Montgomery Place LAP Meeting #7 Heritage & Culture Meeting St ...

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Montgomery Place LAP Meeting #7 Heritage & Culture Meeting

St. David's Trinity United Church 3318 Merritt Street February 10, 2016

7:00 pm

Attendance: Jim Earle, Pat Elliott, Karen Farmer, Glen McDonald, Shar Muyres, Leslee Newman, Alan Potter, Katie Rosen, Wendy Rosen, Chris Roslinsky, Ben Schmidt, Bill Schmidt, Lorraine Schmidt, Trish Schmidt, Doug Siemens, Edna Silverthorn, Irv Stevens, Mark Burton, Harvey Muyres Melissa Austin (Project Lead), Mark Emmons, Paul Whitenect - Senior Planners; Ellen Pearson – Planner; Councillor Pat Lorje; Shirlene Palmer – Recording Secretary 1. Welcome, Introductions & Agenda Meeting called to order at 7:05 p.m.

Melissa introduced herself as the Project Lead and welcomed everyone to the Montgomery Local Area Plan (LAP) meeting. Thank you to St. David's Church for hosting the meeting. Councillor Pat Lorje Comments Councillor Lorje noted this is an important topic for Montgomery Place. As a resident she wants to ensure the heritage aspect of our community remains intact to show respect and recognition for the work and sacrifices military men and women made for our country. Montgomery Place is one of the last of the Veteran Land Allotments in Canada. We want to be proud of the past but always looking to the future but want to be mindful to maintain the unique charm of the neighbourhood. Hope you share some of my hopes and dreams.

Melissa introduced Nancy Lackie, an Independent Facilitator who will be

facilitating the future meetings. She is not with the City of Saskatoon or part of the community and will ensure all input and feedback can be collected and meeting runs on time.

Nancy Lackie Opening Comments Welcome to the meeting. There is a lot of history in this community and it is

great to bring community members together to collect this history. She noted her role is to keep meetings on schedule and ensure information gathered at meetings are of value to the Montgomery Place LAP as well as to the individuals.

She noted she is up to date on the previous meetings and noted there has been

a lot of information brought forward but also some frustrations with the process of the plan and if what is being done is needed in the community plan. Some feel

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they are not able to contribute and we want to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and everyone feels comfortable speaking.

Comment forms are available for people to write comments down during the

meeting to hand in after the meeting. Write down questions, suggestions, likes and dislikes.

2. Foundations for Success

Foundations for Successful Meetings - specify how the meeting will be conducted. They are used to ensure that we feel comfortable sharing concerns, opinions and ideas with the group here tonight.

The Foundations for Success are: 1. Information Sharing & Gathering

Share what you think is important

Everyone works together to make decisions

2. Respect

Respect every comment or idea that comes forward

Respect each other’s opinions and perceptions

3. Integrity

Speak your mind respectfully

Honesty is the best policy!

