The Diefenbaker Management Area is an area of
Saskatoon
Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as th ...
, to the west of the
Exhibition subdivision. The area includes Diefenbaker Park and the
Nutana Pioneer Cemetery
Nutana Pioneer Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Diefenbaker Management Area, Saskatoon, Diefenbaker Management Area of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Cemetery is along the bank of the South Saskatchewan River, and is a designated Provin ...
. The park includes a medium-sized hill which is used for tobogganing and snowboarding, and the park itself is a frequently-used venue for picnics and public events and performances.
History
The Pioneer Cemetery received its first interment in 1884. On June 20, 1905 the Nutana Cemetery Co was awarded a special grant at SW Section 20 Township 36 Range 5 W of the
3rd Meridian. The Pioneer Cemetery, located west of the intersection of Ruth Street and St. Henry Avenue, was also called the Nutana Cemetery, and was the first municipal cemetery for the City of Saskatoon until 1910 when Woodlawn Cemetery became the city cemetery. The Pioneer Cemetery was declared a heritage site in 1982.
Image:PioneerCemetery2.jpg, Pioneer Cemetery
Image:PioneerCemetery3.jpg, Pioneer Cemetery
Image:PioneerCemeteryPlaque.jpg, Pioneer Cemetery
Image:GrandTrunkBridge.jpg, Grand Trunk Bridge (Saskatoon)
The Grand Trunk Bridge is a Canadian steel trestle railway bridge that spans the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was built in 1908 as part of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway project. The GTP was merged into the Canadian ...
Image:Pioneer Cemetery.jpg, Pioneer Cemetery
The southern portion of Diefenbaker Park has been disrupted by the development nearby of the
Circle Drive
Circle Drive is a major road constructed as a ring road in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Its route constitutes both part of the Yellowhead Highway and Highway 11, signed as both along the entire length. It was first conceived in 1913 by th ...
freeway extension, which removed a strip of the park and now places formerly quiet areas right next to freeway traffic.
In 2018, a large portion of the park, including its hill—now called Optimist Hill—entered a period of reconstruction and redevelopment that saw it reconfigured into a $3 million recreation facility with a ski hill, seasonal chalet and terrain park, with a toboggan hill to follow in 2020. The facility opened to the public in February 2019. Prior to the redevelopment, the public was allowed to drive to the top of the hill, where a parking lot allowed for a scenic view of the city.
Events and festivals
Diefenbaker park is home to Saskatoon's organized events on
Canada Day, consisting of official ceremonies, live entertainment, various activities and nighttime fireworks.
Location
The Diefenbaker Management Area is located within the
Nutana Suburban Development Area. It is bounded by the
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
For the first half of the 20th century, the South Saskatchewan would completely freeze over during winter, creating spectacular ...
to the west, St. Henry Avenue to the east, Ruth Street West to the north, and the city limits to the south. The only roads are St. Henry Avenue and the road looping through Diefenbaker Park.
References
External links
Saskatoon Neighbourhoods Word Search PuzzleCity of Saskatoon · Departments · Community Services · Community ... City of Saskatoon · Departments · Community Services · City Planning · ZAM MapsPopulace Spring 2006Sask Tourism We Are ManySask Tourism We Are Many
{{Neighbourhoods of Saskatoon, selected=Diefenbaker Management Area
Neighbourhoods in Saskatoon
Parks in Saskatchewan