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DESIGN • RENovatIoN • BuIlDING • DÉCoR
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Concrete Mosaic
Black Forest Cheesecake | The Lily Man | Sparkle on 10th Street
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INSIDE
~our home~ 4
HOME Front
9
DIY with Britt
Concrete Mosaic
22
Transitional Transformation
31
The Lily Man
37
Sparkle on 10th Street East
43
Granny Chic
50
Maureen's Kitchen
56
HOMEtown Reflections
62
Light the Night
66
Viewfinder
Photo Credit: Lillian Lane
Granny Chic
43
Front door upgrade.
14
Transitional Transformation
22
A greeting from the publisher.
A testament to historical salvage.
Mastering the mix of traditional and contemporary.
Brightening corners, touching hearts.
The happiest place in Nutana.
The grandmillennial antiquing movement.
No-bake Black Forest Cheesecake.
The changing landscape of Saskatoon’s grocery stores, Part 1.
Illuminating the home landscape.
Photo Credit: Erin Kinder
Cover: A lush sanctuary in Nutana has been created with a dedication to historical materials salvage and intentional repurposing. —Photo by Lillian Lane. Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
3
HOME front Issue 54, Summer 2021 ISSN 1916-2324 info@saskatoon-home.ca Where is your happy place? Many of us have that one spot—maybe it’s on a comfy chair in your living room that catches the morning sun, or a bench along the Meewasin trails. Maybe it’s on a boat at your favourite lake, or sitting on your front step watching the sun set in the sky. Or maybe it’s a plane ride to some exotic tropical location. We all have those special places in our lives that just make us happy! In this issue we bring you a collection of stories about local Saskatonians who have found their happy places, right at home. Read about a front yard that has delighted passersby with elaborate holiday displays, and one that has evolved into its own lily festival. Or a story about another homeowner with a backyard mosaic built on purpose to repurpose. Others have created their happy places by a complete home makeover. Still others seek out that special antique find or make a Black Forest Cheesecake to enjoy and share (I know—everyone is happy doing this!) We will also transport you back to a simpler time with the first of a two-part opus. Our resident historian Jeff O’Brien talks about the evolution of the Saskatoon grocery store. When a happy place was walking down to the corner store for provisions—and some human interaction. These days more than ever, the ability to create those warm fuzzy feelings in your own space is the gift that keeps on giving. We hope these stories will inspire you to find some comfort and optimism. Happy Reading!
Publishers Amanda Soulodre Rob Soulodre
Editor Karin Melberg Schwier
Photographers Jonathan Ahlstedt Stew Coles Erin Kinder Lillian Lane Karin Melberg Schwier Amy Schiller Shu Urzada Dianne Wilson
Writers Britt Arnason Jeff O’Brien Julie Barnes Karin Melberg Schwier Maureen Haddock Connect with us: www.saskatoon-home.ca www.facebook.com/saskatoon.home @HOMEmagazineSK /saskatoon.home
Saskatoon Home is published by: Farmhouse Communications Telephone: 306-373-1833 Fax: 306-500-2993 info@saskatoon-home.ca
Amanda Soulodre OWNER & PUBLISHER
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Do you have a story idea for HOME? Email amanda@saskatoon-home.ca
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No part of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. Publications Mail Agreement # 41856031
4 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
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With Britt This Issue:
Front Door Upgrade by: BritT Arnason
The front door is the face of your home. It can create a sense of sanctuary and welcome, and add to positive curb appeal. That entry can evoke emotion through colour, and it’s an opportunity for a relatively inexpensive DIY upgrade. The standard six-panel door is a common style. With a window insert and paint, both of which can be purchased at a local hardware store, a boring door can be transformed into a beautiful exterior focal point for your house.
Want more inspiration? IG: @investorgirlbritt
Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
9
: r e t f A
Front Door Upgrade 10 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
Before:
Step 1
1. Mark It Measure and mark where glass will go on your existing exterior door. If you have a door with inset panels, make sure to cover the four upper panels. This is important to create a tight seal for the insert. On my six-panel door (one of the most common) I marked out the size of the insert on the door with a Sharpie marker and used my level to make sure it would be straight.
2. Cut It Since the door I am working with is a metal wrapped exterior type, I used a grinder and metal blade.
Under the metal shell of the door there is foam. You can use a utility knife to cut that. If you are starting with a wood door, you can use a jig saw or circular saw.
Step 2
3. Remove It Once you cut through all layers of the door, remove the cutout section.
4. Prep It It’s time to prepare to paint. Start by removing the hardware. The more you can remove, the less you have to tape around.
Step 3
5. Clean It Wash your door well. TSP (Trisodium Phosphate Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
11
Step 9
Step 8
Powder) is a commonly used water-soluble cleaner. It’s a good degreaser, but it’s quite potent and needs plenty of rinsing. You should wear protective gear like goggles and gloves. A little research will help with your decision about whether to use it. I went with the powder mix, but there is also a spray option.
6. Sand It Lightly sand any paint that looks like it may flake away, and any areas with ridges.
7. Rinse It With clean water and a clean cloth, wash your door down thoroughly to ensure a smooth surface. Paint does not like dirt or debris.
