18] Id. at 139
[19] Id.
[20] Id.
[21] Id. at 139-40
[22] Id. at 140
[23] Id.
[24] Id.
[25] Id.
[26] Id.
[27] Id. at 135
[28] Id.
[29] Id.
[30] Id.
[31] Id. at 142
[32] Id.
[33] Id. |
