Saskatoon HOME magazine Fall 2022 by Farmhouse Communications

DESIGN • RENovatIoN • laNDScapING • BuIlDING • DÉcoR Little Free Libraries Phyllo PieVegetabLe + Fall 2022 $5.95 Sa S katoon Living alongside WiLdLife Great escape the

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THE GREAT ESCAPE PAGE 14 A Saskatoon couple created their piece of paradise at Blackstrap Lake. The design and decor choices reflect their “most favourite place on earth, Hawaii.” ~ Photo Amy Thorpe Photography 4 HOME FRONT A Greeting from the Publisher 7 TAKE A BOOK, LEAVE A BOOK Little Libraries Nourish Saskatoon Readers ~ Photo Karin Melberg Schwier 14 THE ESCAPEGREAT Light, Bright and Beachy 23 DWELLERSCITY Living WildlifeAlongside ~ Photo Meewasin Valley Authority 28 REFLECTIONSHOMETOWN The Bessborough 37 KITCHENMAUREEN’S Phyllo Vegetable Pie ~ Photo Maureen Haddock 41 HEAVING SETTLINGAND Battling Forces of Nature ~ Photo Lillian Lane ON THE COVER INSIDE

Amanda Soulodre by:

4 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME

Saskatoon HOME is published

Farmhouse Communications www.saskatoon-home.cainfo@saskatoon-home.caFax:Telephone: 306-373-1833 306-500-2993 Issue 59, Fall 2022 ISSN info@saskatoon-home.ca1916-2324 Publishers Amanda Soulodre Rob Soulodre Editor Karin Melberg Schwier Contributors Amy Thorpe Photography Jeff KarinJulieO’BrienBarnesMelberg Schwier Lillian NoSheriMaureenLaneHaddockHathawaypartofthispublication may be copied or reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. Publications Mail Agreement # 41856031 Connect with www.saskatoon-home.caus:www.facebook.com/saskatoon.home/saskatoon.home Saskatoon HOME is printed four times a year. Subscribe to receive every issue direct to your mailbox for $20/year. Visit www.gethomemagazine.ca FRONTHOME The booking deadline for advertising in the Winter 2022 issue is October 21, 2022 Contact Amanda for more information. Email: Text:Phone:amanda@saskatoon-home.ca306-373-1833306-717-0663

Receive every issue of HOME right in your mailbox for $20/year by subscribing at www.gethomemagazine.ca

The fall issue is here, hot off the press and we are ready to impress! Our favourite part of being the publishers of Saskatoon HOME is the amazing stories we are fortunate to find, curate, and share with you in the magazine. We continue to welcome new subscribers, not only in Saskatoon but across Canada; new readers who are wowed by what we do here in our vibrant city on the prairies. In this issue, we once again pull back the curtain to show off a few things you will enjoy.There’s a spectacular build guaranteed make your jaw drop. It’s lake living with a Hawaiian twist. And did you know some people used to call our iconic castle on the riverbank – The Bessborough Hotel – their home? Discover how we nurture community through tiny book repositories, and share the thrills we get in our urban neighbourhoods when we rub shoulders with Mother Nature’s furry and feathered critters. It really is a jungle out there! These are just some of the heart-warming stories we guarantee will make you smile. So dive right in and enjoy. And if you love these stories as much as we do, we encourage you to share them with your friends and family. Consider a subscription to HOME for those wonderful people; the gift-giving season is fast approaching. Let’s all be proud of where we live, and tell the world what our sweet Saskatoon home is all about. Happy Reading, OWNER & PUBLISHER

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Dale Zak and April Hiebert make regular visits with sons Finn and Owen to the LFL on 10th Street near their home. They love to encourage reading, and the boys are always excited to see what might be new.

SASKATOON7 HOME FALL 2022 |

Little

BOOK, LEAVE A BOOK

Libraries

Something so Simple

Bol set a goal to set up 2,510 of his little libraries— just one more than the big public ones Andrew Carnegie built. That milestone was reached just two years later in 2012. Bol died in 2018 at 62, but lived to see his little bookhouse idea spread worldwide. A Global Phenomenon The organization’snon-profitWisconsin-basedLittleFreeLibrarywebsite

Photo: Karin Melberg Schwier

TAKE A

They’re little. They’re free. And they’re libraries. What was once an oddity on Saskatoon streets, something that looked a little like a large birdhouse or a miniature outhouse, the Little Free Library has become a ubiquitous beacon of generosity in many neighbourhoods.

BY: KARIN MELBERG SCHWIER

Nourish Saskatoon Readers

It was a plain idea Todd Bol had in Hudson, Wisconsin. A little something to honour his late mother, a school teacher who loved books. Using an old door, Todd built a little box fashioned to resemble a vintage one-room school. He put it on a post in front of his home and filled it with books. He noticed people started hanging around the library, visiting. There was something magical about this little public bookcase; the neighbourhood grew closer with this “connective tissue.”

Arla Gustafson has a LFL at the end of her caragana hedge in Nutana. A birthday

Photos: Karin Melberg Schwier

8 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME reports “there are now 150,000 Little Free Library (LFL) book-sharing boxes around the world. They stand in all 50 U.S. states, 115 countries and all seven continents—even Antarctica. Through them, more than 70 million books are shared eachThoseyear.”stats reflect the little libraries that are actually registered with the non-profit. But plenty are not. There are untold more that just go up without official registration all over the world. The official non-profit has a worldwide search tool and only a few in Saskatoon are identified, but there are many more to discover here.

