Bucket List: Regina

My interest in Saskatchewan's capital and second-largest city stems from my mother's stories.  She remembered being only three or four years old when the family was living there during her father's military assignment.  The place was originally called Wascana, meaning "buffalo bones" in Cree.  However in 1882 it was renamed in honour of Queen Victoria.  Its location on the plains gave it few topographical features, so early city planners dammed Wascana Creek to create an artificial lake.

The Canadian Pacific Railroad brought development and trade, and in 1885 the city gained prominence as a debarkation point for troops during the Northwest Rebellion.  Regina grew rapidly until a combination of the Great Depression and drought seriously damaged the area's agricultural production.  Recovery was extremely slow, exacerbated by migration of many businesses away from the city center.

Today Regina struggles to remain vibrant, particularly given the recent loss of many major businesses and the unfortunate demolition of many of its historical buildings.  A new plan has recently been established to preserve green spaces and promote development of educational facilities.

Official site www.regina.ca