Your voice is not heard if you don’t participate

4. Fair and Equal Representation

Everyone will have their opportunity to share

Everyone has something important to contribute

Strive for equal representation from all stakeholders within the area

5. No Repetitive Discussion

There is limited time within meetings, discussion of topics already covered

may have to occur outside scheduled meeting time

6. Orderly Participation

Listen when others are speaking

Please raise hand to share your thoughts

3. Community Heritage & History Catherine Kambeitz, Senior Planner Heritage & Design Coordinator

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Tonight’s presentation is divided into two parts. The first being a brief history of Saskatoon and Montgomery Place prepared by Jeff O’Brien, City of Saskatoon Archivist. The second portion is an outline of the City’s Heritage Program. History of Saskatoon and Montgomery Place 1882-1960 European settlement of Saskatoon did not begin until 1881. That year, a group of Ontario temperance activists formed the Temperance Colonization Society (TCS), with the idea of creating an agricultural colony on the prairies, dedicated to the ideals of the Temperance Movement. At the same time, the Canadian government was hoping to stimulate settlement on the prairies by offering huge blocks of land to colonization companies. For the TCS, therefore, the new colony would not only be agricultural and social utopia, but also a chance to make a tidy profit from selling land to prospective settlers. By June of 1882, John Lake, a Methodist minister turned entrepreneur, was scouting out possible colony sites along the South Saskatchewan River. On the advice of Chief White Cap of Moose Woods, Lake chose the site we now call "Nutana" as a place to plant the new town. By 1983 the first permanent settlement in the area was established as settlers travelled by railway from Ontario to Moose Jaw and then made the grueling 160 mile trip to Saskatoon in horse-drawn carts. An 1883 Temperance Colonization Society pamphlet depicting an idealized future image of the city of Saskatoon to lure settlers here was created but the reality was a little bit less grandiose. Saskatoon grew slowly. There was no railway and the river was too shallow and too full of shifting sandbars for easy navigation. Sensationalized newspaper reports of the North-West Rebellion in 1885 also helped discourage settlement. Less than a dozen new settlers a year arrived in the district between 1885-1890. The Temperance Colonization Society fell on hard times and, wracked by internal squabbles and lawsuits, folded in 1891. In 1890, the railway finally arrived and a new settlement soon developed on the west side of the river around the railway station. By 1899 Saskatoon consisted of a few houses on the east side of the river and on the west side was the station house, the section foreman’s house, the Mounted Police barracks, a stone building, a hotel and about six other houses and shacks. In 1901 when the west bank settlement incorporated as a village, it kept the name of Saskatoon. The name of the original settlement on the east side was changed to Nutana. A third settlement, Riversdale, developed west of the railway tracks beginning in 1903. In 1906 with the promise of a traffic bridge and other civic improvements, the three settlements amalgamated to form a city. People began trickling in and Saskatoon became the fastest growing city in Canada. The official opening of the Traffic Bridge was on October 6th, 1907. In the years leading up to the First World War, Saskatoon’s economy boomed and the population exploded, in particular from 1909 – 1912. New construction was everywhere.

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Speculators bought up land for miles around, subdividing it into streets and lots and re-selling it at sometimes enormous profits. The good times however did not last, and the boom went bust in 1913, followed by the declaration of war with Germany in 1914. The city did not really recover until the late 1920s, just in time to be walloped by the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the drought and depression that followed. One response to the crisis was to employ men on public works projects, such as the one that built the Broadway Bridge here in 1932. In 1939 the Great Depression ended with the onset of the Second World War. We watched as, once again, Saskatoon’s young men and women put on uniforms and boarded the trains that would take them off to war. In 1945, they came home again. Thousands of returning soldiers, most of them either recently married or about to be married, and some with children in tow, arrived in a city that had seen almost no new construction in 15 years and had no place to put them. To help meet the crisis, the federal Veterans Land Act (VLA) sought to acquire blocks of land which could be parcelled out to returning veterans who would, through a system of grants and loans, set themselves up on small, agricultural holdings. The plots would be half an acre, enough for a family to supplement its income by gardening and the raising of livestock, a few chickens or a cow or two. After some searching for a suitable site, the VLA settled on the 230 acre, boom-era subdivision of “River Heights” far out on Saskatoon’s western fringe. Nearly all the land there had long since been returned to the RM of Cory for non-payment of taxes. Lots that had sold for as much as $350 in 1912 were picked up by the VLA for $6.00 apiece. Montgomery Place Montgomery was planned for 363 half-acre lots. Initial uptake was low. Amenities were sparse, no sewer and water, garbage pickup, mail delivery or telephone at first. Members of the community undertook to provide some of these services themselves until they could be provided. By 1950, there were still only a handful of houses in Montgomery and in 1951 it was opened up to civilians. The first houses in Montgomery were the “wartime houses” we’re all familiar with, scattered across older neighbourhoods in every city in Canada. Saskatoon grew prodigiously in the 1950s, and this growth spilled over into Montgomery too. By the early 1950s, the City of Saskatoon was looking at a possible expansion, the first since 1911 when the city limits had been pushed out to Preston on the east and Avenue W on the west. The residents of Montgomery initially resisted the plan, quite rightly fearing that the tax bills on their half acre lots were going to go through the roof. There was even a move afoot to incorporate as the Village of Montgomery to forestall annexation. But the city