12 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
8. Paint It Depending on the colour of the door you are starting with and the richness of the colour you selected, you may need a primer. I used a short-handled brush around the edges, and a small foam roller on any flat surfaces. Rich deep colours may need up to five coats to hit that magic hue. Just mentally prepare yourself that this might take some time.
9. Hang It Once completely dry, reinstall the door to the frame.
10. Insert It Pop in the glass insert. The frame screws together and has a built-in weather seal. Voila! Adding an insert into
Step 10 your door adds dimension and depth, and allows light to shine through. In dark spaces, like an entryway, this can be a welcome addition. It creates a light and bright space to enter and exit your home. Selecting a colour can be a fun opportunity to express your personality and
add a pop to your exterior. It’s a chance to be bold and venture a bit out of your comfort zone. After all, if you don’t like it, repainting is a quick and inexpensive way to try something else. Britt Arnason
Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
13
Concrete Mosaic
A testament to historical salvage
Dianne Wilson is well known in the Saskatoon historical community. She is a member of the Heritage Society Board and contributes to their Saskatoon History Review magazine. She’s a font of information about the city’s earliest development,
14 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
notable community builders and fascinating details about countless circa-1900s properties, particularly in the Nutana area. She’s also a bit of a pack rat archeologist. That shows in the back yard of her 1912 home on 11th Street East where she has
salvaged and repurposed materials from demolition sites around the city. Taking Stock Dianne bought the house in 1998. It was built by Robert McIntosh, who lived just across the street at 516. For
a short time, Alvin Fletcher resided there; he was a relative of Grace Fletcher for whom Grace Westminster Church is named. The Oliver family called it home from 1917 to 1940. That was when Mrs. Elizabeth Kinch and her third husband Richard
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bought the house. When he died just a year later, Mrs. Kinch had to make ends meet for herself and her daughter, so she ran a boarding house until the 1970s. “That’s why there were seven rhubarb plants in the back yard. To help feed the
boarders. Thankfully,” Dianne says, “very little was done to the original house. Interior and exterior details and seven beautiful leaded glass transom windows remain.” Dianne sat on the back steps that first summer after moving in, surveying
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the unkempt back yard and garden area. “I sat down and asked the yard what it wanted to be.” Dianne, who grew up on a farm near Craven, heard a distinct answer. “It said it wanted to be a farmyard in the city. My English grandmother was a gardener, so there was a decorative area around the house with flowers, and the working part—the vegetable garden and compost—was further back. That’s what we did here.” Another distinct voice came to Dianne. It was that of Mrs. Kinch, whose spirit was still present enough that Dianne started calling her Granny.
An aerial view from the second-storey balcony provides an idea of the mosaic’s complexity.
The Past is Present Dianne has led workshops to help others curious about the origins of their homes. She’s led guided walking tours of the area. Her own home became a history project and she knows just about every owner of all the feet that have trod the original wood floors and climbed the fir staircase. Dianne quickly learned what she could about Granny Kinch. She tracked down Granny’s granddaughter, who was able to describe what the 11th Street East house and yard were like when she was a child. Given Dianne’s own knack for finding treasures and preserving history, there was going to be a strong undertone of salvaged and repurposed material as she took on the back yard. The Art of Salvage When she got serious about the hardscaping, she knew a little sweat equity would be involved. Not one to let artifacts end up in the
16 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
Photo Credit: Dianne Wilson
Bits and pieces of historical artifacts can be found throughout the yard.
landfill, neither is Dianne one to go buy new landscaping materials at Home Depot. “Granny had a little corner by the porch and a path of crazy paving where she had used old broken concrete,” says Dianne. “I thought what she had done was a great idea. So I collected broken concrete for two years.” When the old concrete garage pad next to the Marr Residence was jackhammered up to make way for the park area, Dianne—who knew the contractor—asked him to dump the pieces in her driveway when he hauled away the debris. It was a
short distance, so he was happy to oblige. A walk with the dog down an alley revealed a pile of concrete chunks with a reddish hue. With the blessing of the property owner, Dianne made several trips back and forth with her station wagon and added these to her stash. The Mosaic Project How does one turn piles of salvaged rubble into a peaceful backyard refuge? Daydreaming and planning are important, as is a good level. Together with her thenhusband David, the
Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
17
project started in 2000 with a measured map on graph paper. They paid attention to changes in elevation and existing trees and structures. The patio and pathways were measured, and staked with string. Topsoil was removed with spades, set aside for the vegetable garden and perennial beds that were still floating in Dianne’s daydreams. First laying down sand on levelled subsoil, the couple turned their attention to Dianne’s collection of broken concrete. “We started choosing and laying out pieces, shifting them around,” says Dianne. They were careful to slope away from the house, and to make sure they created an even surface. Most concrete pieces were fit as is, a few
18 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
Photo Credit: Dianne Wilson
had to be broken to fill in odd spaces. It was like an archaeological dig in reverse. “It was like doing a mixture of three or four jigsaw puzzles with no pictures to guide you. Spaces between pieces were filled with sand and topsoil. At one point my ex-husband, also an archaeologist, commented, “Only archaeologists would do this.” Diane and David placed, replaced, tried different pieces and adjusted to ensure no tripping hazards. They ultimately created a circular mosaic patio area to the east of the back step. Pathways tie in a small seating area on the west side and the back gate at the north end of the lot. The hardscaping didn’t stop with just the mosaic.
