Saskatoon - Geography. I INTRODUCTION Saskatoon, city in south central Saskatchewan, Canada, and the largest city in the province. Saskatoon is located on the South Saskatchewan River, 235 km (146 mi) northwest of Regina, the provincial capital. The city was founded in 1882, and its name comes from the Cree word for a local red berry. Saskatoon has long been a service center for agriculture, nearby potash mines, and uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan. More recently it has become a cradle for the development of agricultural high technology. Saskatoon is home to the University of Saskatchewan, and the city has become a cultural oasis on the northern plains. Its prairie climate is characterized by many days of sunshine and by long, cold winters. The average daily temperature range in July is 12°C (54°F) to 25°C (77°F); the average January range is -23°C (-9°F) to -12°C (10°F). The average yearly precipitation is 347 mm (14 in). II CITY LANDSCAPE The city of Saskatoon has a land area of 136.8 sq km (52.8 sq mi), and a metropolitan land area of 5,322 sq km (2,055 sq mi). The South Saskatchewan River divides the city of Saskatoon in two, and the two sides are connected by seven bridges, which have become important features of the city's image. The original settlement was on the east side of the river and later became known as Nutana. The east side has remained mainly residential, with higher-quality housing than other parts of the city. It is also home to the campus of the University of Saskatchewan. The west side became the business district after a rail station was built there in 1890. Downtown Saskatoon is also located on the west side of the river. A third section of the city, known as Riverdale, is located to the west of the downtown core. Riverdale was home to European immigrants in the early 20th century and, more recently, to indigenous peoples coming from northern Saskatchewan. For many years downtown Saskatoon was split into two sections by extensive railroad tracks and yards. The city removed these in 1964 and replaced them with the Midtown Plaza, a shopping complex designed to integrate the two commercial cores. In a joint effort, the province, the city, and the university developed much of the extensive river valley within the city as a park with a system of trails. Unlike most cities, Saskatoon owns much of its suburban land so it controls and directs the city's growth into the outlying areas. As a result, the city has remained relatively compact. Several notable examples of Saskatoon's first building boom, before World War I (1914-1918), still exist, including three striking churches along the river's edge: Saint Paul's Roman Catholic Cathedral (1910), Saint John's Anglican Cathedral (1912), and Knox United Church (1914). The city experienced a second boom in the late 1920s. The Delta Bessborough Hotel (1931) was begun during this era and is the most recognizable symbol of the city. Most of the modern office and apartment buildings were built since the 1960s in a third period of prosperity, including the Centennial Auditorium and Convention Centre. III PEOPLE AND CULTURE Saskatoon's population was 196,811 at the 2001 census. The population, including those in the surrounding metropolitan area, was 230,800 in 2001, increasing from 154,210 in 1981. Most of Saskatoon's residents are Canadian born (91 percent in 1996). Saskatoon is a lively cultural center. The Saskatoon Symphony has been in existence since 1931. The Twenty-Fifth Street Theatre produces new plays by contemporary Saskatchewan writers, and the Saskatoon Dance Series attracts Canada's leading dance companies. The Mendel Art Gallery holds major exhibitions, including those celebrating urban life in the Prairie provinces. Several excellent museums in the city include the Western Development Museum, comprising more than 30 buildings that portray a typical 1910 boomtown on the prairies; the Ukrainian Museum of Canada; and the university's Diefenbaker Centre, which is named for John Diefenbaker, a former Canadian prime minister from the region. The principal tourist attraction is Wanuskewin Heritage Park, just north of the city. The park has 19 archaeological sites representing more than 5,000 years of indigenous culture of the northern plains. The city is home to the Saskatoon Blades, an ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Annual events in the city include the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival, the SaskTel Jazz Festival, Winterfest, and the ethnic celebrations of Folkfest. IV ECONOMY Saskatoon's economy has fluctuated dramatically throughout its history because of its close association with agriculture, which can be unstable. In the 1990s Saskatoon became a major agricultural biotechnology center. Agricultural biotechnology is based on an applied science that involves the genetic engineering of plants. Much of this activity takes place in the university's Innovation Park, where almost 30 companies and hundreds of scientists operate. The