Wascana Monuments
Regina is home to plenty of beautiful public monuments and artwork that are displayed all around the city for locals to view as they go about their day. The Wascana monuments project an energy of power, history, creativity and appreciation for the people and events that make Regina the city that it is. By appreciating these monuments we are practicing gratitude, awareness and care for Regina’s past and present. Read more to learn about the monuments that are scattered around Wascana Park and the honours that they bestow.
Queen & Burmese Statue, in front of the Legislative Building
Queen & Burmese Statue
During a visit to Saskatchewan in 2005, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a statue of herself riding her favourite horse Burmese, who was born and raised in Fort Walsh, Saskatchewan and gifted to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1969. The Queen rode Burmese at The Trooping of Colour for 18 consecutive birthday parades. It was created by sculptor Susan Velder of St. Walburg, Saskatchewan. It is the grand centerpiece of the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens in front of the Legislative building.
Walter Scott Memorial Statue surrounded by gardens, in front of the Legislative Building
Walter Scott Memorial Statue
In the vicinity of the Legislative building is the bronze memorial statue of Walter Scott who was the first Premier of Saskatchewan, which was presented by Premier Brad Wall at the 100th anniversary of the Legislative building in 2012. It was created by Shirley and Don Begg of Cochrane, Alberta. Walter Scott is responsible for choosing Regina as Saskatchewan’s capital, and overseeing the construction of the Legislative building which was completed in 1912.
Sisters Legacy Statue, Wascana park
Sisters Legacy Statue
The Sisters Legacy statue that is located along Lakeshore Drive in Wascana park was unveiled December 31, 1969. It was created by Prince Albert artist Jack Jensen and commissioned by Catholic organizations throughout Saskatchewan. The monument commemorates the Catholic sisters in Saskatchewan who were pioneers for the province’s education and health care services, as they often established these necessary institutions in their local communities. Its plaque lists 61 religious orders that were instrumental to the development of hospitals and classrooms in Saskatchewan before the province took over the funding and delivery models for these public services.
Holodomor Memorial Statue, Wascana Park
Holodomor Memorial Statue
The “Bitter Memories of Childhood” statue along Lakeshore Drive in Wascana Park was erected in the spring of 2012 by the efforts of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Volunteer Group (UCC). The Regina branch of the UCC purchased an exact replica of a statue created by sculptor Petro Drozdowsky, which stands at the entrance of the National Holodomor Museum in Kyiv, Ukraine. It is meant to memorialize those who suffered from the man made famine of Holodomor in the Ukrainian SSR and Cossack territories during 1932-1933. Millions of people in those regions died of starvation during this famine. The Saskatchewan government passed a bill in 2008 that recognized Holodomor as genocide, which was the first legislative jurisdiction in North America to do so.
The Honouring Tree, Wascana Park.
The Honouring Tree
The Honouring Tree in Wascana Park is a public art display that is meant to commemorate the 1910s settlement of African ancestry in Regina and the entire province of Saskatchewan. It is a symbol of life, diversity and legacy that was sponsored by the Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum Board (SACHM) & Regina Multicultural Council in 2010 as part of the Centennial Celebrations. It was designed by artist Ron Baird and installed on August 31, 2011. A quote from a SACHM member states, "It gives us a sense of belonging, freedom, hope and opportunity for the future."
Trafalgar Fountain, adjacent to the Legislative Building
Trafalgar Fountain
Designed by Sir Charles Barry R.A, architect of the British houses of parliament, the twin fountains of Trafalgar stood in Trafalgar Square, London, England from 1845 to 1939. The fountains are made from red granite from Aberdeen, Scotland and stand at 10 feet tall. They were removed and replaced by larger fountains that now occupy the square. The two fountains were gifted to Canada by The National Art Collections fund of Britain. The first one found its new home in Ottawa, while the second was transported to Regina where it is now exhibited on the grounds of the Legislative building in Wascana park.
Regina Boat Club Monument, beside Wascana Lake
Regina Boat Club Monument
Wascana lake has a long history of hosting water activities for the citizens of Regina including boating, paddling, rowing and sailing. In August 1971, the Wascana Centre unveiled the Regina Boat Club Monument. The Regina Boat Club was established in 1907 and held a claim to fame as the furthest inland rowing club in all of North America and the British Commonwealth. In 1912, the original clubhouse structure was destroyed by the Regina Cyclone but was quickly rebuilt. In 1947, the club moved to the newly built Willow Island where it remained until they disbanded in 1962. Although the Regina Boat Club is no longer running, remnants of the club's memory remain through new groups like the Prairie Dragons Paddling Club and the Wascana Racing Canoe Club that uphold the tradition of water sports in the city of Regina.