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Walking Tours 2026 Saskatoon Heritage Society SHS 2026 Historical

Walking Tours 2026 Saskatoon Heritage Society SHS 2026 Historical WALKING TOUR Schedule
SaskatoonHeritage.ca – Tours are 60-75 minutes in length
June 28 Sunday 2pm – Forestry Farm Park Walking Tour and Open House. Superintendent’s Residence Open House 2 pm-2:30 pm followed by a tour of the park at 2:30 pm A Friends of the Forestry Farm House (FFFH) Programme
July 5 Sunday 2pm – History of Broadway Avenue – Dianne Wilson 2pm – meet at Pioneer Cairn (east of Broadway Bridge & Saskatchewan Cres)
July 12 Sunday 11am – Mid Century Architecture in Downtown Saskatoon – Murray Gross -meet at Francis Morrison Central Library, 311 23 St E, Saskatoon, SK
July 12 Sunday 3pm – History of Downtown – Bessborough / Vimy / 21st – Terry Hoknes – meet at Bessborough Hotel front doors
July 19 Sunday 2pm – History of Montgomery Place (80th anniversary) – Barb Biddle – meet at Montgomery School 3220 Ortona Street
July 26 Sunday 2pm – Forestry Farm Park Walking Tour and Open House. Superintendent’s Residence Open House 2 pm-2:30 pm followed by a tour of the park at 2:30 pm A Friends of the Forestry Farm House (FFFH) Programme
August 3 Monday 11am – Two Gun Cohen and the Early Days of the Saskatoon Jewish Community – Murray Gross – meet at Roxy Theatre 320 20th St West
August 16 Sunday 2pm – Old Nutana & Marr Residence – Dianne Wilson – meet at Marr Residence 326 11th Street East
August 23 Sunday 1pm – Treaty 6 signing 150th Anniversary – Marr Residence
August 23 Sunday 4pm – Saskatoon’s 120th birthday Treaty 6 / Railway / 1st Avenue / Spadina Crescent / Chinatown – Terry Hoknes – meet at Parking lot corner of 19th Street & 2nd Avenue South
August 30 Sunday 2pm – Forestry Farm Park Walking Tour and Open House. Superintendent’s Residence Open House 2 pm-2:30 pm followed by a tour of the park at 2:30 pm A Friends of the Forestry Farm House (FFFH) Programme
Sept 6 Sunday 3pm – History of 33rd Street Terry Hoknes – meet at Safeway parking lot 33rd & Ave C
Sept 13 Sunday 2pm – History of Pioneer Cemetery by Dianne Wilson – meet at Cemetery Ruth Street & St Henry Avenue
Sep 20 Sunday 3pm – History of 20th Street Terry Hoknes – meet at Barry Hotel parking lot 20th Street & Ave B
Sep 27 Sunday 2pm – Where the River Bends: the Making of Saskatchewan Crescent West – Mark Wilderman 2pm – meet at Idylwyld Park next to 302 Saskatchewan Crescent West
Oct 4 Sunday 3pm – History of 8th Street Terry Hoknes – meet at Pink Cadillac parking lot 8th Street & Emerson Avenue
All ages are welcome! Free tours DONATIONS appreciated

Our Stories, Our City: Building Community for 50 Years with the Saskatoon Heritage Society

Come celebrate 50 years of the Saskatoon Heritage Society on Saturday June 20th at River Landing II (by the pumphouse). The Saskatoon Heritage Society invites residents and visitors to explore Saskatoon’s natural, cultural, and built heritage through multiple tour options scheduled throughout the day,with food stations and activities such as guided tours, dancing, colouring stations for the kids and much more!

Schedule:
12:00 PM – Opening Ceremonies & Welcome from Emcee Jeff O’Brien
Greetings from: Mayor Cynthia Block and Knowledge Keeper, Lyndon Linklater, and the Saskatoon Heritage Society
12:30 PM – Speaker Lenore Swystun, President – Saskatoon Heritage Society – “50 Years. Why Heritage? Reason for being.”
1:00 PM – Association of Cameroonians in Saskatchewan
1:30 PM – Speaker: Knowledge Keeper Lyndon Linklater – First Nations history of the land
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Tours! See below for tour information or SIGN UP HERE!
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Entertainment by:
Shining Spirit Dance -First Nations Dance Troupe
Chinese Dance School of Saskatchewan
Latino Canadian Cultural Association
Seed of Flowers
Saskatoon Scottish Country Dancers
Blakey River City Irish Dance
4:50 Closing Remarks – Emcee Jeff O’Brien

DISPLAYS AND ACTIVITES

KIDS ACTIVITIES by Jody Cason – Using her own distinctive architectural drawings which form part of the SHS “On Safari” walking tours, Jody will host a colouring station where children can draw and colour gargoyles, buildings and fossils and other stuff.