“My kids are avid readers and we were really missing trips to the library,” says Carina. “We were going through all our books and realized we needed to give away a ton.” When she spotted a few little libraries around town, she made a plan with her children. “We gathered our books, started the Facebook group and invited people to post locations and pictures of the little libraries. Then we set off to visit them.”

gift from her three sons, Arla calls it “a gift to the community.” She chose to formally register hers with the official organization (for a fee), and received the plaque and a pin in the global map for 419 10th Street East.

SASKATOON9 HOME FALL 2022 |

Local Littles Carina Ong-Scutchings founded of the Saskatoon Little Free Library List Facebook group in April 2021 at the height of the pandemic when public libraries were closed.

Photos: Karin Melberg Schwier

“I just really believe in the ability to have access to books,” says Arla, the recently retired CEO of the Royal University Hospital Foundation. “I have been thrilled with how busy my library is. Some days there is a complete turnover of books. Families make a stop part of their walk routine. My neighbour says his granddaughter’s favourite book is one he found for her in my library. There’s a city worker who often stops, jumps out with an armful to donate, picks up a few and is offThere’sagain.” something for everyone, and the element of surprise—never knowing what might be there—is half the fun.

10 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME

The Facebook group grew rapidly. It started with a handful; today there are nearly 150 members. Not all belong to the official LFL organization. Not all have their own libraries, and not all of Saskatoon’s little libraries are members of the Facebook group. But all are book lovers. One local member makes it a point to bike to as many as she can find, and posts photos on the Facebook site whenever she comes across a new one.

“I like to encourage reading and community activities,” Carol says. “Both bring people together. Regardless of age, people can enjoy books, learn together and establish deeper bonds with eachOverother.”on10th Street, Arla witnesses those community connections first hand.

Community Connectors Carol Lahey-Wiggs loves the idea of reducing and recycling, and donates books often. As a speech andbutskillsonlyopportunitiessayspathologist,languagesheLFLsoffertonotbuildlanguageforchildren,alsoengagementinteraction.

Photos: Lillian Lane

“Conversations happen,” she says. “People get to know each other in front of my LFL.

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Backfill and pack. It’s a good idea to lightly water and pack the soil often at this point for best results. Once the post is set, the LFL can be mounted in place.

An Opportunity for Creativity

12 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME It’s a little connector to a greater sense of community.” That’s a tall order for little libraries, but their popularity suggests they’re up for it. During the pandemic, there was a little sign on Arla’s library: ‘Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.’

On local Saskatoon streets, little libraries have popped up like mushrooms after a rain. They range from straightforward boxes, whimsical containers, elaborate Tim Burtonesque creations to even miniversions of the steward’s own home. A few have a Bavarian look; there’s one that incorporates a hockey theme. Another looks like a mini grain elevator, and one is a castle complete with drawbridge.Somehave separate sections for adult and children’s books. Some are repurposed cabinetry with recycled materials. Some have not only encouraged a love of literacy, but building them was also a good project during pandemic isolation. The important thing is that the books are safe from the elements (see sidebar). Back at Arla’s Nutana LFL, the books come and go during all seasons and all times of day.

Karin Melberg Schwier

For support and to hinder vandalism, affix to a 4’x4’ post. Use lag bolts and washers, with additional supports attached to the post underneath.

FUN OPTIONS: An inset plexiglass viewing window reduces potential for breaks, and an adhesive-backed chalkboard sheet (with chalk inside the LFL) for users to leave a note. Offer a small bench constructed of deck boards or treated lumber to promote accessibility for small Considerchildren. separate ‘rooms’ for adult and children’s books, and for other ‘take one, leave one’ items like nonperishable food.

CONSIDERATIONS: Select a high-quality exterior acrylic paint for best durability. Shingle your LFL for added protection. A couple of sheets will do; ask a local contractor for a few leftovers.

To prevent water seepage, ensure the door sits flush with the front and overlaps the opening on all sides. Construct the roof with a healthy overhang. Install a latch or self-closing door hinges to ensure the door remains closed.

Install approximately 4 feet off the ground. Auger a 4 foot hole. If installing with fast-setting concrete mix, less depth is optional. Use a 4 foot level to ensure post is straight.

INSTALLATION: Select a location on your property adjacent to a sidewalk or walkway. Call Sask 1st Call at 1-866-828-4888 to have line locates done before digging. Know where sprinkler and other lines are located.

LFL DIY Saskatoon craftspeople Brett and Riki Vallee produce unique custom wood decor projects in their designsbyphilyxe workshop, specializing in children’s products like toddler towers, book displays and personalized signs. They offer these tips for building a basic library.

Photo: Adrian Pearce

“It doesn’t matter if it’s -30 or the middle of summer. At night, I’ve seen little lights from iPhones as people stop on their way home to see if there’s something they might like,” says Arla. “It’s wonderful. I’m baffled that it has so much activity, but it’s an absolute joy.”

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14 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME

With demanding schedules and fast-paced careers in Saskatoon, “we never thought we would have a lake home,” says Logan Childs*. “For us to have to drive a couple of hours to take care of a place, it just wasn’t in the cards.”

In 2017, they hired a local builder to turn their ultimate vision into a reality. That vision was a comfortable, cosy family home, that was “open and bright with a beachy theme.”

Island Influences Their new lakeside home is a striking two-storey walkout, featuring several nods to Hawaii throughout. “Hawaii is probably our favourite place on earth, and I wanted our house to be our second favourite place on earth,” Logan says with a laugh.

But, when she and her partner discovered lakefront property for sale less than an hour away at Blackstrap, they drove out to take a look. They ended up buying a lot, and spent the next few years considering what style of house to build.

