 | Regina Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 75 |  |
Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (75) While in Regina, you should visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Museum, located on the grounds of their Training Academy Depot. There are many interesting artifacts and exhibits regarding the history of this famous force down through the years.
This organization was formed in 1873, just a few years after Canada became a country in 1867, as the North West Mounted Police. With the lawlessness and Indian troubles of the American West starting to creep into the Canadian Prairies, the government decided that a 300-man paramilitary force was needed in the West to maintain Canadian sovereignty and to uphold the law. One of their first law enforcement actions occurred in 1874 when Americans trading whiskey to the Indians were forced out of their Fort Whoop-Up in present day Alberta. Later, as the Sioux nation under Chief Sitting Bull (victor over Gen. Custer and his troops) were gradually driven off the lands that had been deeded to them by the American government, the first remnants of the tribe arrived (in 1876) at the 'medicine line' dividing Canada from the USA. A small contingent of the scarlet-coated Mounties met the thousands of Sioux and assured them that they would be protected in Canada as long as they kept the peace and did not raid into the USA. The Sioux kept their word and stayed in Canada until 1881 when the decimation of the herds of migrating bison in the American west finally deprived them of their food supply. Gradually they returned to the USA to live on reservations as they gave up their nomadic way of life. By gaining the trust of the Canadian native tribes during their early years in the west, before settlers arrived, the NWMP avoided the sort of Indian Wars that plagued the United States. The NWMP officially became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1920 since, by then, they were carrying out policing duties across the country. Leave a Comment
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The final ceremonies involved with becoming a Mountie were held on a Monday, starting at 10 AM with a non-dress Swearing-In ceremony and the awarding of individual certificates. This finished at about 11:30 AM and was followed after lunch with the official 'show'.
For the Dress Parade, the members of the Troop were in full kit, as seen here and entertained the audience with a display of their marching skills. As I mention in my 'Transportation' tip, it really was spectacular the way they stamped their feet in unison, wheeled into lines, squares, crosses and all sorts of formations without ever losing a step! Everything was very military-like with salutes and shouted commands. Most of the shouting was done by our son-in-law (closest one in the photo) because his mates selected him to be the 'right-marker' for the Troop because of his previous military experience with the Royal Canadian Regiment (including two peacekeeping tours in Bosnia). The one officer in dark uniform was one of the occassional trainees from an outside police force, in his case the police force for a Mohawk native reserve in Quebec. Leave a Comment
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We arrived in Regina two days before the official graduation ceremony of the latest batch of recruits, so we were able to attend some of their practise marching and drill sessions leading up to the big event. Here, the 'Troop' is lined up in the drill hall receiving their latest instructions beneath banners of the various Provinces and Territories of Canada.
The Training Academy allows the force to train about 500 cadets each year in all facets of police work. Each Troop of new recruits ususally consists of about 30 members recruited from across the country and sometimes members of foreign police forces. In addition to the living quarters for the cadets the Academy also includes a Mess Hall, Drill Hall, Forensic Lab, Fitness Centre, Gym and Swimming Pool, Shooting Range, Driving Course and a Learning Resource Centre.
The course takes about 6-months to complete and it is not subsidized. Recruits are on their own financially and if they are injured during the training (naturally there is a lot of emphasis on how to safely disable people who are not cooperating) or do not meet the weekly theory tests, physical or marksmanship requirements they can be dismissed from the group (although they can re-apply if they wish to give it another go). Leave a Comment
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The Legislative Building, built for the Saskatchewan provincial government, is no small structure - in fact it is larger than those for Ontario or Quebec. This strange fact arose from the fact that they building was designed based on a provincial population explosion that was taking place at the turn of the century in 1900, later to be dampened by the Great Depression.
Today, this English Renaissance-style building, completed in 1919 with its 53-m (174-ft.) high dome, presides over a province whose population boom did not continue. Nevertheless, it is quite an imposing structure and well worth a visit. The exterior consists of Tyndall limestone quarried in nearby Manitoba while the interior features various types of marble from all parts of the world, including the main stairway (Quebec, Canada), floors (Vermont, USA), baseboards (Ireland), walls (Italy) and pillars/columns (Cyprus). The 2nd and 3rd photos show some of its beautiful surrounding grounds and were taken in June, 2008. Leave a Comment Address: 123 Legislative Building, 2405 Legislative DriveDirections: On the outskirts of the city, in Wascana Park
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If your timing is right, you might just have the chance to see visiting British Royalty while you are staying in Regina. In our case, it happened that Prince Charles was on a cross-Canada trip (Ottawa, Reginia and Yukon Territory) to stress the values of volunteerism and to help cement the 'royal' bond between Canada and the UK. Of course this was during the devastating outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK, so the Prince had to first wipe his feet on a disinfectant matt when arriving in Canada!