After a nearby road upgrade, pieces of original curbing were left behind. Dianne hauled them home uphill – one by one – in a handcart.
Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
19
get a better grip as they pulled wagons and carried riders down to and up from the bridge crossing.” Bricks used for edging have been collected “here and there, some from a friend redoing her back yard.” Some are Claybank bricks made at a factory in southern Saskatchewan, now a National Historic Site. “People don’t call with offers any more because they know the yard is very full now.” Mission Accomplished
When the City had to reconstruct the hillside after a riverbank slide near Peace Park beside the Broadway Bridge, some chunks of old
curbing were left behind. “A friend and I wheeled them, one at a time on a handcart, up the East Lake Hill,” Dianne remembers.
Preserving the Past Saskatoon’s Heritage Resource Materials Strategy guides acquisitions, storage and reuse of heritage materials. Catherine Kambeitz, Senior Planner, Planning and Development, says that the City does not regulate heritage materials use by homeowners, but “encourages conservation by private property owners.” The strategy describes ‘heritage resources’ as “tangible connections to the past by providing the community with an opportunity to interact with its local history in their day-to-day lives. Materials and artifacts with heritage value play a significant role in telling the story of Saskatoon’s past when the original heritage resource no longer remains due to alteration, demolition, dismantling, relocation or irrevocable damage.” 20 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
“Then it was like grade three science as I worked with levers, fulcrums and whatnot to move the curbing pieces into place as garden steps.” In an English Country Garden No English garden worth its salt would be without bits and bobs. Dennis, Dianne’s partner, has done his share of salvaging and his pieces dot the landscape. When the 1912 Ross Building downtown on Third Avenue was demolished, he acquired blocks of cast concrete from the façade. Each block is stackable to form a lattice of grapevines. Dennis also brought along a collection of cobblestones used in 1912 street construction. “Cobblestones were used for traction so horses could
Because of the design plan and attention to detail, Dianne’s backyard looks wild but not in disarray. She thinks her own grandmother—and Granny Kinch—would be pleased. Cranesbill geranium, Bergenia and lily of the valley line the concrete puzzle pathways and seating areas. Canadian hardy roses, peonies, delphiniums and Lady's mantle soften the hardscape. The path to the “more wild part” near the 1940-era garage leads to U of S-bred cherries, Missouri currants, Nanking cherries and asparagus. Some original lilacs still stand near the rhubarb. Dianne keeps the compost in a place near where she suspects Granny shelled many peas to feed her boarders. “That little patch of Granny’s broken concrete was my inspiration,” Dianne says. “I wanted it all to look like it could have been here in 1912 and I think we’ve done it.” Karin Melberg Schwier
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Transitional Transformation
Mastering the Mix of Traditional and Contemporary When you step into Cate and Eric Gryba’s newly renovated kitchen, it’s immediately clear that this is a couple who loves to cook. A 60-inch-wide sideby-side fridge and freezer sits adjacent to a 48-inch
22 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
wide gas range. The quartztopped 11-foot island is “the longest it can be without having a seam,” says Cate. Tucked behind the kitchen is a well-organized walk-in pantry with custom millwork and floating shelves.
These features stand out, but Cate’s favourite elements are some of the less noticeable details. A panel-front dishwasher was installed in the island “and we did a half dishwasher in our bar—I’m happy we did
that,” she says. Like the one in the kitchen, this drawerstyle dishwasher integrates seamlessly into the bar’s elegant navy millwork. Cate adds that the pot-filler over the range is another highlight. “They’re
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builder Kellan Courtney and design consultant Candyce April of William Wolf Design to draft and complete a major renovation—which included an addition on the back, bringing the home to almost 2,000 square feet. The façade also received a contemporary facelift—white board and batten siding with black accents. Light, Bright and Local
Now that they’ve been settled into their new home for several months, Cate says, “It feels good. I find it cozy and comfortable.”
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Perched on a half-acre lot, the couple wanted to take advantage of the leafy views outside the home so large windows were a priority. “We did really large patio doors— that was my must-have—in our master bedroom and in our kitchen,” says Cate. Vaulted ceilings and white walls enhance the open, airy vibe. Eric’s must-have was the “three-season room” at the back of the house. Lined with pine, the room has a cottagelike feel with glazing on three sides for appreciating the verdant backyard views. A glass-panelled garage door on the north wall opens the room to the outdoors in warmer months. The wood accents throughout the home were important to Eric, says Candyce. “He wanted the house to have a bit of a rustic feel to it.”
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Sliding glass doors were installed at the back of the house, “so when you walk in the house, you can see the backyard. It’s a nice view,” says Candyce April, the design consultant on the renovation.
