July 2, 2021
After staying cool all afternoon in my Saskatoon hotel on Canada Day, I ventured out after 6 p.m. to explore a section of the Meewasin Valley trails, a 90 km network of trails and paved pathways that follows both sides of the South Saskatchewan River as it meanders its way through town. The paths pass under, and provide access to the many bridges, and they connect parks and other civic spaces.
Avoiding the freeways, I made my way by car through town to an area on the west side of the Broadway Bridge and parked near Broadway and 4th Avenue South. I walked towards the river and found myself in Kiwanis Memorial Park where a “Cancel Canada Day – Bring Them Home” event was being held to support residential school survivors and to remember the children who did not make it home.
The previous day, I had visited the grounds of the provincial Legislative Assembly Building in Regina where the Canadian and Saskatchewan flags were flying at half mast.
And on the front steps there was this moving display of children’s backpacks and toys. The organizers plan to fill the steps with 751 backpacks to represent the 751 bodies recently found in unmarked graves at the site of the former Marieval Residential Indian School in southeastern Saskatchewan.
I sat for a while at the event, listened to the powerful drumming and singing, and thought about our country – both the injustices and mistakes of the past and also the many wonderful attributes of our country as the vast majority of Canadians try to do their best for their families, neighbours, and communities. I do think that Canada is a country to be celebrated, but on this Canada Day I agreed wholeheartedly with Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark who said that the time is not right for festivities. He said, “We are in a time of mourning in our community and our country. It does not feel like a time for celebration. It feels like a time to reckon with the truth of residential schools and the impacts of racism and colonial relationships in our country.”
After a while, I left the park and walked on this lovely trail heading downstream towards the University Bridge.
I walked almost all the way to the University Bridge, and then returned by way of Spadina Crescent East, where many historic churches were spaced out over just a few blocks. Here is the Knox United Church, built between 1912-1914, with the congregation founded in 1885.
Almost next door was the St. Johns Cathedral (Anglican), and then I passed the St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Cathedral. There was a “We Are Sorry” sign on the door, but the apology was clearly not accepted or appreciated by some who are suffering grief and anger.
A little further on Spadina was St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and nearby was the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, all large edifices built of brick and stone and determined, it seems, to proclaim their supremacy as the “right” place to worship the Christian faith.
I left the churches behind to photograph this Saskatoon landmark- a grand old railway hotel which is now the Delta Bessborough Hotel. It was built in 1935 by the Canadian National Railway at the urging of prominent Saskatoon businessmen who wanted to outdo Regina and its railway hotel which was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1926!
From here, I returned to the riverside pathway and continued walking upstream towards the beautiful Traffic Bridge.
I walked over the Traffic Bridge and stopped in the center for this view back towards the Broadway Bridge.
At the end of the Traffic Bridge was some charming crochet art, and another view towards the Broadway Bridge which included the Delta Hotel, 10 stories tall and for some three decades the tallest building in Saskatoon.
Then I crossed the road to the other side of the Traffic Bridge for these great views back towards the business end of town and several tall glass and steel towers.
I crossed back over the bridge to arrive at River Landing, an inviting place with sculptures, pavilions, and a busy spray park where families of many different ethnicities were enjoying the warm summer evening.
I rested for a while on a shaded bench and then walked further upstream and out onto the next bridge (Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge) to take in this view back towards River Landing,
and this view of the river and downstream bridges,
and then this view of people enjoying the coolness of a dip in the river from the east bank.
At this point I was feeling quite warm myself and decided to return to my car. As I arrived back at the Traffic Bridge, I saw that many of the participants of the “Cancel Canada Day – Bring Them Home” event were beginning a march over the bridge, reminding me again that this was indeed a different kind of Canada Day, but one I think that needed to be had.
May all of us live together in peace and harmony, with tolerance, respect, compassion, and understanding among our guiding principles. O Canada. Goodnight everyone.