Light, Bright and Beachy THE GREAT

“Our colours are all quite light, with the exception of the dark timbers,” she says. “And the flooring is reminiscent of places we’ve stayed in Maui.” A wooden carved map of the Hawaiian Island chain takes pride of

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“We carved out the eyes, and then made standoffs and backlit them with little LED uplights, so the light shines through the eyes,” says Max Kostyna, Northern Sky’s COO and general manager. Creative License Another suggestion from the builder made a big splash in the ensuite. After sourcing a sculptural stone tub based on an inspiration photo Logan found, Max proposed the addition of a tiled curb to contain a bed of river rocks placed around the tub. A boardwalk was added

SASKATOON15 HOME FALL 2022 | place above a fireplace in Logan's office, and several tiki masks purchased on Hawaiian holidays have been ingeniously transformed into sconces in the stairwell. That idea was a suggestion from the Northern Sky Developments team—the builder they hired to make their dream a reality.

Logan says Northern Sky is “largely responsible for the uniqueness of our

16 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME to provide easy access to the steam shower beyond. Carved from a boulder, the 3,200 lb. bathtub is a show-stopping feature that elevates the Zen factor in the ensuite, but the installation proved to be a challenge. The floor had to be reinforced to support the extra weight, and the tub needed to be hoisted onto the second floor with a zoom boom. “We used some classic techniques of rolling it on pipes to scoot it across the floor into its position,” saysTheMax.“creative freedom the owners gave us was second to none,” Max adds. “It’s always awesome working with customers who trust you to provide them with something they’re going to love.”

“We brought in a lot of stone,” says Logan, noting the carved boulder tub and vessel sinks in the ensuite, as well as the stone feature walls and fireplace surrounds.

The homeowners eschewed a sleek, modern aesthetic in favour of “something that was going to stand the test of time and be something our family could grow with,” says Logan.

SASKATOON17 HOME FALL 2022 | Northern Sky won the “Best Custom Home (2,501-3,500 sq. ft.)” at the Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association’s Housing Excellence Awards for their work on the lakeside retreat. Bringing the “outdoors in” and the “indoors out” was important for the homeowners. The dual-sided fireplace on the main floor deck, coupled with the timber roof overhang, helps to achieve that duality.

“It was really important for me to have pieces of blue throughout the house because I felt it really lends itself to a beachy ocean theme.”

Carefully Planned Kitchen

18 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME house. I had a vision in mind, but they really pulled it out of my head in ways I didn’t consider.”

“Itentertain.wasreally important to have solid appliances,” she says. “So we ended up getting a very large range

Logan is hard-pressed to choose a favourite room in the house. She loves the bright and airy principal bedroom, the spa-like ensuite and her office, which features a plush love seat, fireplace and a cosy, built-in window seat. But she says the kitchen design was paramount, given how much she and her partner love to cook and

The robin’s egg blue island cabinets were a deliberate choice, says Logan.

The homeowners often entertain big groups, so they included a large range, a second oven and an extra-wide dual fridge/freezer.

As the owners of three dogs, durable flooring was a must. The hardwood floors in their Saskatoon home are “destroyed” so they knew vinyl was the way to go at the lake. They also added a dog spa in the garage, “for obvious reasons.”

Built to Last

Cosy, Casual and Carefree “Especially in Saskatchewan, with the winters, we really Northern Sky designed and built most of the light fixtures throughout the house, including this fixture in the main living area.

Hidden Doors and Hideaways

SASKATOON19 HOME FALL 2022 | and a second oven. We entertain large groups, so we planned ahead for that.”

One slab of quartz and one slab of walnut butcher block cap the kitchen island. Max explains that the island is slightly larger than the maximum size of a quartz slab, “so instead of splicing the slab and having two pieces, we decided to do the butcher block feature on the other side that faces into theTuckedkitchen.”inside the butler’s pantry is a large floor-toceiling wine cabinet with glass doors. The bottles are held in place with railway spikes, says Logan. “The railway ties are on our barn doors and door handles as well.”

Throughout the home, Douglas fir beams and trim, pine tongue-andgroove ceilings and several stone details (such as feature walls and vessel sinks)—lend an air of timeless style. Logan says, “the flavour of the day seems to be modern, but we really didn’t want that. We wanted something that was going to last and stand the test of time—and be something our family could grow with.” With frequent visits from their ever-growing family, the couple wanted a home that could handle regular wear and tear, so they were purposeful when sourcing furniture. “We wanted things you could put your feet up on and not worry about it,” she says. “The scratches and dents are just signs of memories being made.”

“I grew up spending a good amount of time on farms,” says Logan. “There was this one farmhouse that had all these hidden passageways. As a child, those intrigued me.” Designing their new home gave Logan the opportunity to indulge in that nostalgic intrigue. Her office is located off the main bedroom’s walk-in closet, although you’d never know it when the door is closed. The entrance is “essentially a bunch of shelves on a door, so it looks like it’s part of the closet.” And it’s not the only secret room in the house, but the other one remains off the record.

Julie Barnes *Name has been changed to keep the homeowners' identity private.

The primary bedroom encapsulates the seaside aesthetic the homeowners were aiming for: “We wanted our home to be open and bright with a beachy theme,” says Logan, “so our colours are all quite light, with the exception of the timbers.”

The home has several fireplaces, including two dual-sided indoor-outdoor styles. The couple also plans to add a sunken outdoor fire pit on the lakeside in the near future. “It lends itself to that beachy theme—fires out on the beach,” says Logan. With its casual, lived-in vibe, Logan and her partner have achieved their goal of creating a relaxing place to decompress, away from the stress of their city lives. One day, the home may become their full-time residence, but for now, their careers keep them tied to They’veSaskatoon.been settled in for a little over a year, but, “it feels like we’ve been there for years now,” says Logan. “It just feels comfortable. It feels like home now .”