The live-edge shelving in the bar, and the fireplace mantel in the living room are as local as they come. Last summer, the couple cut down three mature spruce that were crowding the backyard. “Eric and one of our neighbours who owns a woodshop milled them, dry kilned them and made the shelving and mantle,” says Cate. Modern and Traditional Mix These wood accents add warmth, giving the home a “transitional look” that falls between traditional and modern design, says Candyce. “The more traditional elements in the kitchen would be the ‘X’ detail on the upper glass-fronted cabinets, and repeated on the island posts. The crown moulding in the kitchen is a bit more traditional but we modernized it with straight edges.” Candyce adds that the master bathroom has a more contemporary feel, with its floating vanity and mirror-mounted taps and faucets. High gloss marblelook porcelain tile sheathes the floor and continues up the wall behind the freestanding tub. “Cate and Eric wanted the tile flooring to carry
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right through the shower to create a seamless look, so we didn’t do a shower ledge,” says Candyce, adding that she advocated for the sleek fireplace that runs alongside the tub. It’s two-sided, with the other side facing the master bedroom. The glass can be fogged to create privacy. The ensuite doesn’t have a door, so the toilet had to be enclosed in a room that offers a dose of unexpected drama with a bold,
Cate chose a bold, floral wallpaper for the room that encloses the toilet.
A fte r
26 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
Before
floral wallpaper. “It turned out so well,” says Cate. She recalls telling Eric about her wallpaper choice and laughs as she recalls his initial reaction. “He was like, ‘No—it’s horrible.’” Cate told him he would love it once it was installed, and her intuition was correct. “Once it was done, he said, ‘I love it—it’s so perfect in there.’” Edging Out of the Comfort Zone Just as Cate nudged Eric outside of his comfort zone with the floral wallpaper, Candyce encouraged her clients to consider certain fixtures and finishes they were initially unsure about. “I pushed for the pendant lighting a bit,” says Candyce.
The Grybas' dogs, Quigley and Odin, lounge in their new, sunlight-filled living room. The transitional design feel of the home is accentuated by the furniture selections from International Furniture Warehouse.
Before All of the Grybas' cabinetry was crafted by Hinge Designs. Using the design cues from the cabinets Candyce chose clear glass pendant lighting for the kitchen island “because we didn’t want to take away from the view of the backyard.”
A fte r “We had to find a really nice, translucent pendant because we didn’t want to take away from the view. One of the main goals we wanted to achieve was to maximize the view of the backyard.” “I wouldn’t have picked t h e p e n d a n t s ,” C a t e says, “but I love them. I remember thinking they were too big, and then I did some reading and learned you have to do big lighting over a large island.” Family Ties
The sink faucets, taps and vanity lighting are all mounted directly in the mirror for a seamless, modern look.
Now retired from the NHL, Eric’s hockey career took him to Ottawa, where he met Cate in 2013 while playing for the Senators. The couple later moved to Edmonton, where Eric played for the Oilers, followed up by a move to New Jersey for a position with the Devils. Before settling in to their newly renovated home last Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
27
Tucked behind the kitchen is a long pantry for extra food and small appliance storage.
Cate, Eric and their daughter, Peyton, relax in their three-season room overlooking the backyard.
“The chimney from the original house was covered in drywall,” says Cate. The couple decided to expose the brick, which now adds texture and warmth to the guest bathroom.
28 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
August, Cate and Eric had lived in eight different houses in eight years. They don’t plan on moving again anytime soon. “We’ve moved so much, so I think we’re going to be here for at least 10 years,” says Cate. Eric grew up in Montgomery—his parents still live a few blocks away in his childhood home, and his younger sister lives nearby. Cate’s father also lives in the neighbourhood. With a two-year-old daughter, Peyton, and a baby
on the way in September, Cate says the motivation to move to Montgomery from their acreage outside the city was “realizing how important it is to have family close when you have a child.” Eric echoes Cate’s sentiment, “It feels like the right place to raise our family. I was brought up in the Montgomery community, and I want my children to have the same opportunity.” Julie Barnes
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The Lily Man
by: Karin melberg schwier pHOTOS: aMY sCHILLER
Brightening Corners, Touching Hearts Peter Geres never met a bulb he didn’t like. It’s been 17 years since his daughter Koreen’s corner lot was nothing but grass. But since 2004, it’s evolved into a destination location. McKinnon and Sixth Street East is a piece of property
now famous for Peter’s dazzling annual display of over 50 varieties of lily. He’s won numerous awards, but the smiles from passersby make him the most proud. Always willing to dispense a little wisdom about all things Martagon, Pseudolirium,
Liriotypus, Archelirion and more, Peter keeps an eye out for others who have the bug, always hoping for a few converts. Creating Converts “When the yard is really looking good, some people
drive by slowly. Some people stop in the street. When families come to look, I always make sure the children leave with a stem so they can appreciate the lily,” says Peter, who turned 92 in June. “That’s how you get them started on growing their own.”
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Peter guesses he has over 50 varieties of lily gracing the corner lot.
It’s not only the kids who get the bug; Peter counts many lily enthusiasts among the nursing staff at Extendicare where his wife lived. He’d take her bouquets on his regular visits, and ended up handing out a lot of his know-how to her caregivers. Curb Appeal Peter was born in Central Butte. His parents farmed, but allergies led Peter to become a welder. Carla was a Neilburg farmgirl. They married and lived in Neilburg for 48 years. Carla moved to a Saskatoon care home in 2002, and after two years of commuting to see her, Koreen and Peter agreed the long drive was getting pretty old. A few long stays turned into a permanent arrangement, and daughter Koreen welcomed her father into her Saskatoon home permanently. One of his first “tinkering” jobs was to take up a bit of lawn to plant some irises and lilies. Photos Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier
Darren Miller and Chelsea Smith brought children Leif and Nadia by to admire the colourful corner. Peter was quick to give each child a stem to take home.
