Saskatoon royal connections

meet members of a community organisation at Saskatoon's Mendel Art Gallery, 2006.]]

Saskatoon is the most populous city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Canada is a constitutional monarchy and its federal nature allows Queen Elizabeth II to be represented distinctly in each of the provinces. In Saskatchewan, the Sovereign is represented by Gordon Barnhart, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, a former resident of Saskatoon. Canada's Royal Family maintains a visible presence here through the activities of its vice-regal representatives, the achievements of ordinary citizens and the prominence of names and symbols. The Crown's image appears in the centrepiece portrait at Saskatoon City Council chamber and also in the badges of Saskatoon Police Service officers. Saskatoon's manifold royal connections include more than a dozen royal visits, royal namesakes for schools, streets and neighbourhoods, and the regular inclusion of its own namesake, the Saskatoon berry, in menus for royal and vice-regal functions.

Royal presence

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh have paid several visits to Saskatoon, most recently as part of Saskatchewan centennial celebrations in 2005. The Royal Couple toured the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron and there met thousands of well-wishers on the University of Saskatchewan campus, and was later presented with the key to the city. The Queen and the Duke also attended an arts concert at Credit Union Centre, held before a live audience of 12,000 and television viewers nationwide. The Royal Couple were reported to have especially enjoyed the appearance of Saskatoon-native Joni Mitchell, humming along and tapping their heels to her performance.

The Princess Royal is the only other living royal family member to visit Saskatoon on more than one occasion. Her most recent visit included an inner-city, where she became the first member of the Royal Family to present a provincial honour in Canada. The Princess paid visits to the Ukrainian Museum of Canada and to Riverside Park in 1982, when she opened the Century Saskatoon Capsule that was buried in the riverbank, marking the anniversary of the settlement which became Saskatoon. She also attended a civic luncheon, visited the University of Saskatchewan, and attended a function at the residence of university president Leo Kristjanson.

The Prince of Wales visited Saskatoon for the first time in April 2001, when he carried out engagements at its Community Services Village, YWCA and Meewasin Valley trails. The Prince also attended a luncheon given in his honour by the premier, where he was presented with the gift of a scholarship for high school students. At the Meewasin Valley Weir, he dedicated the Prince of Wales Promenade, and was presented with an honourary membership in the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. North of Saskatoon, he visited Wanuskewin Heritage Park, where he was named Pisimwa Kamiwohkitahpamikohk by an aboriginal elder, which translates to the sun looks at him in a good way.

Canadian royal family members and their visits to Saskatoon:

*Edward VIII (as Prince of Wales) - 1919
*King George Vl and Queen Elizabeth - 1939
*Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh - 1951, 1959, 1978, 1987, 2005
*Princess Margaret - 1980
*The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) - 2001
*The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) - 1982, 2004
*The Duke and Duchess of York (Prince Andrew and Sarah) - 1989
*The Earl of Wessex (as Prince Edward) - 1978

Vice-Regal presence
Lieutenant Governors

Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governors, based at Government House, Regina, make regular visits to Saskatoon. Such visits are normally made on the invitation of organisations, especially those of which a Lieutenant Governor is patron.

A number of Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governors have lived, studied and worked in Saskatoon. George Porteous was executive director of its Community Chest and Welfare Council, member of the public school board, manager of a senior citizens housing project, and elder at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, among responsibilities at other organisations. His state funeral was held in Saskatoon. Archibald P. McNab, another vice-regal, represented the electoral district of Saskatoon City for more than a decade as a member of the legislative assembly. Lieutenant Governor Stephen Worobetz established a surgical practice, while Hugh E. Monroe established his own medical practice and served as hospital board chairman. Monroe was also a member of Saskatoon's first city council, as well as its Saskatoon Club, Riverside Country Club and Saskatoon Golf Club. Several among the Lieutenant Governors have also been part of the campus community at the University of Saskatchewan.