20 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME wanted a place that was cosy,” says Logan. “And to me, nothing speaks cosy more than a warm fire.”

A tiki mask the couple purchased in Hawaii creates a focal point on the stone-clad feature wall.

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www.crossmount.ca Crossmount is a safe, pet-friendly 55+ aging-in-place community located just 5 kms south of Saskatoon on Lorne Avenue (Highway 219). 400 acres of natural prairies provide a stunning setting and on-site in-home health services are available. Unique amenities such as apple and pear orchards, an on-site working cidery, coffee shop and prairie market, natural pond and winter skating surface, cross country ski and snowshoe trails, greenhouse and resident-run community gardens, walking trails, residents' library and programs mean you can stay as busy as you choose while our independent homes also offer a safe place to spend time on your own. Six designs of independent homes are currently available. Not only do we make it easy to move to Crossmount, we make living here easy since we take care of snow removal, landscaping and maintenance of the homes inside and outside. For more information about our independent homes or to schedule a personal tour, please email hheimann@crossmountvillage.ca or phone 306-374-9890 On the fence now that the kids have moved out? On the fence now that the kids have moved out?

This year, a rabbit chose a particular spot in my lawn. Often, I can count on him to stay all afternoon hunkered down, posing as a rock or lawn ornament. Most passers-by and their dogs don’t notice him. By late afternoon, he disappears somewhere for supper and an evening out. I appreciate his good manners—he never eats my flowers. Last winter, new visitors came to my neighbourhood.

CITY DWELLERS Living Alongside Wildlife

Photo:

Some deer appeared on my street early one morning, staying only a few brief minutes. It is not unusual for deer to appear in this part of the city but over the last three years, rabbits seem to have become more common.

Meewasin Valley Authority

Bonnie Dell, President of Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan (WRSOS) confirmed that wildlife BY: SHERI HATHAWAY

Last year, a rabbit claimed a spot under my front steps for his siesta. If someone used my front door, their footsteps over his head made him dash away in an explosion of ears and feet. I wonder who was more surprised, my visitor or my rabbit.

SASKATOON23 HOME FALL 2022 |

Photo: Sheri Hathaway A rabbit takes shelter under a step.

Photos: Adam and Mandy McTavish

24 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME is more common in cities than people realize. “As humans encroach more and more into their environment, wildlife has to find someplace to live. During the lockdown, we got more people in both cities and farms calling to report animals near their homes. The increase was partly due to more people staying home and noticing them, and partly because the quieter streets and roads made animals feel more comfortable about entering neighbourhoods,” she explains. “Now that people are getting back to normal, the calls are going downSheagain.”pointed out that WRSOS doesn’t remove animals unless they are in distress. They only rescue injured animals.

Reporting the Unusual Understandably, hunters and farmers are among their main callers, given they are out in nature more often. “They’re more likely to recognize an animal in distress because of their familiarity with them. City dwellers are more likely to report simply seeing an animal walk across their front lawn. In those cases, we advise them how to encourage it to move on,” she“Ifsays.animals don’t find food there, they’ll leave. If there’s a coyote in your yard, don’t stay in the house. Scare them off and let them know they’re not welcome. Popping open an umbrella at them terrifies them. Also, don’t leave pet food outside. If garbage is spilled, pick it up and secure the dumpster lid. As soon as they realize it’s not a good place to live, they’ll leave. “They’re looking for a quiet place to rest, too, so if an animal is wanting to sleep in your backyard and you don’t want it there, shine a light on it and play music out there. They’ll soon leave.”

Identifying with Nature Renny Grilz, Resource Management Officer for the Meewasin Valley Authority says there’s a world-wide interest in learning about wildlife. “People are out in nature more now. With apps like Merlin and eBird for birds, and iNaturalist for plants to help them pinpoint what they hear or see, it’s creating more interest in citizen science,” Renny says. “People are identifying nature with their apps and reporting it to the correlated research centres. Forestdwelling birds are increasing in areas where the overhead canopy is maturing. People are seeing more birds and want to take part in programs like the Christmas Bird Count, and the Spring and Fall BirdRennyCounts.”describes an international research program called Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN). Originating in Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, it now has partners across North America. The University of Saskatchewan, Meewasin and the City of Saskatoon have affiliated with UWIN to contribute data on numbers of urban species, corridors of their travel and wildlife behaviour. A standard practice sets up wildlife cameras on established corridors within the city and Meewasin Valley as a means to understand urban wildlife and reduce conflict with people. “We’re learning there is lots of wildlife downtown,”

SASKATOON25 HOME FALL 2022 | says Renny. “City-wide, certain types tend to congregate in particular areas. Mule deer prefer different areas than whitetailed deer.” The global aspect of UWIN offers a universal sharing of information among scientists, city planners and wildlife management. The goal is to enable people and wildlife to cohabitate successfully.“Wecan’tsurvive without wildlife,” says Jan Shaddick, Executive Director of Living

becauseabandonedinfluencetofastest,droppingbatspopulations—birdsinsectivoreandthateatinsects—areinnumberstheshesays.“Programseliminatemosquitoesthem.We’veseenswallownestsofnofoodto

Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation. “We’re learning that lesson now with the drastic weather events due to global warming. We have an interconnectedness with all life and we need to adjust to Aerialit.”

A wary coyote makes an appearance beside a roadway. Deer are now more frequently seen in urban environments.

Photo: Sheri Hathaway

Rabbits have become plentiful in city neighbourhoods.

feed the young,” she adds. “Poisoning Richardson’s ground squirrels (gophers) leaves hungry predators looking for food in farms and towns. Beavers are useful during drought with their habits of building dams to save water.”