Our City, Our Story Wall -A clean mural paper under the Sid Buckwold Bridge will invite people to write their favourite moment or their favourite building in Saskatoon’s history. These public comments will be transcribed after the event and be part of the SHS 50th anniversary legacy. Hosted by architects Charles Olfert (AODBT Architecture) and Colin Tennent (retired – University Architect and Associate Vice-President of Facilities Management at the University of Saskatchewan) and Heney Klypak (formerly of Wallace Klypak Architects).

Saskatoon Heritage Society– Heritage advocacy over the years using historical photos and other archival material. Merchandise for purchase.

Food Vendors select food vendors will provide beverages and snacks.

Tour Information
All tours are free, however we ask that you please sign up for the tours as there is limited space per tour. SIGN UP HERE.

TOUR DESCRIPTIONS

Riverbank Wonder with Meewasin – SIGN UP HERE
Explore the past, present, and future of the Meewasin Valley. This fascinating walking tour uncovers the story of the river trails in downtown Saskatoon. You’ll learn exactly how the river and its banks have long been intertwined in the story of our city, and how Meewasin is working to preserve them.

River Landing Reimagined – SIGN UP HERE
Guide: Alan Wallace, Former Director of City Planning River Landing area’s history and the development that has made it the exciting “people place” that it is today.

How Did We Get Here – SIGN UP HERE
Guide: Dianne Wilson, Saskatoon Historian
The Tour will include an introduction of the choosing of the site of Saskatoon, a walk along the river and across the Traffic Iron) Bridge, a brief tour of some of the earliest settlement (now known as Nutana, including glimpses of the two oldest remaining buildings, the Trounce House (late-winter/early spring 1884), and the Marr Residence (June 1884), site of first Methodist Church & current Grace-Westminster Church, first High-school in Saskatoon (Now Nutana Collegiate Institute).

Place Stories in Public Art and Urban Design – SIGN UP HERE
Guide: Jeanna South, City of Saskatoon, Director of Sustainability
This tour introduces early public art and urban design carried out in the River Landing development area between 2005-2009, following the adoption of the South Downtown Master Plan. By 2004, it had taken over 20 years for the South Downtown development site to get off the ground, and leaders and creators aspired to support the area as a destination and enhance the yet to be proven viability for this neighbourhood. These earliest site works of art and design sought to highlight the distinct character of the neighbourhood through local and natural history storytelling. This tour will visit some of these early works across River Landing, introduce how and why the work came to be, and importantly, share some of the works’ stories.

Riversdale Uncovered – SIGN UP HERE
Guide: Terry Hoknes, Local Historian
As one of the founding settlements of the City of Saskatoon, Riversdale has a sense of history that you won’t find in other neighbourhoods. T our will focus on early culture groups settlers such as Ukrainian, Jewish, and Chinese and their importance to building our community.

Spirit of Alliance Sculpture (Drop-in)
Guide: Jean Sebastian Gathier – artist & Curtis Standing
A powerful Indigenous artwork honouring the historic partnership between the Blackfoot Confederacy and the North-West Mounted Police, symbolizing diplomacy, mutual support, and shared responsibility. The tour invites participants to reflect on relationships, reconciliation, and the enduring strength of Indigenous leadership and alliance‑building in shaping the Prairies.

Egg Money Sculpture (Drop-in)
Guide: Saskatchewan German Council
Honours the traditional practice of women saving and pooling “egg money” to support their families and communities, symbolizing resilience, resourcefulness, and collective care. It also highlights the often‑unseen labour of women whose economic contributions helped sustain Prairie households and shape community life.

A. L. Cole Pumphouse (Drop-In)
Retired architect Don Greer will provide you with the history of last standing remnant of the Saskatoon Power Plant.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to support the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Saskatoon Heritage Society.

Why Volunteer?

• Be part of a historic community celebration
• Gain event experience and meet new people
• Support local culture and heritage
• Be part of a fun and energetic team!

Interested? Sign up at: https://tinyurl.com/volunteer-heritage or email : rrashid@onpurpose.ca

SPONSORS

Join us June 20th! Don’t miss out on this fantastic day of celebrating 50 year’s of Saskatoon Heritage Society!

Free to attend.

Welcome to the Saskatoon Heritage Society – please watch the following video which tells you more about our organization.

We also have an extensive collection of local history videos on the links above as well as 33 issues of our annual Saskatoon History Review magazine available for purchase.