Sunshine Greets The New Year In Provincial Capital

Regina - Wednesday, January 2, 2002 - Photographs by: Stu Innes

Through out all of Canada no other provincial capital took the time and effort to create a setting for their provincial legislature as dramatic and extensive as is found in Regina. Not only did the early government of the province set aside a really big area for the park and government buildings but in typical Victorian fashion, definitely in keeping with the name of the city, the created an artificial lake. Of course creating a lake in the middle of what would one day become a city was not thought of as a problem but over that man made lake there had to be a bridge.

The old Albert Street bridge is showing its age but the design work and beauty of the setting come out even better in winter than in the summer and Stu Innes' pictures illustrate the setting and some the commemorative plaques on the bridge. Queen Victoria was an elderly women when these structures were built honouring her and her late spouse but the attitudes and point of view of her reign were very much in fashion when this province began its life. The Empire was under considerable threat from a war in Europe and the first forewarning of that conflict had already taken place in South Africa with the Boer war. The people who were settling on the great central plains were at this time deeply patriotic to Great Britain and this British heritage is very much a part of this historical bridge and surrounding parks that recognise the monarch and her spouse of the day.

We seem so prone to forget that it was this sort of project that set Canada and Canadians aside from others as the disaster of both weather and crippling financial times came to the prairies this massive make work project was undertaken and provided work and wages for a lot of people when things were very bad. The use of public projects in the United States and Canada have been remarkably successful and had added not only beauty and aesthetically to our lives but kept the

wheels of commerce in motion during bad times. It is also important to understand the importance of having government, the servent of a free people housed in a setting that reflects the importance the people give their govenment and the pinacle role it can play in shaping the future of the land. These pictures of Stu's give us a look at the place, its remarkable beauty on the first day of the year 2002 only three years short of the province's hundredth birthday. The architects and planners who have worked on Wascana park and the land associated with the provincial legislature aimed at creating a strong connection with London England and the roots from which the democratic principles which remain in place today originated. One of the most important cornerstones of freedom is that of free speech and so it is that one of the main

features of the area near the Albert Street bridge is "speakers corner". More of a symbolic location than a functional one, but its beauty and surroundings are distinctive enough to convey to all that this and what it stands for is at the heart of what is this province and its people. The hoar frost of New Year's Eve coated the trees of the park as was the case for much of the province but these decorations are really set off in these images which show the frost in brilliant sunlight of New Years Day afternoon. Stu Innes labelled this little tree "Charlie Brown" after the miraculous little tree in the Al Schultz cartoon that tells the story of Charlie Brown's Christmas. This little tree actually seems to be dignified and just right for the setting amidst the huge trees that fill the sky above it in this part of the park. The picture of the band shell below looks so Victorian and clearly lets you know you are looking at a picture taken in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The great thing is that this band shell and this park are not just to look at but are active places for people all year round.

The impressive beauty of hoar frost and that it came on the night of the arrival of the first day of the new year seems really significant. New Years day the wind rose from the South South West with incredible force and dusted off this adornment in the South Western portion of the province and today that wind moves on knocking of the frost province wide. It makes Stu's picture seem even more precious as he was able to capture the brilliant white of the frost, lit with the brilliant sunshine against a clear blue sky. What a way to begin a new year! Stu Innes noted that his picture of the Legislature building, seen at the top of the page was a little to far to really capture it but it did show the hot air coming from the place. We seem to often to let political point making to replace the real intention of government. We even lose sight of the fact that all elected to serve in our parliaments are there to look after the needs of the voters and the land that they represent. Government by their nature, in modern time have so increasingly down-

graded the role of the individual legislative member so that we as voters are being short changed as our members are unable to represent us fully and democracy itself is weakened. The plaque is posted by "Speakers Corner" (shown below) and commemorates one of Saskatchewans most important founders. A guy who had a flamboyant life but left behind him a legacy some of which you are enjoying looking upon in these pictures. Thanks Stu for sharing these fabulous pictures with us. Timothy W. Shire