Here, we were standing on a city street bridge, near the Legislative Building, spanning the stream that flows out of Lake Wascana. Located around the Lake and along the sides of this stream are very nice walking trails which pass through pleasant parklands. While in the city, get your feet moving and enjoy some to the city's nature delights up-close! Leave a Comment Directions: Rotary Park on the corner of Regina Avenue and Albert Street South
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This is the most beautiful part of the city. It covers 2,500 acres including the man-made Wascana Lake. The most important attractions of Regina are located here such as the Legislative Building, Wascana Water-fowl Park, The Royal Saskachewan Museum and the University of Regina. Leave a Comment Address: ReginaPhone: 306-522-3661
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Government House is one of the few surviving territorial government buildings, and was for many years the hub of official social life in Regina. It was completed in 1891.
The south wing, containing a ballroom and bedrooms, was added in 1928.
In 1978 - 1980 the Saskatchewan government renovated the building and restored the central portion. Leave a Comment Address: Regina
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The IPSCO Steel Mill outside Regina is a strange place - great chimneys belching smoke combined with massive loaders, trucks and trains hauling heavy chunks of steel here and there, yet just outside its factory area it has a Wildlife park and children's play area complete with waterslides and a kiddie train!
I stumbled upon the place in October, 2007 when I attended an electrical safety course in their attached convention centre. During lunch break I was astounded during a walk outside to find herds of Bison, large Elk and small German Black Deer roaming around in a nearby fenced-off area! Doing some research on the place later on, I came across an official government report rating all the zoos and animal compounds in Saskatchewan and I was glad to see that this one at least got high marks! This photo shows a couple of the animals shedding their thick winter coats on a pleasant 19 C day in late-May, even if the wind was gusting to almost 60-kph.
The second photo gives some idea of why they need these coats! It was taken 'out of season' a few months earlier on a February afternoon as the Bison were relaxing in their large fenced-in grounds on a -18 C day with a -29 C windchill. With the park closed, the nearest I could get was the nearby highway, so I parked my car and hiked across a field through the snow until I reached the Wildlife Park. As I neared the fence, the Bison all ran together and turned in a line to face me with a big bull near the centre - they were ready for any possible attack! The last three photos were taken in late-June as young Bison and their mother relaxed, as well as a group of cute German Black Deer that rushed over to check us out as soon as we appeared beside their enclosure!
The Park is open May 22 to Sept 6, 11 am to 7 pm (free admission) and the pool is open June to August on Weekdays 1 pm - 7 pm and Weekends 11 am - 7 pm. Leave a Comment Phone: 306-924-7700Directions: IPSCO Wildlife Park, north on Highway 6, 6.4 kilometres, on Armour Road to the IPSCO Plant grounds
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Located in a yard beside the IPSCO Steel mill on the northern outskirts of Regina is a relic of one of the world's major steam locomotive types - Canadian Pacific Railway engine #3101. One of only two engines of this 'Northern' type ever operated by CPR, its wheel arrangement of 4-8-4 (4 dolly wheels at the front end, 8 huge driving wheels under the boiler and 4 smaller wheels at the back-end supporting the firebox) turned out to be the most efficient way to combine power with speed.
This engine was built in Montreal in 1928 and operated on the high-speed passenger service between Montreal and Toronto. The engine and coal tender weighed in at 535,000-lb and all that weight over the 8-traction wheels allowed it to single-handedly pull all the passenger cars up out of the Don Valley in Toronto without assistance. Once on the level, the 80-inch diameter traction wheels allowed a top speed of about 80-mph!
With the coming of diesel engines, the two CPR engines were transferred to western Canada in 1954 but were retired by 1957. The Ipsco Steel mill actually bought #3101 in the early 1960s to cut up for scrap metal, but they had a change of heart and instead completely refurbished it in 1965. Now surrounded by a steel fence, it is starting to show signs of deterioration. Its sister locomotive, #3100 is presently on display in Ottawa's National Museum of Science & Technology as part of a historical display of Canada's railroad history. Leave a Comment Address: IPSCO Steel Mill groundsDirections: Leaving Regina headed north, cross the first set of railway tracks outside the city and immediately turn left toward the steel mill. Then turn right a few hundred feet later and you will see the locomotive display (no fee to enter)
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Visit the (new built) RCMP Heritage Centre and see with your own eyes the history of this famous police force. From their foundation in 1873 till recent operations, exhibited in various displays and videos. If you want to look like a mountie, just dress yourself in one of the red uniforms (and take a photo).
For opening hours and admission fees: take a look at the website.
Try to be there at 12.45 pm (from Monday to Friday) to see the 'Sergeant Major's Parade' in the Drill Hall or on the Parade Square (www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/depot).
On Tuesday evenings (July till mid August) visitors are welcome to the Sunset Retreat Ceremony at the RCMP Academy. The ceremony starts at 6.45 pm (www.academy.rcmp-grc.gc.ca). Leave a Comment
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on May 28, 2008
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