city also has a modest food processing industry, notably Cargill Ltd., a large canola crushing plant, and some metal fabrication and manufacturing companies such as Hitachi Canadian Industries. The University of Saskatchewan plays a major economic role in the city. It has more than 15,000 full-time students and over 7,000 part-time students. Saskatoon's transportation network includes the John Diefenbaker Airport, both Canadian national railroads, and extensive bus service. The city is becoming a significant convention destination, partly because of its relatively low cost of living, which is estimated to be about 25 percent below the national average. The low cost of living is reflected in lower food and hotel costs, an attraction for conventions. V GOVERNMENT In the city's current system of government, an appointed city manager handles the administration. The residents elect a mayor and ten city councilors, one from each ward, for three-year terms. Saskatoon's city government controls planning and development more closely than in most Canadian cities. During the depression of the 1930s several western cities acquired large land holdings by forfeiture but later sold the land. In contrast Saskatoon decided in the 1950s to maintain publicly owned land to control future expansion. As landowner, the city manages its growth by affecting the design of subdivisions and by limiting suburban sprawl. VI CONTEMPORARY ISSUES Indigenous peoples and Métis (people of mixed white and indigenous ancestry) from northern Saskatchewan began to move to the city in the late 1960s. A 1972 study found that while some indigenous peoples had become educated and relatively affluent, many ended up in an area west of the downtown core, where alcoholism, poverty, and crime were common. Since that study the indigenous population has increased much more quickly than that of the rest of the city. In 1996 aboriginals made up eight percent of Saskatoon's population. In contrast they make up three percent of the population of Canada. The city, together with other levels of government, has begun to recognize the need for concerted action in the areas of indigenous education and employment, as well as addressing systematic discrimination against indigenous peoples in the justice system. After major efforts to develop good relations between the indigenous peoples and the local police, tensions increased during the winter of 1999-2000. Two policemen were suspended after being charged with dumping two indigenous men at the outskirts of the city in the middle of the winter. They froze to death. The city requested a special Royal Canadian Mounted Police task force to investigate the matter. VII HISTORY Indigenous peoples inhabited the Saskatoon area for more than 5,000 years before white settlers arrived. The original settlement was designed in 1882 to be the administrative center of a temperance colony led by Ontario Methodists. The city grew very slowly at first, even though the first railroad arrived in 1890. By 1901 Saskatoon had just over 100 residents, but the city began to boom as people from eastern Canada came to the area because of its excellent farmland. The region soon filled with farmers and ranchers. By 1906 it incorporated as a city with a population of 3,000, and in 1909 it was chosen as the site for the provincial university. The city's first master plan, an official set of guidelines for future growth and development, was written in 1914. With its first boom, the city developed a booster mentality, optimistically promoting future growth. It was referred to by slogans such as "Hub City" and the "Wonder City," and wooden shacks were replaced by towering brick buildings such as the Queen's Hotel and the Standard Trusts Building. By 1916 the city's population had risen to 21,048, but then an economic crash brought the city to a standstill. The crash was caused by a periodic decline in agriculture and a slowdown in land sales. A second, short-lived boom based on increased wheat exports began in the late 1920s. By 1931 the city's population had surged to 43,291. Major buildings of the era symbolized a new sophistication, including the Capitol Theatre and the Federal Building. The Great Depression of the 1930s was particularly severe in the Canadian West and in Saskatoon in particular, and the city lost population. Recovery did not take place until the 1950s and 1960s. The building of the Midtown Plaza in the 1960s was a major event and has been credited with keeping Saskatoon's downtown vibrant. By 1971 the population had risen to 126,449. In the 1970s a third building boom led to the construction of most of the modern buildings that now dot the skyline, but it also led to the demolition of earlier landmarks, such as the Standard Trusts Building, the Capitol Theatre, and the Queen's Hotel. High-tech industry moved into Saskatoon during the 1980s, located in part near the University of Saskatchewan. Contributed By: Gilbert A. Stelter Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
