Regina Overview
- Overview
- Attractions
- Events
- Facts
- Kids
Regina is the sunniest capital in Canada and one of
the most beautiful. Driving north into the province of Saskatchewan, Canada
from Montana or North Dakota, Regina suddenly appears on the horizon as a
welcome oasis in bloom amid the flat sameness of the surrounding plains.
350,000 hand-planted trees are the source of this remarkable display of lush
greenery. There is, in fact, more parkland and open space per person in Regina
than in any other major Canadian city.
In 1905 Saskatchewan became
a province, with Regina (pronounced rej-EYE-na) as its capital. In the
heart of downtown is the City Centre, the site of such buildings as the
municipal government offices and the public library. The library contains the
Prairie History Room, which documents local history, and the Dunlop Art Gallery,
which displays works by regional artists. The Gallery on the Roof, in the
Saskatchewan Power Building, is a popular spot to visit with its changing art
exhibits.
Many of Regina's attractions
are contained in Wascana Centre, the city's lovely 2,300 acre urban park. There
you'll find the Legislative Building, circa 1910, the center of Saskatchewan's
provincial government. The ornate structure makes use of unusual
Renaissance-influenced elements and has intricate carvings on its facade.
Also in Wascana Centre is
the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. It includes the First Nation's Gallery, which
documents the history and traditions of aboriginal people in Saskatchewan and
includes the paintings and sculptures of a number of Saskatchewan artists. The
museum's Earth Sciences Gallery contains dioramas that depict the environmental
changes that have taken place with the passage of time.
Another Wascana attraction
is the Saskatchewan Science Centre. It contains an IMAX theater and the
Powerhouse of Discovery, a major exhibit which incorporates hands-on exhibits
and a live stage show. New to the Science Centre is the interactive Olympic
Challenge Exhibit, which allows participants to experience Olympic sports such
as Nordic skiing and bobsledding. The Science Centre also has a 60 foot climbing
wall.
Other attractions in and
around the Wascana Centre include the Diefenbaker Homestead, the childhood home
of Canada's 13th prime minister, the MacKenzie Art Gallery featuring provincial
arts and handicrafts, the Native Heritage Foundation Gallery with exhibits of
aboriginal art, and the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts which is the venue for
ballet and opera performances.
In addition to Wascana,
Regina hosts horse racing at Queensbury Downs, a mall of 28 shops offering
antiques and collectibles, Casino Regina, located downtown, in Union Station,
the Saskatchewan Archives, and Government House.
Regina is also the home of
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Centennial Museum, with memorabilia tracing
the history of the force from its early days to its current activities. The
slogan of the Mounties: "We always get our man."
Following Wascana Creek for
7 miles is the Devonian Pathway, a paved bicycle trail that passes through six
city parks and is used for jogging and walking as well as other activities. In
winter, it is groomed and lighted for cross-country skiing. The Condie Nature
Refuge, just north of the city on Highway 11, offers nature trails that afford
views of the refuge's grassland and marsh animals.
About 25 miles north of
Regina is the Last Mountain House Provincial Historic Site, a reconstructed
Hudson's Bay Company outpost. It provides an opportunity to learn how the fur
traders of the 1800s lived and worked despite the brutal winters and harsh
environment.
Northeast of Regina, near
Fort Qu'Appelle, is Echo Valley Provincial Park, a popular recreation area
offering hiking, fishing and boating. Sports activities in Regina include
harness racing at Exhibition Park and summer football played by the Saskatchewan
Roughriders at Taylor Field.
Regina, Saskatchewan's
capital city and administrative center, has both a small-town feel and a
cosmopolitan flair. Its climate is temperate, and its welcome is warm at any
time of the year.