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and the VLA were able to negotiate a 25 year tax concession plan, and on January 1, 1955, Montgomery officially became part of Saskatoon. In 1960, the last VLA lot was sold and the federal government declared the Montgomery project to be over. At this time there were 305 houses in Montgomery. The years since 1960 have seen huge changes to Montgomery, most recently the extension of Circle Drive and the building of the new freeway interchanges. But perhaps the most important change here was the building of the Chappel Yards, which saw the CNR close its downtown station and move its lines out to an area on the edge of the city, just south of Montgomery. The neighbourhood was considered to have reached full build-out in the early 1980s, and as a testament to its history many of the street names in the area honour notable people and places associated with the war. City of Saskatoon Heritage Program What is Heritage? Heritage is really anything that is considered to be of value in a community.

Built Heritage Buildings, landscapes, streetscapes, structures and monuments

Natural Heritage Natural areas and paleontological sites

Cultural Heritage Practices, representations, knowledge, skills, objects, artifacts and cultural

spaces. Heritage is those resources that have helped shape our community and tell the story of Saskatoon. How do We Protect Heritage?

Heritage Resources are legally protected in Saskatchewan through The Heritage Property Act as Municipal or Provincial Heritage Properties. Resources can be designated by the Province as a Provincial Heritage Property or by the Municipality as a Municipal Heritage Property or as a Municipal Heritage District (which is a cluster or properties).

At the Federal level, properties can be commemorated as National Historic Sites. Montgomery Place is currently undergoing this process. Recognition at this

level is commemorative only, legal protection only occurs at the Municipal or Provincial level. Recognition as a National Historic Site does however provide considerable elevation in terms of the visibility and importance of a historic place.

Municipal Heritage Properties

Municipal Heritage Properties are designated through a Bylaw, and the designation is registered on the title of the property which continues to remain in place with changes in ownership.

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These properties cannot be demolished or altered without approval by the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee and City Council.

The Designation Bylaw specifies what elements need to be retained in order for the heritage property to retain its heritage value.

A heritage property may become designated for a variety of reasons, it may represent a unique architectural style, or is a particularly good example of one, it may be associated with a significant person or is attributed to a particular historic event or theme. The decision to designate a heritage property is a decision left up to the property owner. While the City will encourage owners to designate, the City will not designate a property without the consent of the property owner or enter into what is referred to as ‘unfriendly designation’ and this is a practice that is followed by most Canadian cities. The reasoning behind this is that heritage properties require special care and maintenance, and without the property owner being willing to conserve the property you run the risk of a property falling into neglect. To assist property owners with the costs associated with maintenance and care of their heritage resource, the City offers tax abatements and grants. It’s important to note designating a property does not mean it will be frozen in time so to speak. The intent of designation is to manage change and ensure that key elements are retained as a historic place continues to evolve. Currently in the City we have 39 properties designated, and we certainly hope to increase that number in the coming years. Heritage Plan In an effort to increase the number of heritage properties, improve conservation outcomes of Saskatoon’s heritage resources, and further foster public education the City created a Heritage Plan in 2014. The Plan outlines over 40 recommendations including using an expanded definition of heritage. Heritage is not just buildings; it can be monuments, streetscapes, parks or trees for example. The Heritage Plan also recommended supporting education and awareness initiatives through community partnerships, including community associations. One of the most important recommendations coming out of the Heritage Plan, is the creation of a Heritage Register. Saskatoon Register of Historic Places The Saskatoon Register of Historic Places is an official public listing of heritage resources that have significant heritage value in Saskatoon. The Heritage Register includes nearly 200 historic resources. Some of these resources have received designation as a municipal or provincial heritage property.