32 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
“We had a few lilies in Neilburg, and we always liked the look of them,” says Peter. “My wife liked begonias, and dahlias were her favourite.” Carla came to her daughter’s home in the beginning to see his floral handiwork, and Peter never failed to take bouquets when he visited. Soon more and more of the sod on Koreen’s corner lot disappeared, which was fine with her. Gardening was something she enjoyed doing with her dad. She weeded; he hated the job when he was a child on the farm so she took over the task. He looked after preparing the beds, composting, fertilizing and tending his prize-winners. He doesn’t really have a favourite, though he likes to point out the ones that will catch a judge’s eye in competition. “It’s really the whole picture, all of them together that looks so nice,” he says as he surveys the talls and
shorts, the shock of colours, the deep hues and pastels, the sprinkling of what looks like cinnamon on some, the upturned faces and the downward gaze of other blossoms. Planting Seeds Koreen, a teacher, says her father always had a knack for math and science. He wanted to stay in school even though he was unable to attend beyond grade eight. He was needed to help on the farm. Knowing his love of learning, Koreen recruited him to share his passion for horticulture with her students. “Dad came to my class at Mount Royal for three years,” says Koreen. “He taught my English as an Additional Language (EAL) students, the life skills students, and some grade nine kids how to propagate geraniums. Our end of the school was jam-packed with yogurt
containers of cuttings. It was a fun way to teach science and English.” Students wrote about Peter’s visit and what they learned.They practiced future and past tenses, Koreen says, “and added words like ‘rooting hormone’ to their vocabulary.” Fame and Fortune Peter likes to putter, wandering through to see what’s what as the season progresses, moving one plant to a better location, maybe a short one to a spot out of the shadow of a tall one. Herbs like ground-cover thyme and pussytoes spill out like a carpet, and there are vegetables, haskaps, sunflowers, geraniums, rudbeckia, poppies and delphiniums that fill in here and there for variety. A barn-style birdhouse offers a perch. Peter is often accompanied on his
Peter is always accompanied by Booster, a faithful companion.
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rounds by Boo (short for Booster), his English bulldog who prefers to keep his paws on the small bit remaining grass and angles for a tummy rub when Peter sits down for a rest. In the fall, daughter Koreen and Peter’s niece Glenna help him thin out the crop. Hundreds of brown paper lunch bags with one or two bulbs are labelled and lily fans come by to purchase for their own up-and-coming plots. He hands out free advice with each sale. Last fall, he raised $800 for the Canadian Prairie Lily Society’s horticulture scholarship. Known in the neighbourhood for the annual colourful display and for his awards, Peter’s fame took off last season when he was interviewed by media in search of a feel-good story. The number of rubberneckers increased tenfold after the stories about “The Lily Man” hit local and national news. Peter, a quiet man, didn’t mind because the attention, he said, was on the lilies. “I like to see other people enjoying them,” he says. “And it gives people a little lift, you know, when they drive up or walk by to appreciate what we’ve done here.” Karin Melberg Schwier
Lily Tips and Troublemakers Lilies like to sink their toes into rich compost and gardeners can’t water too much when they’re first planted. “Even if it’s raining when you plant your bulbs,” Peter advises, “you should still water them.” The Canadian Prairie Lily Society website has all the information for lily newbies about soil, fertilizer, planting depth for various bulbs and how to grow healthy, sturdy lilies. He also refers people to the website for instructions on the dreaded Lily Beetle. https://lilybeetletracker.weebly.com 34 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
Peter’s Canadian Prairie Lily Society Award-Winners Best Red Lily Stem 2011 Best Species Lily 2016 Grand Champion Lily Stem 2016 Reserve Champion Lily Stem 2017 Best Red Lily Stem 2017 Best Red Lily 2018 Best Canadian Hybrid 2019. The 2020 competition was cancelled due to COVID, so Peter passed out stems to admirers who stopped to appreciate the home show.
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Sparkle on 10th Street East The Happiest Place in Nutana by: Karin melberg schwier
When someone says, “Go to your happy place,” everyone in Saskatoon’s Nutana neighbourhood knows exactly where that is. It’s precisely at 506 10th Street East, the little blue house with white trim, where Sheila Urzada and her husband Hugh Tait have been making magic in the front
Photos: Shu Urzada
yard for the last 21 years. It’s been ‘must stop and smile’ destination, and as an added bonus for children of all ages, it’s conveniently situated a walkable distance between Homestead Ice Cream on Victoria and the Crave cupcake store on Broadway, a hat trick of happy things to do in an afternoon.
All Seasons, All Reasons “My husband says I’m a crow because I like shiny things,” says Sheila. Known by her nickname Shu, she’s also been dubbed The Sparkle Lady by neighbourhood children. In 2000, she was out for a stroll and spotted a wedding trellis that had been discarded by
a recycle bin in a nearby alley. She dragged it home, cleaned and painted it and set it up in the front yard flower garden. “That was the very first display piece,” she says. For just about every holiday and changing season since, Shu and Hugh have thrilled the neighbourhood
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Neighbours Dayne Baylis, Dana Ramsay and son Callum give Shu a wave. The Valentine’s Day show also drew in Sadie Schille, whose grandparents live next door. Dad Brian drove her all the way from Prince Albert.