Governors General

As representatives of the monarch, Canadian Governors General have also made regular visits to Saskatoon, though at greater intervals than the visits of their provincial counterparts. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson chose Saskatoon as one of six cities to form her urban visits programme, through which she sought to dialogue with urban citizens "about innovations and ideas that can be shared with other municipalities to make cities desirable places to live". Between 24-27 January, 2004, Clarkson held a youth roundtable, literary forum and award presentation, and met with aboriginal elders in Saskatoon. Several landmarks and features are named for Governors General in Saskatoon.

Governor General Ramon Hnatyshyn, who is largely credited with popularising his office, was raised in Saskatoon and schooled at Victoria School and Nutana Collegiate Institute. He earned Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law degrees from the University of Saskatchewan in 1954-56. He is depicted in a bronze statue along the riverbank, commissioned by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and created by Bill Epp. The statue became a site of the performance by artist Taras Polataiko titled "Artist as Politician: In the Shadow of the Monument". Polataiko produced the mirror image of the Governor General's monument by painting himself bronze and standing motionless in front of the statue for seven days. His plaque read "Dedicated to Ukrainian Canadians Who Never Became the Governor General". The performance stirred controversy and drew attention of national and international media. It was later purchased by the Saskatchewan Arts Board for its permanent collection.

Further Information: Visits by Governors General to Saskatchewan

Education

Saskatoon's educational institutions have connections at all levels to the Crown. Several public schools are named for its personages and have received royal and vice-regal visitors. Graduates of the University of Saskatchewan have been appointed as representatives of the monarch, and its campus has been a venue for royal ceremonies on multiple occasions. Schools in Saskatoon are provided with portraits of the Queen by the federal and provincial governments. Classrooms once sang the royal anthem God Save the Queen on a regular basis, but it is now generally limited to such special occasions as remembrance ceremonies, armed forces events, convocations and worship services. Students learn about the Crown in Canada through such topics as government structure, aboriginal treaties and Canadian Confederation.

Primary schools

Several schools in Saskatoon are named for royal family members. École Victoria School traces its name to Queen Victoria, who reigned over Canada from 1867-1901. Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn attended the school, which is administered in the Saskatoon Public School Division. It was built in 1909 on the site of the original one-room Victoria School House built by Alexander Maur in 1888. The school house was relocated to the University of Saskatchewan and its re-opening was commemorated in tandem with the Coronation of George V in 1911. It was later restored and opened to the public as an historical site in 1967.

King George School is named for King George V, who reigned over Canada from 1910-1936. It was built by Scottish architect David Webster, who constructed several schools in Saskatoon, in the gothic collegiate style. It offers primary-level education and is also administered in the Saskatoon Public School Division. Renowned hockey player Gordon Howe attended the school, and the Princess Royal visited it in 2004 for an honours presentation. Princess Alexandra and the more modern Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip primary schools are also administered in the Saskatoon Public School Division.

First opened in 1904, King Edward School housed the Saskatoon City Hall Chambers between 1912 and 1956, when it was demolished. Another King Edward School, built on the same plan as the current Albert Community Centre, was constructed in a nearby location. It was demolished in 1980, and is now the site of the King Edward Place seniors' residence.

Two public schools in Saskatchewan are named for Canadian viceroys. Roland Michener and Vincent Massey schools are named for Governors General Roland Michener and Vincent Massey, respectively. The former is situated in southeastern Saskatoon. The latter is situated in the neighbourhood with the same namesake, and was opened in 1964. Both schools offer primary-level education and both are administered in the Saskatoon Public School Division.