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The majority of resources listed on the register however are not formally recognized or protected under any legislation. The Register will evolve and grow over time as additional resources are added. Identifying heritage resources is an important step in provided education about our heritage resources and why it’s important to celebrate their stories and conserve their heritage elements. From an Administrative standpoint, the Register allows the City to zero in on where heritage conservation efforts should be concentrated. The intent of the Register is to be reflective of the Community. It is based on what we as a community collectively agree on what is worth saving (or designating) and that’s why we welcome input from the Community on what should be included on the Register. Accompanying the heritage register will be an interactive map feature. This will allow users to identify where resources listed on the Register are located in Saskatoon. How can the Community Celebrate the Heritage and History of Montgomery Place? Montgomery Place has a unique history that deserves to be recognized and celebrated. So how can the City and the Community better recognize the rich history and heritage of this community?

One way to do this is through commemoration such as plaques and markers. Another idea is to submit a nomination to the Heritage Advisory Committee

for a Heritage Award. There also opportunities for education through walking tours and

photographic displays Stewardship through heritage property designation.

Montgomery has done a lot over the years in terms or celebrating its heritage, and we welcome any future opportunities to further increase the visibility and appreciation of heritage in this community. Comments:

Presentation was very interesting and had some very important information. What is missing is that the CNR was moved out from downtown under the leadership of Sid Buckwold with a lot of opposition at the time from residents.

Also missing from presentation was the impact Mitchell’s (formerly Intercon) closing had on the community as was a large source of local employment for many.

Montgomery does have a history book Questions:

How would Montgomery Place go about trying to achieve heritage designation for the whole neighbourhood?

Catherine stated you would need to contact the province to proceed with this. She noted, it is very difficult to do as in order to get heritage designation for the neighbourhood every property owner must be in agreement. Currently there are

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none in Saskatchewan but Vancouver does have. For city designation you would also need all property owners to agree.

What would be the benefit of Heritage Designation?

Benefits would be more for history. There are grants available to help preserve properties and ensure in the future they will not be torn down.

If community or properties are designated how does that affect owners and

renovations, etc?

Heritage Designation will apply to new owners as the designation stays with the property. Catherine noted designations are for the exterior of the property only, not interior. It would mean it could not be torn down or significant changes could not be made.

If property owner would like to choose to apply for heritage status what is the process?

Catherine noted if interested you would apply to the City and someone would come and evaluate the house to see if the house has a representative style/theme or someone famous lived in it. They would then make a recommendation to City Council to decide. A public hearing would also be required.

Comments: It seems having a Heritage Designation on a property isn’t necessarily positive as

it can stop you from renovating your own property if you want as well as may be difficult to sell. I guess depends on how you look at it.

One of the soldiers in a slide was Stan Gardner who lived all his life in Montgomery Place.

4. Arts, Culture, Cultural Mapping & Placemaking Kathy Allen, Arts and Grants Consultant

Saskatoon Culture Plan In 2006 Saskatoon was designated a Cultural Capital of Canada. You might remember the artist in residence project that took place here in Montgomery Place as part of that designation. There was a great deal of cultural activity in the City during 2006; this created a momentum that led to the creation of Saskatoon’s Culture Plan. The City of Saskatoon created the Culture Plan is a strategic document that will guide the City’s policy and decision making as it identifies priorities to harmonize cultural endeavors, strengthen cultural development, and support the arts. Saskatoon City Council adopted the Culture Plan in September of 2011. The plan has Six Key Directions:

1. Arts – Build capacity within the cultural sector

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2. Heritage – Ensure cultural heritage is conserved and valued 3. Diversity – Value and celebrate diversity and strengthen opportunities for

cultural interaction. 4. Youth - Cultivate conditions for youth and young professionals to thrive 5. City Centre – Develop the city centre as a cultural district 6. Neighbourhoods – Support and enable cultural development at the

neighbourhood level Neighbourhood Projects There are many different cultural activities that can take place in the city’s neighbourhoods such as:

• Researching stories and history of your neighbourhood • Walking history tours • Music, Theatre, Art in the Park - Caswell Hill “Art in the Park” event • Art Projects with schools – Mural on rec unit King George, artist met with children

in the neighbourhood and asked them what was important to them then a design was created.

