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A vacant stretch of grass and missing playground equipment has residents in Regina’s Cathedral neighbourhood asking a simple question: What comes next for Holy Rosary Park?
“It started as a discussion, what’s going to happen to the park?” said Gary Robins, a member of the Friends of grassroots advocacy group Holy Rosary Park. “How do we maintain this as a welcoming public space?”
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That question brought neighbours together Saturday for an “Ideas Jam” to gather input on how the park should be rebuilt after the demolition of the former Holy Rosary School and Catholic Education Centre.
Community members shared feedback during an Ideas Jam for Holy Rosary Park in Regina. (Gary Robbins/Submitted)
Robins said the changes left a noticeable gap in a space that has long been central to the neighbourhood.
“It’s one of the oldest parks in the city,” he said. “It’s a peaceful, welcoming, safe environment.”
The park, located near 14th Avenue and Athol Street, has historically been split among multiple owners, including the City of Regina, the Regina Early Learning Centre, and the Catholic school division. With the school now gone, much of the space sits largely empty.
“There’s a big empty space,” Robins said. “The playground equipment that was there, 80 per cent of it is now gone.”
Residents discuss ideas during a planning session for Holy Rosary Park at the Ideas Jam. (Gary Robbins/Submitted)
Despite the loss, Robins said the park continues to play a major role in the community, from daily use by families to hosting large events like the Cathedral Village Arts Festival.
“It’s a central location here in the Cathedral neighbourhood,” he said. “It’s also a major venue for the Cathedral Arts Festival every year.”
The Ideas Jam, originally planned as an outdoor event, was moved indoors due to snow, but still drew community interest. A tipi raising was also planned for the day, recognizing the land as Treaty 4 territory.
Organizers say the goal is to turn community feedback into a concrete plan.
“We don’t have a plan, but we have a process,” Robins said. “And we think that’s better, this is the process that will give us the plan.”
Data already backs that up; a survey conducted during last year’s arts festival received far more responses than expected.
“We were hoping to get between 50 and 100 responses; we ended up with 265,” Robbins said. “That’s a considerable amount of data.”
Families took part in hands-on activities at the Ideas Jam to help shape the future of the park. (Gary Robbins/Submitted)
One of the first results of that feedback was a community-built equipment shed stocked with sports gear for public use. Robins said it became a symbol of how the space could work moving forward.
“People said it would all disappear within two weeks,” he said. “That never happened — at the end of the season, there was more stuff than what we started with.”
Now, the group hopes the same community buy-in can help drive a larger redevelopment effort working with the city, local organizations and potential funders.
“If you’ve got a plan that’s supported by the community, that gives you leverage,” Robins said.
For Robins, the goal goes beyond new equipment or landscaping; it’s about preserving a shared space.
“We need those kinds of public green gathering spots,” he said. “Places people can use, respect and enjoy.”
Residents contributed ideas like gardens, play spaces and gathering areas for the future of Holy Rosary Park at the Ideas Jam. (Gary Robbins/Submitted)
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