City Cousins, Country Cousins There are city creatures and non-city creatures, she explains. “City creatures have made their home in the city. Rabbits fall into this category as well as foxes and others who live here year round. Non-city creatures are those that are lost, ending up in a place where they don’t belong. Young moose travelling through neighbourhoods are non-city creatures. They’re looking for a place to live and haven’t learned about cities. We can help them by slowing down when driving and letting them find their own way.”

Jan stresses the need for tolerance, refraining from blaming the first animal they see for

• Don’t leave pet food outside.

• They look for quiet places to rest; if an animal wants to sleep in your backyard, shine a light on it and direct music toward its resting spot.

• Follow the 'No Mow May' initiative and let your grass grow wild through May, giving bees and other small creatures a boost in spring.

• Pop open an umbrella at foxes and coyotes as a scare tactic.

• It may just be passing through; watch it first before acting to remove it.

Hospitality Both Ways “Some residents from the city now in the country are surprised to find wildlife there, but actually they are the ones who moved into the animals’ home area,” Jan says. “Also, rivers are corridors for animal movement so human residents there shouldn’t be alarmed to see a wild animal in their backyard. New areas with few trees and shrubs don’t offer hiding places, so it’s less likely to see wild animals there, but older parts of town with mature trees and foliage may seem attractive. The jackrabbit population is cyclical. They become numerous for a few years and then decline.” In my garden, something likes to eat my lettuce and beet tops. While relaxing on my deck with my coffee, I saw sparrows devouring them, not the rabbits like I first suspected as the culprits. I covered my vegetables with netting and the sparrows and I are friends again. As for me, the rabbits are always welcome. Sheri Hathaway

26 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME damage to property. Basic, small changes often solve the problem.

TIPS FOR LIVING IN HARMONY WITH WILDLIFE

• Pick up any spilled garbage and secure the dumpster lid.

• Slow down on the street; allow a lost animal to find its way across.

• Learn more about local wildlife on Meewasin’s blog meewasin.com/blogat

For help if you find an injured animal, call: Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan emergency hotline: 306-242-7177 Living Skies Wildlife Rehabilitation: 306-281-0554

• Allowing your lawn to remain a little longer over winter gives insects a place to thrive, providing more food for birds.

Photo: Meewasin Valley Authority

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28 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME THE BESSBOROUGH

BY: JEFF O’BRIEN Main floor plan, 1930.

HOMEtown Reflections

Photo: City of Saskatoon Archives - 1080-1-903 (Reproduced with permission)

Born of the age-old rivalry between Saskatoon and Regina, the Bessborough hotel has been a symbol of this city since it opened its doors in 1935. In 1927, the Canadian Pacific Railway opened the luxurious Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina. In Saskatoon, there were wails of outrage. “That’s not fair!” we cried. “We want a luxury hotel, too.” And so after a deal that saw the city re-route a major downtown street and provide a twentyfive year tax holiday, the Canadian National Railway (CNR) agreed to build us one. Named for the thenGovernor General of Canada, construction began in 1930 and by 1932, it was all done except for furniture. But the Great Depression was in full swing by then. The CNR was bleeding money and Saskatoon could barely afford to support itself, let alone a luxury hotel. So it was mothballed until 1935, when the railway finally scraped up enough cash to pay for furnishings and equipment. On December 10, 1935, Saskatoon finally got a chance to see inside its fancy new hotel, in a grand opening attended by a thousand guests. And what a hotel it was.

Breathtaking Chateau Style Built in the “Canadian chateau” style common to CN hotels of that era, it had steep Norman roofs and towers, decorative turrets and dormers, finials, friezes, carved stone medallions and even gargoyles. There’s a reason we call it “the Castle on the River.” Inside, its lounges, lobbies, retiring rooms and salons were studies in luxury. No expense was spared. The furnishings alone cost $400,000—a considerable sum of money in Depression-era Saskatoon, and it boasted 14,000 yards of carpet (with quarter inch padding), a central-vacuum system for cleaning them and 300Thetelephones.morethan 250 guest rooms included suites and large, bed-sitting rooms

Photo: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-700-2 YOU CREATE THE COZY. WE’LL PROVIDE THE WARMTH.

SASKATOON29 HOME FALL 2022 | along with regular guest rooms. There was also the “vice regal suite” on the fourth floor, with a living room, two bedrooms, a fireplace and its own dining room. When Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip visited in 1978, guess where theyOnestayed?thingit didn’t have was a bar. Although Prohibition in Saskatchewan ended in 1935, the Bessborough stayed “dry” until 1960, when the first licensed dining room and cocktail lounge opened, followed by a beverage room (“the Pioneer Room”) a few years later.

The Bessborough devoted the entire seventh floor to these commercial travellers, providing “bed-sample rooms”: guest bedrooms with attached areas Terrace Lounge, ca. 1930s.

Following Convention Even without a beer parlour, the Bessborough was Saskatoon’s instant convention centre. On the day it opened, it already had eight of them booked. In the 1950s, conventions there brought a million dollars a year into Saskatoon. Not an inconsiderable sum. The other hotels also benefited, absorbing the overflow from large conventions, and providing the beer parlours needed for visitors to slake their thirsts after a long day of Oneconventioneering.mainstayofthe hotel business were the travelling salesmen, who came to town dragging steamer trunks full of samples and made the hotels their home.

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30 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME Under construction, 1930. Looking north along the river, 1931. Photos: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - C-51 (top) - Ph-2008-210-1 (bottom)

SASKATOON31 HOME FALL 2022 | fitted out as temporary showrooms, where local merchants could come browse their wares.