• Summer Playground Programs -“Walk the Trail” a piece of theatre created for the unveiling of the Moose Jaw Trail sculpture in Stonebridge.

• Neighbourhood Public Art • Community Art projects - Victoria School doing a “yarn garden” on their fences

Cultural Mapping

• The process of collecting, recording analyzing and synthesizing information in order to describe the cultural resources, networks, links and patterns of usage of a given community or group; tangible and intangible.

• Increase knowledge and investigate area(s) of interest • Cultural Inventory is a list or database of information about cultural resources and

assets. • Cultural Map is a report on the findings and conclusions of a cultural mapping

process; the culture map can take many forms. This quote from Greg Woolner is a great explanation of Placemaking.

"Community working together to make (a) place special. They make it a place where people want to go to, where they feel safe and welcome. They make it beautiful and interesting. They make it meaningful, an expression of their own local culture."

There are many projects a community could host in their neighbourhood. This could be intersection painting, the building of benches for a local gathering space, a community garden, or any idea that brings together community members to create public art that activates shared public spaces to give a sense of place and build community. Placemaking in Saskatoon There is a project currently taking place in Saskatoon; a giant chalkboard under the bridge. The topic gets changed; the first one was “before I die I want to…” The

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Saskatchewan Craft Council has mini chalkboards that they put out when they have events, often they ask people ”What does Craft mean to you?” Comments:

The painting on the road would not work in Saskatoon as the roads are too bad. Signs have been made for street signs commemorating the history of them.

There is now walking tours being set up with schools and soon others. The annual Montgomery Place garage sale is a big part of the heritage.

5. Community Culture Mapping Exercise The purpose of this exercise is to catalog the cultural inventory that defines Montgomery Place’s unique heritage and culture. By exploring tangible and intangible cultural resources and mapping an inventory of the rich and diverse history of Montgomery Place, generations will be able to visualize the community-based knowledge that exists in the neighbourhood The attendees were divided into 3 smaller groups for discussion. Each group reported back to the larger group.

Results of the Community Culture Mapping Exercise can be found in ATTACHMENT 1. Comments:

There has also been a watercolor painting group that has been taking place for 20+ years.

There is an informal park on the corner of Dundonald Ave and 11th Street that was created by the community. Is not really a park but community planted trees, shrubs and flowers and keep it up.

Looking at the houses in the neighbourhood it doesn’t seem to be any particularly unique architecture that particularly needs preserving.

Catherine noted there are a variety of reasons a property can be designated, not only architecture but also significant person living there such as some of the intangibles reported to the larger group.

Suggested the home of the long-time resident/Councillor as a possible designation.

Questions: Is there any other way to honour a famous person than to designate

property they lived in?

It was noted plaques can be put up and could be noted on website.

Can a tree be designated?

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Catherine noted is has not yet been done but could be a future possibility. Comments:

Lot size is uniqueness to community. Should be some type of honour on the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation

Area which the community has begun taking care of. Noted Barb Biddle has put together a book about Montgomery Place as well as

Leslee Newman is compiling information for a 70th Anniversary book. Need to not only look at the past but to the future. If nothing else this meeting should show how important heritage and culture is to

the community and needs to be included in LAP. There are some things that the community has already begun to look at - things

to honour veterans such as dedicating a bench, fill flowerbeds with poppies, banners on light poles. These would be great to have as recommendations.

Questions:

Is the historic site map available on the City website?

Catherine noted it will be in the next couple weeks. When it is she will let Melissa know who will then pass along to the committee.

Any idea when the recommendations from this meeting will be completed?

Melissa noted recommendations for all the topics will be created following the last topic meeting. Once the recommendations are created for each topic they will be brought back to the LAPC to review and make suggestions.