Photo Credit:s Karin Melberg Schwier
with colourful, shiny and glittering displays that seemingly appear overnight. Her favourites are the ones with the most gleam and glitter, and there is always something sparkly in every display. Valentine’s Day, (oddly never St. Patrick’s Day), Easter, Canada Day, the Fringe, harvest, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sometimes Shu decorates for no particular purpose—a yard filled with cats (an homage to her own Himalayan feline Cupcake), inspirational quotes, smiley faces or coloured balls for no reason other than to spark joy. The Perfect Canvas A lawyer who completed degrees at U of S, Shu lived in the Broadway area and “loved it,” she says. After practicing here, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver and
38 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
finally Ottawa, she knew she wanted to come back and live in Nutana. A devotee of the Broadway area, she was charmed by “a little doll house” on 10th Street. She bought the home in 2000. “I was intrigued by the house’s history,” she says. “It was built in 1910 and called the May Residence. Many features are original, like the piano windows and the gable (displayed at the Mendel Art Gallery for some time). In short, the house was perfect for me,” Shu says. “It’s quite a bit smaller than other houses I’ve owned, so it took a while to adapt. Especially to the small closets.” The front yard was rife with possibilities. A 1990 Heritage Award winner, the house has turned out to be the perfect robin’s egg blue backdrop for what was soon to become
a time-honoured tradition just across from GraceWestminster United church. “I found that ‘playing’ in my front yard has been a means to serenity,” she explains. “I don’t have children, but I needed to contribute in some way to my community. The delight of children as they passed my yard was amazing to see. My yard gives me that gift. I’m touched by the fact that it is not only the children who enjoyed it. I’ve have met so many Nutana residents of all ages because of my displays. They made people smile.” Big Medicine Shu’s creations go beyond holidays and the changing seasons. One in early 2020 in particular helped boost the spirits of passersby who stop for a
peek over their masks. “I put up a happy face display several months after COVID reared its ugly head,” she says. “Making people smile is pretty powerful stuff. Who would have thought?” Another summer display featured plaques with inspiring messages. “I was told that it helped a young girl learn to read.” Over the years, as her collection of decorations grew, Hugh built shelving in the garage for the many storage bins. “I try hard to reuse decorations and transform them into something ‘new’ by painting them, adding to them.” She counts thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets and dollar stores as her favourite sources. Sometimes, she finds her displays in the yard augmented with items “donated by someone
unbeknownst to me!” As senior counsel at the Federal Department of Justice for 20 years, Shu finds her yard work is a way to be optimistic and positive. Currently on leave for health reasons, she and Hugh, a musician who works at the Lighthouse and also performs as a busker, thought they might hang up the tradition after this past Christmas. But letting it go has been difficult. “Last fall I gave a lot of my decorations away, but I still have a lot!” she says. “I understand some of the things I gave away ended up at a church in the neighbourhood, so I’m delighted they’re being well used.” Making Memories The reveal of each everchanging display is highly
anticipated and appreciated by the neighbourhood. Shu is often humbled when she finds herself the recipient of joy as well as the provider of it. “There have been so many wonderful exchanges,” she recalls. “People drop off gifts, a Christmas cactus, cookies, a sparkly unicorn. I received a Valentine’s Day card from Victoria School students. Lovely thank you cards, gift certificates, drawings from children on my block, and chocolates. One grandmother told me that she used my yard as a bribe to get her grandchild to school on time.” Shu laughs. “And I remember two little boys down the street who would come by in their pj’s to see if I added anything to the display that day. They gave me wonderful little drawings and gifts which I cherish.” Only one or two
Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 | 39
It’s been 21 years of decorating for holidays and for no particular reason other than to spread cheer.