Photos: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1371 (top) - a-696 (bottom)

The Bessborough, commonly called the Bess (pronounced Bezz) under construction, Aug. 3, 1931.

Adam Ballroom, ca. 1930s.

Calling it Home

The eighth floor was made up mostly of living quarters for the housemaids—the women who made the beds and cleaned the rooms. Until the early 1970s, the hotel manager also lived in the hotel, in a suite on the fourth floor, as did some of the other senior staff. Like most hotels of the day, the Bessborough also catered to long-term residents. In 1944, we counted 20 listings for permanent guests in the city directory. Victor Colleaux and his wife, themselves

32 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME Beauty parlour, 1966. Front lobby after modernization, 1972. Bessborough swimming pool, 1973. Photos: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - CP-5095-6 (top) - CP-6412-A-1 (bottom)

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SASKATOON33 HOME FALL 2022 | long-time Saskatoon hotel owners, lived there from 1944–1964, in a prime suite on the fourth floor. Frank Germaine and his wife lived in Room 346 for more than 30 years. Rose Landa had a room on the seventh floor. People like the Adilmans, who owned a department store on 20th Street lived there, as did Harry Buckwold, president of Buckwold’s Ltd. Ironically, so did the divisional manager of the CPR, despite being bitter rivals with the CN. By the mid-1950s, the number of long-term Star Phoenix, May 3, 1962.

History Room - Saskatoon Public

Photo: Local Library - CP-6629

Jeff O’Brien WHAT ABOUT THE TUNNEL? There’s a story that when the Bessborough opened, they dug a tunnel so guests could get from the railway station four blocks away to the hotel without having to go outside. Sadly (because who doesn’t like secret tunnels?), it’s just a story. But it got additional legs a few years ago when workers at the Senator Hotel up the street discovered a filled-in archway in the AvordCrescentexact21stbeenfoundationbasementwall.CouldthishaveanentrancetothelegendaryStreetTunnel?Well,no.Whilethepurposeofthearchwayisn’tclear,there’snothingtosuggestiteverledanywhere.CertainlynottoanythingassociatedwiththeBessborough,whichitpre-datesbyalmost30years.ButthereisatunnelattheBessborough,builtunderSpadinainthe1960stoconnectittotheTowersparkinggarageacrossthestreet.It’snotusedanymoreandpeopleinSaskatoonseemtohaveforgottenaboutit.Butit’sstillthere.

Centre of Operations

Photo: Jeff O'Brien

34 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME residents had dropped considerably. This may have been partly a decision of the hotel itself. We talked to one former administrator who said that as the permanent guests moved out, they weren’t replaced. Frank Germaine was the last one, living there until shortly before his death in 1991.

SASKATOON’S MOST HAUNTED?

For decades, the offices of the Saskatoon Board of Trade were on the second floor. So was the Saskatoon Exhibition. During the Second World War, the RCAF operated a recruiting station out of rooms on the eighth floor. In the early days, commercial tenants included a beauty salon, barber shop and shoe shine stand, along with a cigar store and a newsstand.Bythetime the Baltzan brothers bought the hotel from the CNR in the early 1970s, the eighth floor maid’s dormitories were no longer being used and the demand for the seventh floor sample rooms was declining. The Baltzans converted the upper floors to offices and leased them to the federal government. They also added new main floor retail outlets, including jewelry stores, gift shops and men’s and women’s clothing stores. By the 1980s, there was an insurance brokerage and a company that leased office equipment there as well. After the feds moved out, the seventh and eighth floors were given over entirely to small offices. In the 1990s, tenants included the Commissionaires, small law firms and accounting offices, the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild, Grain Magazine, the Jazz Society, Katimavik, the Saskatoon Symphony Society, the Children’s Festival offices and a host of others, including some of the hotel’s administrative offices.

Historic buildings and ghosts naturally go together, and you’d expect the Bess to have a few of its own. Searching online, all we found were different versions of the same two or three fairly generic ghost stories. But a friend of a friend turned out to be an ex-hotel employee, and her stories were things she’d actually experienced. Like the time an irate guest came to her complaining about being awakened at 3:00 a.m. by a bellman wearing an oldfashioned hotel uniform, standing at the foot of his bed, tugging on his foot and asking if he wanted his bag unpacked. Or when she was sitting alone on the steps outside one of the ballrooms, footsore and tired at the end of a long night. The hotel was dark, the last reveler gone, when a soft voice behind her quietly said, “Excuse me, ma’am. Are you alright?” Half-turning, she saw a pair of brown trouser-clad legs. But when she turned all the way around and looked up, there was no one there. Do we believe in ghosts? We don’t know. Maybe the 3:00 a.m. bellman was just somebody pulling a prank. And maybe that friend of a friend was overtired that night outside the ballroom. Or maybe not.

Laying in Wait It’s a bit lonely on the upper floors since the last tenants moved out during the pandemic. But there’s a feeling of anticipation here, too. Of waiting. The Bessborough has re-invented itself more than once since it first opened. And it’s certain that it will again. With talk of something new going in where the Samurai restaurant used to be, and possibly other changes coming down the pipe, we’re all wondering what’s next for the grande dame of Saskatoon’s historic buildings. But whatever happens, the Bess is sure to remain what it has been since it opened in 1935: Saskatoon’s "luxurious front parlour,” as Macleans magazine once called it. The place where we go to put on our Sunday best.