Nancy noted there are extra comment forms that can be taken and given to neighbourhoods. Any comments, questions, photos or recommendation suggestions can be emailed to Melissa. 6. Next Meetings

Tuesday, March 15th – St. David’s Church • Topic is currently being confirmed. Details will be posted on the City and

community websites. Wednesday, April 6th – Safety #1 – Montgomery School Gym

7. Closing Let’s Walk & Roll, Saskatoon! The development of Saskatoon’s first Active Transportation Plan (ATP) is well underway. Online survey available until Sunday, February 14, 2016. Growth Plan Summit The development of Saskatoon’s Growth Plan to Half a Million (Growth Plan) is nearing completion.

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City Administration will be presenting the key directions of the plan at a public Growth Plan Summit event on March 14, 2016. The Summit will be broadcast live on the City’s website at www.saskatoon.ca/watchcouncil. Meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm.

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ATTACHMENT 1

Location Tangible Cultural Resources In addition to the Historical Street Names and Places Map for Montgomery Place

3220 Ortona St Montgomery School – opened in 1956. The first school in the community and current home of Science Trek programming.

3301 Dieppe St St. Dominic School – opened in 1964. The second school in the community; it was unusual for a neighbourhood with a small population to have two schools.

1602 Chappell Dr CN Curling Club – Gathering place for social activity and physical activity. Moved from Avenue A when the rail station moved. There was an active neighbourhood league every Sunday, and the schools still visit the club.

3404 11th St W Formerly the Canadian Government Elevator built in 1913-14, opened in 1914 and the site of the Night Watchman’s House (Mr. Curry) which sat at the entrance to the property. It is now the Viterra Grain Elevator.

Southeast corner of 11th Street/Dundonald

White Rose service station formerly located at this site. Today the Montgomery Place sign is here in a community planting of trees and shrubs.

Grocery store built in the 1950s and barber formerly located next to the service station. This location was one of only two grocery stores serving the Montgomery neighbourhood.

3501 11th St W

Current convenience store. Built in the 1960s, they used to sell ice cream out of the side window for people travelling to Pike Lake, and a whole tank of gas only cost $4. Formerly known as Elevator Services, now Greg’s Grocery.

Also the location of the mobile home park.

Elevator Road This road used to be the Pike Lake highway called Low Road. Before the railyards moved from downtown, Low Road ran straight south to what today is known as Valley Road.

1203 Lancaster Blvd Original wartime house without any alteration – small house, large lot.

Corner of Crescent Blvd and Caen St

One of the original homes built from one of the four plans available through the Veterans Land Act.

North of Burma Rd This greenspace north of the road is used as an informal park.

Parkland Spaces The natural bluff of trees in Montgomery Park; the natural bluff in Gougeon Park and the bluff on Cassino Avenue are remnants of authentic parkland.

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

An urban forest planted in 1972 south of the CN yards, this greenspace has grown into a wildlife habitat that is important to be preserved.

Chappell Marsh A natural area south of Montgomery Place that contributes a wildlife and bird habitat that is also a quiet respite for humans.

Location Intangible Cultural Resource First Homes in Montgomery Place

The first homes in Montgomery Place were built in 1946. These houses are on the 3100 and 3200 blocks of 11th Street West, 3100 and 3200 blocks of Caen Street, 1100 block and 1200 block of Lancaster Boulevard, 3200 block of Ortona Street and Currie Avenue.

3200 block 11th St W Harry Bailey lived here.

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Triangular site south of 11th St Bypass

Deer herd, moose; eating grain from the elevator. The deer will come into the neighbourhood to eat fruit and cedar.

Southeast corner of 11th Street/Dundonald

There was a gas station and grocery store here. Howard Riddell, son of the store owner, would deliver groceries locally on his bike. The grocery store was a destination on Hallowe’en because full-sized chocolate bars were handed out there. The grocery store had a suite on top of it and a hair salon in the back. The suite tended to house divorced women.