University of Saskatchewan

The University of Saskatchewan has numerous royal and vice-regal connections. Lieutenant Governor Archibald McNab, for example, is largely credited with bringing the University to Saskatoon. Its campuses have been venues for royal and vice-regal visits, including the visit of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 2005. A handful of University alumni were invited to a reception for Canadians at Buckingham Palace ahead of that visit to Saskatoon. The main campus is home to Saskatoon's only royally-designated institution, the Royal University Hospital. The Diefenbaker Canada Centre, also on campus, houses original correspondence between the Queen and Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, and has staged such exhibits as Happy and Glorious: The Royal Presence in Canada, opened by Lieutenant Governor Lynda Haverstock in 2004. Fifteen fellows of the Royal Society of Canada are affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan's Lieutenant Governors have filled the office of Visitor to the University of Saskatchewan since 1907. Former Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Lake was famously called upon to assume the Visitor's role in the so-called Crisis of 1919. Four senior members of the Board of Governors had been dismissed after three among them abstained from a vote of confidence in University President Walter Murray. Murray was under scrutiny for his maintenance of University finances. The public and press clamoured for an explanation, and, in accordance with provincial law, Lake held a series of hearings through the office of the King’s Bench. His findings, delivered in April 1920, vindicated the dismissals, saying they were “regular, proper and in the best interest of the university.” In other words, their acts of disloyalty were enough to cost them their jobs.

Certain vice-regal representatives have been involved in campus life:

Lieutenant Governors

*Gordon L. Barnhart (2006-), University Secretary, Professor in Canadian Politics
*Sylvia O. Fedoruk (1988-1994), University Chancellor, Professor in Oncology, Associate Member in Physics
*J.W. Grant MacEwan (Lieutenant Governor of Alberta 1966-1974), Director of the School of Agriculture, Professor of Animal Husbandry

Honorary degrees have been conferred by the University on vice-regal representatives:

Lieutenant Governors

*The Honourable William John Patterson (1951-1958) - Doctor of Laws, 1955
*The Honourable Robert Leith Hanbidge (1963-1970) - Doctor of Laws, 1968
*The Honourable Stephen Worobetz (1970-1976) - Doctor of Laws, 1984
*The Honourable Sylvia Olga Fedoruk (1988-1994) - Doctor of Laws, 2006

Governors General

*The Right Honourable Vincent Massey (1952-1959) - Doctor of Laws, 1955
*The Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn (1990-1995) - Doctor of Laws, 1990

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies have an enduring connection with the Vanier Cup, the trophy created in 1965 when Governor General Georges P. Vanier granted permission for it to be awarded to the winners of Canada's university football championship. The University of Saskatchewan Huskies have participated in the final championship game nine times (1989, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006) and been awarded the Vanier Cup three times (1990, 1996, 1998). The University hosted the first ever championship held in western Canada at its renovated Griffiths Stadium in 2006.

Neighbourhoods, parks and streets

City of Saskatoon Community Profiles

It is a Canadian tradition to name geographic and urban features after monarchs and vice-regals. Three neighbourhoods in Saskatoon are examples. King George, the oldest, was one of its first settled areas. Most of its homes built prior to World War II, and the neighbourhood came which came to maturity by the 1960s. A buffalo kill site was found in the area documenting the history of the area back thousands of years. It was once home to celebrated hockey player Gordie Howe. Queen Elizabeth is a mature area in Saskatoon, most of the homes in which were built during and soon after World War II, from about 1946 to 1960. Today it is populated for the most part by senior citizens. Many of its streets have royal namesakes. The Queen Elizabeth Community Association serves its residents as well those on the western edge of Haultain neighbourhood. Massey Place is the most modern, and is believed to be named for Canadian Governor General Vincent Massey. Most of its homes were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s.

Names of parks in Saskatoon also have royal connections. Victoria Park, one of the oldest and most scenic public spaces, was named for Queen Victoria. It is home to the Saskatoon Badminton Club, Saskatoon Riversdale Tennis Club and Riversdale Pool. Coronation Park was named for King George VI in 1937, Princess Diana Multi-District Park for Diana, Princess of Wales, and Massey Park is believed to be named for Governor General Vincent Massey.

Several city streets have royal namesakes, and most of these are concentrated in the downtown core and north of 33 street in the North Park neighbourhood. These include Albert Avenue (Albert, Prince Consort), York Avenue (King George VI), Victoria Avenue (Queen Victoria), Prince of Wales Avenue, Alexandra Avenue, Princess Street, King Street, King Crescent, Queen Street, Royal Avenue, Empress Avenue, Empress Street, Hanover Avenue (House of Hanover), Windsor Street, and Balmoral Street.

