Sarah Mills: We must remember them
Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday, but Sarah Mills says not everyone will take the time to remember those who made ...
On Wednesday, Saskatoon residents will take time to remember those who have served and those who have been lost during annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.
This year’s event at SaskTel Centre will mark the 95th annual Remembrance Day service in the city. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.
Doors open at 9 a.m. and the pre-parade program begins at 9:45 a.m. The ceremony itself starts at 10:30 a.m.
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The service will be livestreamed on Rogers TV and online.
Saskatoon Transit is providing free transportation to the event from three locations. Buses will leave the downtown special-events stop at 23rd Street and Second Avenue every 20 minutes beginning at 8:45 a.m. The final bus departs at 10:05 a.m.
Transportation will also be available from Market Mall and Centre Mall, with buses departing at 9:45 a.m.
According to Saskatoon Transit, veterans, Canadian Forces members, cadets and one companion can ride the bus free of charge all day Wednesday. Those wishing to use the service can identify themselves by wearing a uniform or presenting military identification or a CF1 card when boarding.
“Providing free transit to veterans and current Canadian Armed Forces members is a way to recognize their significant dedication to the community and Canada,” Saskatoon Transit said.
University of Saskatchewan ceremony
Members of the public are also invited to attend a ceremony in Convocation Hall at the University of Saskatchewan.
This will be the 98th ceremony held on campus. While it is traditionally observed at the Memorial Gates, this year it has been moved to Convocation Hall because of construction.
The event will include a brief program beginning at 1:30 p.m., followed by the laying of wreaths. Attendees are welcome to lay a wreath and are encouraged to visit memorial sites on campus.
“In times of war and peace, many USask community members have contributed and sacrificed in service to the country,” the university said in a statement.
“The university’s long and proud tradition of military service by faculty, staff, students and alumni is commemorated in a series of stories and messages shared online and across campus.”
Books of Remembrance
The City of Saskatoon is also providing residents with another way to honour those who have served.
According to the city, books of remembrance can be viewed in the front lobby of Civic Square East, where the City Archives is located, and in the City Archives Reading Room at 202 Fourth Ave. N.
The books were donated to the city in 2018 by the Military Institute of Saskatoon, which is made up of current and former members of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP. They include biographies of Saskatoon residents who “served in the First World War, Second World War, Korean War, Afghan War and peacetime operations.”
The books can be viewed Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Nov. 20, excluding Remembrance Day.
They are permanently housed at the City Archives, and copies can also be viewed at local libraries.
Civic services
City Hall and all branches of the Saskatoon Public Library will be closed for the Remembrance Day holiday. Parking fees will not be required in city-owned parking spaces, but time limits will remain in effect.
The Remai Modern art gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In addition to the free buses running to the Remembrance Day ceremony at SaskTel Centre, regular transit routes will operate on holiday service hours.
OnDemand Transit service will not be available, but Access Transit will operate on holiday hours.
The Transit Customer Service Centre will be closed, but assistance will still be available through its phone line from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Waste collection will continue on its regular Wednesday schedule.
The office at Woodlawn Cemetery will be closed, but the gates will remain open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the park grounds will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Some leisure facilities will also be affected by the holiday. The Cosmo Civic Centre and Terry Fox Track will be closed. Lakewood Civic Centre will be open from noon to 8:30 p.m., Lawson Civic Centre from noon to 4:30 p.m., the Field House from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and the Shaw Centre from noon to 8:30 p.m.
Indoor rinks will be open during their regular hours of operation.