3000 Block 11th St W Intercontinental Packers was a major employment location. The facility was originally built for manufacturing cars, not processing meat. Also, after the buildings were demolished, the rubble from the buildings was used in the construction of Circle Drive. When the Montgomery community was not part of the city and did not have any amenities, Mr. Fred Mendel welcomed residents into his facility for community meetings, children’s Christmas parties and coffee in the cafeteria when residents had to walk to Intercontinental Packers to catch a bus.

1200 block Lancaster Blvd

Famous architect lived here.

Alley between 11th St & Caen St

These homes in the 3100-3200 block were settled in the first waves of building, and many homes had backyard pens of chicken, ducks, geese and rabbits for farm operations along the alley.

3400 block Caen St Schmidt House (veteran)

3100 block Ortona St Barb Biddle’s mother, Doris Thompson, delivered the mail to all of Montgomery Place, as she was under contract with Canada Post- one of the first women with this job. Two other residents did this job short term before Mrs. Thompson took on the job which she continued from 1957 to 1975 when regular postal workers took over. Her husband also helped with delivery and her children would help on school vacations.

3400 block Dieppe St Resident Devon McCullough was a part of Team Canada for international softball competitions.

1600 block Bader Cres Resident Margaret Tosh was a former Olympian in throwing events. She can still be seen in the park, throwing a shot put at the age of 80.

Saskatoon Parade Montgomery Place created a parade float in Saskatoon’s Parade depicting the heritage of the community with veterans on the float.

West of Chappell Dr Horse Boarding – Across from the Curling Club, Miss Dorothy Smith boarded her horses. Miss Smith lived east on 11th Street beside the former Western Development Museum and was known for her red convertible which she drove to teach music lessons to many Montgomery Place piano students.

Montgomery Park The first community park where the cairn and monument are situated, and was formerly a dugout. Later on, Don Leier began Remembrance Day services in the park. The rink was first built here after community members pooled their money together to build and maintain it. There were community hockey leagues, and parents would take turns at the skating shack keeping it warm and helping to put skates on. This park is also home to community picnics. The Recreation Building is a community gathering place during special events, and for summer swimming and winter skating. The toboggan hill is a magnet in winter and summer. Also the location of the Time Capsule.

Gougeon Park Established beside St. Dominic School – Containing a bluff of trees that once was on the horseback riding route of Claypool’s Stables located east of

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Montgomery Place.

Lt. Col D. Walker Park Drayton Walker was the first principal of Mount Royal Collegiate, the high school that Montgomery Place’s first public students attended. The school opened in 1960. There are horseshoe pits in this park.

St. David’s Trinity United Church

The church was opened in 1963 and named Trinity by a veteran, Joe Kiss. The church serves as a community centre, particularly following the Remembrance Day service. In addition, the church represents the amalgamation between two churches – St. David’s and Trinity United. Thus the name ‘St. David’s Trinity United Church.’

Visionary Veterans Bernie Newman and Lew Winger who spearheaded the cairn; Korean vet Don Leier who started the Remembrance Service; Barb Biddle, daughter of veterans George and Doris Thompson, who spearheaded the monument of names.

Urban Forest The mature tree canopy in our community is a result of all the trees planted by the veterans. When they first acquired their homes, it was only prairie.

Neighbourhood-Wide

Garage Sale - for a day, bus service is cancelled in Montgomery Place. Many people get their first taste of Montgomery Place on Garage Sale day. On this day, the Scouts sell burgers on Ortona & Lancaster, and the church holds a pancake breakfast.

Extra-large horseradish plants and fiddlehead ferns grow all over the neighbourhood.

Newsletter – is mailed out 11 times a year, and includes stories about people who live in the neighbourhood called “Who Lives Next Door”.

Montgomery Place website contains history and connects neighbours, both past and present.

The landscape and spacious lots make the community a special place to live and is what attracts many new residents - new residents and long term residents often comment on the "country feel" of our community. The large lots mean that kids can disappear but still be playing in the backyard.