Other streets have vice-regal namesakes: Landsdowne Avenue (Marquess of Landsdowne), Dufferin Avenue (Lord Dufferin), Devonshire Crescent and Way (Duke of Devonshire), Vanier Crescent and Way (Georges Vanier), and Michener Cresent, Way, Court, and Place (Roland Michener). Many streets with royal and vice-regal namesakes are located in the North Park, Queen Elizabeth and Pacific Heights neighbourhoods. It was also at one time considered that Saskatoon's Broadway Bridge would be renamed George V Bridge.

Landmarks

Riverfront landmarks

One of a handful of royal designations in the province, the Royal University Hospital is situated at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. It is Saskatchewan's main trauma centre, and boasts a seven-story facility that houses maternal and child services, neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery. The hospital delivers a comprehensive health programme in partnership with the University's College of Medicine. The Queen granted it royal designation in 1990, forty-five years after it was first opened by premier Tommy Douglas in 1955. Governor General Roméo LeBlanc also visited the hospital on his visit to Saskatchewan in 1995.

The Hotel Bessborough, Saskatoon's "Castle on the River", was named with the consent of former Governor General the Earl of Bessborough in 1931. The chateau-style riverbank landmark in the Central Business District was visited by the Earl and Countess in unfinished state in 1932. Most materials used in its construction were of Canadian origins, including Tyndall stone from Manitoba, brick from Claybank, Saskatchewan, and tiles from Estevan, Saskatchewan. It has accommodated royal visitors and celebrities, and its event facilities are venues for major events. Its private gardens are opened to the public for annual outdoor music concerts.

A bronze statue of Saskatoon's Ramon John Hnatyshyn, 24th Governor General of Canada, was commissioned by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and created by artist Taras Polataiko in 1992. It stands along banks of the South Saskatchewan River in downtown Saskatoon. Further down the South Saskatchewan River banks is the Prince of Wales Promenade, opened by the Prince of Wales in 2001. It is a popular viewpoint along the Meewasin Valley trails.

The cornerstone of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist was laid by the Duke of Connaught, former Governor General of Canada, in 1912. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have worshipped at St. John's on three occasions (1951, 1959, 1987), and Governor General Viscount Alexander worshipped there in 1948. St. John's was also the venue for a provincial memorial service for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, at which Lieutenant Governor Lynda Haverstock delivered an address, in 2002.

Downtown core landmarks

Other hotels in Saskatoon have royal connections. The King George, its oldest standing hotel, is named for King George V. Although its condition has declined since its elegant beginnings, its renovation and its conversion into retail, office and condominium spaces was undertaken by a developer in 2007. Beneath the exterior ceramic tiles lies a façade of terracotta and stone. The upper floors once included niches which held a series of terracotta knights in armour. The Patricia Hotel, also in the downtown core, is named for Princess Patricia. Other hotels which have since disappeared include The Queen's Hotel on First Avenue, believed to have been named for Queen Victoria. Its first frame structure built in the 1880s was replaced by a stone building in 1892-1894, and this was replaced by a larger and more elegant building in 1911. The Queen's Hotel was destroyed by in 1980. The Royal Hotel, constructed during the same period, and the King Edward Hotel, constructed in 1906, also had royal namesakes.

On his first visit to Saskatoon, the Prince of Wales dedicated the YWCA's Anniversary Arch in celebration of its 90 anniversary in 2001. The monument was re-built from stones taken from its original building, and stands prominently outside the entrance off 25 Street, adjacent to the Community Service Village in the downtown core.

City periphery landmarks

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. The city's nearest power generation plant is located on Saskatoon's southwestern outskirts on Spadina Crescent.

Armed forces

The Crown is an integral part of . Saskatonians have an important connection to its army division through the Saskatoon Light Infantry (SLI), formed after the reorganisation of the North Saskatchewan Regiment in 1924. In December, 1936, the SLI was amalgamated with “C” Company, 12 Machine Gun Battalion, to form the Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun), which was mobilised in September, 1939. The 1 Battalion of the regiment was sent to the United Kingdom in December, 1939, as part of the 1 Canadian Division. Queen Elizabeth inspected the unit in April, 1940, after which officers posed with her for a photograph. In April, 1941, the Queen presented the unit with gifts of socks, mittens, caps, pullovers, scarves and helmets. In October, 1941, the unit was presented its colours by the Queen.