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BY: MAUREEN HADDOCK

Phyllo pastry provides a simple, fun way to create an impressive side dish or a light meal. Choose your favourite vegetables from what is readily available in your garden or at local markets. Season your pie to suit your taste. Freeze leftovers in serving size pieces for quick, nutritious lunches. Reheat a slice of this delightful dish in your air fryer or conventional oven to retain crispness.

MAUREEN’S KITCHEN Phyllo Vegetable Pie

SASKATOON37 HOME FALL 2022 |

Buying Phyllo Pastry You can find phyllo pastry in the freezer section of any grocery store. Some companies package their phyllo in a larger single roll while others offer two smaller rolls in one box. I prefer to buy the two-roll package because I only thaw one roll for this pie. Preparation The night before, move your frozen phyllo pastry to the refrigerator to thaw. In a pinch, you can thaw the pastry on the counter for two to three hours, but that will delay your start time. Prepare the vegetables you want to include in your filling before you begin working with your phyllo pastry. This can even be done the day ahead of making the pie. Set the prepared vegetables aside.

38 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME

vegetables, beginning with squash, followed by a layer of well-squeezed spinach (removing excess moisture).

Top the spinach with sautéed mushrooms and shallots and cover the vegetables with mozzarella cheese.

One bunch of spinach (150 g)

Filling Your Pastry-lined Pan

Lining Your Springform Pan Choose any size of springform pan (seen above, this is a pan with a latch on the side allowing the bottom and sides of the pan to separate) and prepare enough vegetables to fill it almost to the top. Oil the bottom and sides of your springform pan using a pastry brush. Choose one sheet from the pastry under the damp towel and place it on your workspace. Replace the tea towel. Using a pastry brush, lightly cover the pastry in olive oil or melted butter. I use olive oil for vegetable pie and butter for dessert dishes. Cover the entire bottom of the pan with one end of the sheet, working it gently into the corners and drape the rest over one side onto the countertop. Repeat, fanning the pastry layers until you have the pan completely lined and ready to fill with vegetables. You will use approximately six sheets.

To Bake Place the pie into the lower third of the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes. This is an approximate cooking time. Bake until the pie is deep golden and crisp.

Draw the sheets of pastry up and over the top, trimming off the excess with kitchen scissors. Don’t try to make this perfect; just cover the vegetables. Brush a little oil on top of the pie before baking.

Serving and Storing Serve Phyllo Vegetable Pie warm from the oven or let it cool and slice it into serving-size pieces to freeze. I find that heating one piece of frozen vegetable pie for my lunch is easiest in my air fryer. This keeps the pastry crisp and heats the vegetables perfectly. I place a slice of frozen pie into the air fryer at 325°F for about 25 minutes. Serve with sweet pickles.

Personalizing Your Vegetable Filling Everybody has their own vegetable and seasoning preferences. When choosing vegetables for a phyllo pie, avoid excess moisture. Squeeze moisture from sautéed vegetables such as zucchini, greens or mushrooms. Root vegetables like beets, parsnips or carrots are best precooked or finely grated if you are adding them raw. Try adding well-drained cannellini beans, minced garlic, parsley or a sprinkling of crisped bacon. Let your family make suggestions. Utilizing the Remainder of the Thawed Phyllo Pastry You can store thawed phyllo pastry in the refrigerator for a week, if you properly seal it from air. Use a large plastic bag or plastic wrap. Making tart shells is a great option for using thawed pastry.

2 cups of mushroomschopped ½ cup of thinly sliced shallots 1 cup of mozzarella cheese Using a pastry brush, lightly coat squash cubes with 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil. Roast squash cubes on a cookie sheet in a conventional oven at 400° for 20 minutes. Alternately, air fry the cubes at 400° for 12 minutes. Don’t over bake the squash because it will cook more when added to the pie. I like to season the squash with salt, pepper and a dusting of sage.

Sauté fresh spinach in a fry pan until wilted. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of butter. Let this sit while you sauté the chopped mushrooms and sliced shallots in another pan. Working with Phyllo Pastry Once the pastry is thawed, open the package, and unfurl the roll of paper-thin pastry sheets. Spread the pile of phyllo onto a large cookie sheet. Smooth out any wrinkles and cover the pastry with a slightly dampened tea towel. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

To make the pie in the photo, layer prepared

One of My Favourite Fillings 1 butternut squash, peeled, sliced and cubed into ¾ inch pieces.

Get www.getabiggerwagon.com

Phyllo Pastry Tart Shells

More RecipesAt:

These shells keep for a week in a cookie tin at room temperature. Serve the shells filled with savoury or sweetPlacefillings.onesheet of phyllo on the work surface, leaving the rest under the damp tea towel. Brush with one teaspoon of melted butter. Layer a second sheet on top of the first sheet and butter it. Use three sheets to make tartCutshells.the layered and buttered pastry in half lengthwise. Cut each half into four even pieces. Round the corners of the eight squares, using kitchen scissors. Gently press the eight pastry squares into muffin cups.Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Leave the tart shells in the pan to cool. To Serve I like to fill phyllo pastry shells with yogurt or whipped cream and top with fresh fruit. For more phyllo pastry recipes go online and visit getabiggerwagon.com Maureen Haddock

SASKATOON39 HOME FALL 2022 |

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BY: KARIN MELBERG SCHWIER Photo: Lillian Lane

SASKATOON41 HOME FALL 2022 |

“What we know now compared to even 20 years ago and the material and design improvements today make a big difference in the way we build,” says Bert, a third generation home building contractor and home inspector. “But some problems we see, and a lot are serious, aren’t because of poor quality materials or shoddy workmanship. Some problems occur because

ANDHEAVINGSETTLING Battling Forces of Nature

A TV commercial for margarine in the 1970s warned, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” Contractors and homeowners who have underestimated Her powers have often felt Nature’s wrath in the form of settling driveways, heaving foundations, lifting decks, cracked beams and studs. Building contractor Bert Poth of Poth Home Solutions has seen it all. Saskatoon has year-round weather extremes that can wreak havoc, battering homes with heat, frost, snow and rain all year long. There are ways to mediate problems if builders and homeowners understand the potential impact.

