Meewasin Valley

When renowned architect Raymond Moriyama and his team began their exploration of the Meewasin Valley some five decades ago, he began with a question: “What kind of legacy do I want to leave for my children and their children?”  What they proposed was “a concept of enriching life and human values”, much more than a “conventional professional report composed of only facts, figures and technical argument.” The project team, including lead Landscape Architect George Stockton, studied the river valley on foot, from the air and on the water, exploring ideas with local communities. In just five months they produced a sweeping plan ... a plan built to inspire the work of a century: to balance development with conservation, blending human use of the beautiful valley and its river with ecological health and conservation of its lands.

By 1979 the Meewasin Valley Authority began its work in earnest. In the five decades since, local Landscape Architects have played key roles in shaping the concepts into much-loved places and spaces, creating award-winning sites and conservation areas, leading Meewasin’s Design and Development team, and by serving on several advisory committees. Their work, spurred by the visionary 100 Year Plan, is a foundational part of Meewasin’s success. 

 

While a 100 Year Plan could not predict every change we have seen over the decades, the spirit of the plan remains very much in play. For example it proposed a downtown riverside promenade now realized as River Landing, with its amphitheater and innovative splash pads, “music in the air, bands playing, the laughter of children,” as the 100 Year Plan had envisioned. At Beaver Creek, where prairie creek meets prairie river, Meewasin manages a popular conservation area, some of it covered by expansive prairie grasslands, while incorporating resource management practices including sheep grazing and prescribed fire. On the other side of Saskatoon at Wanuskewin Heritage Park, home to Canada’s longest archaeological dig, archaeologists and interpreters explore over 6000 years of Indigenous peoples’ history at that site. 

The city is graced with landscaped riverfront urban parks, and throughout the valley, expansive natural and naturalized landscapes flourish. “Everything good takes time,” Raymond Moriyama told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix in 2010. “Meewasin is closer to a cathedral than a cathedral itself.” 

If Meewasin teaches a single lesson, it may be this: the best way to “build a cathedral” is to capture the hearts of the community. 

A half century ago, it was clear to the authors of the 100 Year Plan that the city could best serve its growing numbers by embracing development that fit broader conservation goals. Today, with urban growth well beyond expectations, Saskatoon’s people are Meewasin’s greatest strength. 

Meewasin’s success is the city and region’s success. The economic value of ecosystem services the Meewasin Valley provides are estimated at over 182 million dollars per year. Meewasin expands its educational reach by delivering school programs to over 3,000 students every year. To introduce more people to the natural wealth at their feet, Meewasin continues to add to its growing list of award-winning sites and new experiences including pollinator walks, grazing dinners, and birding breakfasts. As for the remarkable 100+-kilometer trail system, it regularly sees over 2 million visits annually.

While Meewasin is funded by its three participating parties, the Government of Saskatchewan, the City of Saskatoon, and the University of Saskatchewan - around 40 percent of its funding support has been coming from donations and partnerships. Above and beyond that are the many thousands of hours of volunteer time contributed annually:  helping with restoration plantings, clean ups, invasive species management, and even beaver control through tree wrapping. 

With the community’s help, the Meewasin has conserved 6700 hectares of land, and continues to actively conserve landscapes within the city and the larger region.