In July, 1943, the 1 Battalion, SLI (Machine Gun) landed in Sicily and fought in the Italian campaign until March, 1945, when it was transferred to Holland. 1 Battalion, SLI (Machine Gun), returned to Canada in November, 1945. Its battle honours include: Sicily, Ortona, Liri Valley, Hitler Line, Gothic Line, Lamore Crossing, Rimini Line, and Apeldoorn. The 2 Battalion SLI (Machine Gun) remained in Canada as part of the Reserve Army. The Saskatoon Light Infantry was the only infantry unit from northern Saskatchewan to see active service overseas during World War II. It has since been amalgamated into the North Saskatchewan Regiment.

Canada's Armed Forces also have a naval presence in Saskatoon. Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Unicorn is a land-based ship established in 1923, and its base is located in downtown Saskatoon. Its name derives from a long line of Royal Navy ships, dating to the 16th century. It operated as a recruitment centre during World War II, enlisting over 3,500 men and women into the Royal Canadian Navy. HMCS Unicorn organised a visit by Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1951. The ship's company also participated in a Battle of the Atlantic parade with HMCS Saskatoon. On her first official visit in 2000, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson hosted a public levee at the facility.

' is built to accommodate a crew of up to forty-one individuals and currently patrols Canadian west coast waters. Former Lieutenant Governor Lynda Haverstock visited its crew in March, 2006, and sailed from Esquimalt Harbour to Victoria Harbour to observe how she manoeuvres. Haverstock was also given a lesson on how to drive the ship. Afterwards, Haverstock presented its Commanding Officer with the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan. The original HMCS Saskatoon was in service between 1940 and 1945, and the current ship was commissioned in 1998.

Arts and culture

Saskatoon artists also have connections to the Crown. Former Saskatoon portaitist Cyril Leeper was commissioned to paint the portrait of the Queen, and also of the Duke of York on his appointment as commander of HMS Cottesmore. His portait of the Queen was unveiled at Royal Albert Hall in London. Saskatoon-area wood-turning artist Michael Hosaluk's pieces can be found in the Queen's permanent collection. Saskatoon-area natives Douglas Bentham, Robert Christie, Gregory Hardy, Michael Hosaluk, Dorothy Knowles and William Perehudoff are members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, an organisation of approximately 700 established professionals working across Canada. Several local artists have also been awarded national and provincial arts awards, including the Lieutenant Governor's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.

Honours

The Queen is the fount of all honours in Canada. Saskatonians have received manifold awards from both the national and provincial honours systems. 378 of its residents were recipients of Canada's Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, for example, which was awarded to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Queen of Canada's accession to the throne. It was awarded to for the significant contributions of Canadians to fellow citizens, their community or to Canada. Similar medals were awarded at the time of the Queen's coronation and silver jubilee.

On a visit to Saskatoon's King George School, The Princess Royal (Anne) presented the Saskatchewan Protective Services Medal to 25 recipients from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and municipal police, fire services, federal and provincial corrections, customs officers, Canadian Forces, and provincial highway transport compliance and environment personnel. It marked the first time a member of the Royal Family had presented a provincial honour in Canada.

Monarchism

Saskatoon is home to the northern Saskatchewan branch of the Monarchist League of Canada, a non-profit organisation established to promote understanding of the constitutional monarchy in 1970. The Saskatoon branch was established when the province-wide branch was divided in 2004. Its members distribute educational materials, participate in media interviews and host public functions. The branch partnered with the Saskatoon Public School Division to provide classroom materials to public schools in Saskatoon in 2006. Lieutenant Governor Gordon Barnhart granted it his patronage and visited the branch 2006. Citizens for a Canadian Republic, a national organisation based in Toronto, Ontario, that promotes an alternative to the constitutional monarchy, does not operate one of its regional chapters in Saskatoon.

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