Photos: Bert Poth

Bert recommends sealing cracks and doing a thorough outside inspection. Better water diversion keeps water and potential seepage away from the “Homeownersbasement.should be prepared to do simple things for a minimal investment to prevent or at least temporarily fix the problem, or tackle bigger and more permanent solutions to

The compromised garage grade beam is evident in the large crack at left where attached garage meets the house. The concrete pile under the door has shifted. The existing concrete has been removed and new concrete piles are in place. The base of the framed garage wall is exposed.

The new concrete grade beam now in place with pockets so hydraulic jacks can be employed. The bottom of garage wall is removed and LVL (laminated veneer lumber) is installed. Jacks lift the entire garage wall.

Settling and Heaving New builds and old houses move, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Sometimes for a short while, sometimes over years. Settling, a downward displacement of soil, can happen if the ground was not prepared properly, the type of soil or if there is water intrusion around the foundation. Problems happen when the settling is more than minor movement. Heaving is a different issue and frost is usually the culprit, which literally heaves elements like slabs, decks, pilings, driveways and sidewalks upwards. Moisture in clay soil can behave in the same way, and the end result is compromised structures. In worst cases, a build may need to be torn out and rebuilt with different or deeper piles, reinforced materials, better prepared sites and a better design for drainage.

Watching the Signs

“Small things like cracks, maybe doors that don’t open or close fully, a slant to a floor, gaps appearing around window frames, some water in the basement, maybe the posts supporting the walkout deck look a little funny. These are all things to watch for.”

42 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME of where we live and how the ground reacts in different conditions.”

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“But I learned that you can’t fight them. You have to learn how to work with them.” He offers a list of cautions, preventative measures and mediations if things go awry in new builds, renos and older homes.

• Make sure poured concrete driveways, sidewalks and patios are properly reinforced with rebar.

Plans of Attack “I used to think of natural forces like frost and water as my nemesis,” Bert admits.

44 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME stave off what can turn into a catastrophe,” Bert says. He uses this as an analogy. “Changing your furnace filter regularly costs little, a few dollars in the big scheme. If you don’t, the furnace has to work twice as hard, costs you more, eventually it can compromise your heating and air conditioning. It’s the same with positive drainage around your foundation. Doing it properly is a simple and inexpensive way of protecting your basement from future problems.” Concrete is solid, but it’s also like glass. "Minor cracks that occur are seldom a problem,” says Bert. However, bigger things that indicate heaving or settling can include horizontal cracking in the foundation and basement walls. “If you start getting large horizontal cracks that means there’s pressure from shifting earth, and that force can be tremendous.” News of an earthquake or hurricane is a sober reminder about such potential. Even though Saskatchewan isn’t subjected to those kinds of events, there are still relentless forces at work. “Small vertical cracks are not normally a concern, but horizontal ones are major red flags,” Bert warns. “It can mean that the foundation is compromised and heaving inward. Consult a structural engineer on remedial actions and that will likely include proper displacedofsoonerthatgradeposts,crackssidewalks,Sinkingdrainage.”driveways,unevendecks,inslabs,upheavedcrackedstudsandbeamsareallsignsattentionisneededthanlater.Sometheseproblems,likepostssupporting

walkout upper decks can have a domino effect, further compromising the roof or other portions of the house. For some issues, it may well be worthwhile to have a structural engineer inspect and develop a comprehensive plan for immediate action. “Sinking sidewalks can be repaired by mud jacking or tearing out old and repouring new,” Bert adds. “Things like proper rebar placement, control joints, attachment to house or garage are all issues to address. You need to take preventative measures in anticipation of movement by outside forces.”

• Ensure proper grading, compacting and proper soil composition.

• Drill piles to adequate depth beyond frost line and consider steel screw piles over concrete.

• Understand the conditions and water table of land, get proper drawings and a building permit. A review by structural engineer may be prudent depending on project complexity.

The concrete inside and in front of this garage has heaved upwards when the front half of the grade beam settled three to four inches. Significant cracks in concrete driveway signal a worsening problem.

Photos: Bert Poth

• Be wary of products

The floor and driveway is removed; a temporary wall is installed to support living area above.

• Install sufficient drainage to move water away from the house, and plan landscaping accordingly.

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46 | FALL 2022 SASKATOON HOME advertised for U.S. markets; weather conditions here are not the same. • Don’t rely on YouTube videos or the Internet; use a trusted general contractor with competent sub-trades.

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Early Detection Important “One issue we also need to understand is simply the passage of time,” says Bert. “A lot of people are drawn to older character homes. That’s great that people want to restore and preserve that history. But we all start getting worn out as we get older!” Sad to say, he adds, man-made products today are longer-lasting than Mother Nature-made materials. While some people want to be faithful to real wood, it requires ongoing attention and will ultimately decay. Even concrete piles aren’t always enough to withstand ground movement; steel screw piles may be the answer to save a heaving deck or walkout. “You must understand that sometimes issues may get worse over time. Some problems are apparent quickly and you have to act fast,” he says. “Sometimes it will take years. But talk with your contractor about issues around heaving and settling. And an expert opinion from a structural engineer may be money well spent. If there is a simple solution now, you’re better off to take care of it.”

Karin Melberg Schwier Photos: Lillian Lane

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