mishaps come to mind. “It was an ‘oh dear’ moment when I saw a rear-end collision in front of my house,” she says. “The driver was distracted by my yard display.” And she learned to make sure her Thanksgi ving pumpkins and Easter egg displays are well battened down. “We’ve had winds that have carried pumpkins and eggs down the street, into other yards, and across 10th to the church. We’ve had to go pumpkin and egg hunting.” Notable Neighbour Eighteen years in, Shu received the 2018 Nutana Notable Neighbour Award by the Nutana Community Association for the happiness she’s inspired. But she’s always politely declined publicity. Asked many times for interviews by local media over the years, she has always turned down the requests. Saskatoon HOME is her first and because of the timing of the piece for the summer issue, she and
40 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
Hugh decided Christmas 2020 would not be the final one after all. Instead, the last official display marked, appropriately, Valentine’s Day 2021. It was a fitting opportunity to show some love, and to demonstrate how much the neighbourhood’s appreciation has touched her heart these past 21 years. Cupcake even sported his heart-themed bandana. “I love the Broadway area and people here have been so generous and wonderful,” she says. “We have no plans to leave, and I’ve asked Hugh to do an ice sculpture every winter for the front yard. And who knows, I may do random displays. You never know what might pop up or when.” There’s an understanding on 10th Street East that will stay alive, too. Anyone who finds a wayward pumpkin, scarecrow, a bejeweled Easter egg or maybe even a shiny lost unicorn knows where it belongs and will get it back home to The Sparkle Lady. Karin Melberg Schwier
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Granny Chic
by: Karin melberg schwier
The Grandmillennial Antiquing Movement Happily, what’s old is new again. If you yearn for things reminiscent of yesteryear, or if you feel you were born in the wrong century, count yourself part of the "grandmillenial" revival. It’s a longing for homey reminders of childhood and a more innocent time. This
might be a new thing for some, but many have long known the value in antiques and keepsakes is much more than monetary. Whether you’re deciding what of Grandma’s to keep, what to cull or if you’re treasure hunting yourself, the journey is steeped in nostalgia. Using antiques as focal
points or accents in your home décor—inside and out—is a trend seen more and more in many different styles of homes. We l l before the grandmillennial movement— some are calling it "granny chic"—one of the province’s most popular antiquing ‘destination drives’ has
been to a spot just outside of Davidson. The mid-way town between Saskatoon and Regina has been home to farm girl Erin Kinder all her life. Since 2006, it’s one she shares with her husband Craig, a Kiwi from New Zealand she met when he was working on a neighbouring farm in 1999. Today, the
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couple—with sons Sam, 13, Ivan, 11 and daughter Mary, 10—runs a mixed grain and cattle farm. Erin is also the owner of the aptly named Kinder Surprises Antiques. It’s the largest rural antique experience in Saskatchewan. Erin sees first-hand how much people yearn for the bygone jetsam of an agrarian time, perhaps stoked by an increasingly chaotic world. Down Memory Lane Whether buying or selling, some research is in order. Erin offers some advice on where to begin, and she said it should start with some prep work. If you are looking to sell, and it’s a substantial piece, it’s important to know if it’s Chippendale or chipboard. A professional appraisal might be a good idea. Erin often gets requests to appraise items, but with over 20,000 items in her inventory, her time is devoted to picking and curating her own stock. When looking to buy, she suggests people get a feel for a price range if they have something specific in mind. Think about where it will go, and measure the space. Then keep your eyes open. Nostalgia-driven impulse buys are tempting,
so preparation is important. “I encourage people to visit a local antique shop, get an idea of other pieces of similar type and era,” she says. “That’ll be a ball park.” It doesn’t matter what it’s listed for on ebay in Toronto or New York. The antique market, like any other, fluctuates. Local market prices are what matter. There are hardcore buyers and sellers willing to ship specific items in pristine condition with sought-after names. But Erin has noticed some changes since she started selling to friends in 2014. A Different Kind of Value Much of her clientele appreciates antiques in other ways, she says. It has more to do with connections to history, to memories more than money. “The most often-heard phrase? ‘Oh, we used to have one of these!’” Erin laughs. “They touch it and are transported to childhood. I love to watch people get a massive smile. They’re taken to a place, to people, to a moment long forgotten.” Customers want items that connect them to the past. “Feelings and memories are often more important
Erin Kinder, owner of Kinder Surprises Antiques, is active on Facebook and Instagram.
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than a dollar value. They want value and quality, but often it’s a bowl or a rolling pin just like Grandma had.” Comfort and Familiarity Over Perfection People who cringe at the thought of something useful and beautiful ending up in the landfill are happy to rescue them. The provenance of a piece is often more about its history than its price point. A bedstead, dresser, coffee table or knick-knack with a story behind it is more special than new. While the condition of antiques can matter if it makes a difference in use, people often find items more appealing because t h e y ’r e not perfect. Having something well used and well loved is more important. In the Eye of the Beholder “Many customers aren’t worried about imperfections. I think we’ve come to realize we don’t need perfection. People buy items because they want to be kind to their soul with objects that have a soul, too. Anyone can buy new, but people like the idea of beautiful, local, one-ofa-kind pieces that say ‘I live here.’” Erin says certain items trend from time to time, but there is no 'typical’ buyer. “Age, location, profession,” she says, “doesn’t seem to matter. People want something that speaks to them.” Currently, antique tin ceiling tiles are “huge” to repurpose as back splashes, art work and head boards, and “anything eclectic” to use as yard art or for planters, particularly for succulents. Reimagined dresser s,
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washstands and sewing machines are reincarnated as bathroom vanities. Erin recently acquired an early 1900s chicken incubator she knows will become a kitchen island or vanity. “Honestly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” she says. “It used to be that buyers looked for specific items like Nippon or Noritake china. Now many look for a specific colour of item to accent their home.” They still want an antique or something unusual, she explains, but aren’t as caught up in prestige maker names. Steeped in Antiques “I’m a farm girl. That’s what I love and where my antique business began,” Erin says. “I first started growing my inventory at farm auctions sales, eating a piece of pie from the bake table while I listened to the cadence and rhythm of auctioneers.” As a teenager, Erin worked at Reminisce, her mother’s Bladworth antique shop in the 1990s, but wasn’t really interested in “old stuff” then. Her family didn’t patronize traditional big box stores, preferring instead to scour thrift shops, garage and auction sales for furniture and pieces to decorate their homes. “My mom, my sister and I would be the only women standing in muddy boots in the pouring rain at a farm auction sale,” she explains. “We’d haul home these gorgeous prairie antiques.” She didn’t know it at the time, but that tradition was the training ground for her future business. Erin was commuting from the farm
to a corporate job with her children in daycare. She believed she could create an antique business that was also a tourist destination, one that would intrigue people enough to make the drive. Her eye turned to the century-old barn where she fed her chickens. Armed with the family entrepreneurial spirit, a degree in marketing and years of exposure to a strong tourism economy while living for a few years in New Zealand, she made a plan. Today, she has over 17,000 followers on social media, and people are making that destination drive repeatedly. Her inventory fills the hip-roof barn, but also other buildings that make up “the town,” which now includes a one-room schoolhouse moved onto the site from the Eston area in 2020.