The cooperative attitude of our first residents - working together to make Montgomery Place a community; cooperation and “let’s get it done”. The sense of community and continuation in the community not only attracts new residents but brings people back - there are many second and third generation veteran families that call this community home.

City Council proposed a wind turbine in 2012. The neighbourhood fought against locating the wind turbine at the landfill, which is southeast of the neighbourhood.

1. Montgomery Place

Field Marshal B.L. Montgomery was one of the most inspirational British Military

leaders of the Second World War.

2. Veterans Monument

This monument commemorates the Canadian forces Veterans who built their

homes here during the years 1946-77.

3. Memorial Cairn

This monument was built in 1989 in Montgomery Park to recognize this unique

community and to honour the contributions of residents to the war.

4. St David’s Trinity United Church

Young veterans and their families sought a place to worship in their community.

In 1963, this church was built with the assistance from many community

volunteers.

5. Crerar Drive

As the Canadian Chief of Staff Henry Crerar wanted a distinctly Canadian corps,

bringing together armored and infantry divisions in a unified fighting force.

6. Currie Avenue

Lt. Colonel David Currie is the only Saskatchewan born holder of the Victoria

Cross.

7. Caen Street

Caen, a town in the Normandy region of France, was captured by Canadian and

British troops following D-Day in 1944.

8. Ortona Street

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment fought at the Battle of Ortona during World War

II. Canadian troops met German troops at the Moro River just outside the Italian

town of Ortona and fought their way in to town.

9. Rockingham Avenue

Brigadier General John Rockingham commanded the 9th Canadian Infantry

Brigade in the campaign in northwest Europe during the last year of World War

II.

10. Merritt Street

Lt. Colonel Cecil Merritt won the first Victoria Cross given to a Canadian in World

War II for gallantry and inspired leadership during the disastrous raid on Dieppe.

11. Lancaster Boulevard & Crescent

The Avro Lancaster Bomber was built by the A.V. Roe Company during World

War II. It was a favourite with bomber crews due to its strong reliable

performance and was said to be “a delight to fly”.

12. Bader Crescent

Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader joined the RAF at 20, and lost both legs in a

crash in 1931. He was reinstated in the RAF in 1935 and became a hero of the

Battle of Britain. His name came to define triumph over adversity.

13. Walker Park

Born in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Lt. Colonel Drayton E. Walker achieved

prominence as both a veteran and an educator.

14. Mountbatten Street

A British Royal, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander, South

East Asia, received the surrender of 680,879 officers and men of the Imperial

Japanese Forces.

15. Cassino Avenue & Place

The town of Cassino, Italy and the nearby Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino

were the scene of one of World War II’s most fierce battles.

16. Simonds Avenue & Simonds Park

Lt. General Guy C. Simonds commanded the 1st Canadian Infantry Division in

the Sicilian and Italian campaigns.

17. Dieppe Street

A French resort town, Dieppe was the site of a Canadian-British amphibious raid

on August 19, 1942.

18. Normandy Street

On June 6, 1944, allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in France.

Canadian sea and airmen were among the first into action.

19. Arnhem Street

On September 17, 1944, the Battle of Arnhem, in Holland, was the last and most

crucial part of Operation Market Garden.

20. McNaughton Avenue

General Andrew McNaughton first attained prominence in the First World War as

Brigadier General in command of the Canadian Artillery at the age of 31.

21. Haida Avenue

The destroyer HMCS Haida served Canada during the Second World War.

Cassino Pl

CassinoAvenue

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Merritt StreetArnhem

Street

Normandy Street

Street

Street

Mountbatten Street

Street

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11th11th

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11th Street West Bypass

Street

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Montgomery School

Montgomery Park

St. Dominic School

Gougeon Park

Lt. Col. D. Walker

Park

Lt. Gen. G.G. Simonds Park

1

1112

13

14

151617

1819

20

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Historical Street Names & Places in Montgomery Place