Some Handy Do’s, Don’ts and Reasons to Antique Do’s:
Don’ts:
• Wear comfy clothes and shoes. Be prepared to spend some time. It’s a treasure hunt.
• Don’t pass on something you really love. Antiques are not a consistent inventory.
• Bring measurements if you’re looking for a particular piece.
• Don’t be offended if the owner won’t haggle. Often they will negotiate, but don't be a Lowball Larry.
• Bring cash. Many antique stores only accept cash. • Bring tie downs, packing blankets for the haul home. • Go through more than once. That will reveal many items you didn’t see the first time. • Use your senses: An old trunk? Give it a sniff. Mothballs or mouldy? Touch the dresser. Heavy, light, a hardwood or pine? Look at the cabinet; dovetail joints? Robertson screws (a repro) or old straight edge screws?
• Don’t limit yourself to your neighbourhood. Venture out and see what other places have to offer. • Don’t bring a bull to a china shop; be respectful of the space and items on display.
• Ask questions; learn about the provenance of items.
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“Saskatchewan is the home of pioneers and settlers. We aren’t a rich pretentious bunch. We’re a land of people with heart and soul,” Erin says. “We need strong, solid utilitarian pieces, and a lot of people are looking for those things, like a good solid dresser,” Erin says, “One they can heave and haul around without fear it will crumble in a heap of cheap particle board. They want items that connect them to their past, simpler times, sturdy things that remind them of being safe.” People often send photos after they get their purchases home and settled. Strangest things ever in her store? A bottle full of gold teeth, and a 1910 embalming kit, both of which sold. She says she didn’t need to see where they ended up.
The Whispering of Ghosts To be surrounded by things that have traveled great distances, perhaps crossed oceans, endured hardships and live on with such rich histories is what keeps Erin dedicated to curating antiques. Families who want help to pass items on to new homes contact her to buy, knowing the history will be passed on, too. She treasures the lineage as much as the items themselves, and respects the journey they’ve made to get to her barn. “These are the survivors, the ones that made it,” she says. “They were loved, handed down through generations. Now they have a chance to be part of a new family’s story.” Karin Melberg Schwier
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MAUREEN’S KITCHEN
No-Bake Black Forest Cheesecake By: Maureen haddock
This recipe has followed me from kitchen to kitchen, over ten moves, and is a memorable part of our family history. We call this dessert Black Forest Cheesecake, but it is actually a basic, no-bake refrigerator
treat, perfect for the hot days of summer. It can be made the day ahead and leftovers freeze well. Some very wellknown guests have returned to my kitchen for seconds; I have promised not to name them.
50 | Summer 2021 Saskatoon HOME
This recipe has evolved through ch a n g e s in ingredient p a ck a g i n g and availability, kitchen improvements and the ebb and flow of my family’s dietary issues. I made it ten summers in a row while
houseboating on Lac La Ronge. I have also decorated it for every season, made it in many shapes, doubled it for a larger group and developed a gluten-free option. My latest adaptation involves portion-controlled
servings. One recipe of this cheesecake divides perfectly into twelve individual portions when made in a silicone muffin pan. My husband says these little desserts keep his calorie intake in check
without creating a sense of deprivation. He gets a little upset when I send extra dessert cups home with my son-in-law. My mother clipped the original recipe from a newspaper in the late
1960s. It called for either chocolate or vanilla instant Jell-O pudding. I made this dessert the first time in the early 1970s for a group of my favourite ladies from work. My kitchen was under-equipped and many
ingredients that I use today were not available. Boxed Oreo crumbs weren’t yet a thing, so I crushed chocolate wafers with a rolling pin to make the crust. I made the filling with cream cheese and instant chocolate
Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
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pudding, as the recipe suggested, and topped it off with E.D. Smith Cherry Pie Filling. My co-workers raved, asked for the recipe, and I shared it even though it seemed too simple to write out. Eventually, Jell-O offered a product called Whip ‘n Chill which was an instant mousse. It came in several flavours but the chocolate one became my go-to for this dessert. The resulting silky texture and rich flavour provided an unforgettable sensory memory. One day, in the early 80s, I was shopping for ingredients and was unable to find my cherished Whip ‘n
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Chill. There was no ticket on the lip of the shelf indicating it would be back. In a panic, I began experimenting with other ways to make a simple, fluffy filling for this dessert. I folded Cool Whip into instant chocolate pudding, and it was adequate, but I missed the extreme silkiness provided by a mousse. As time went on, I discovered Dr. Oetker ’s Double Chocolate Mousse Supreme. I encourage you to make a Black Forest Cheesecake while this instant mousse is still available. When I find a row of Dr. Oetker’s Mousse, I buy a few extra packages
Maureen’s husband Gord prefers this treat when still slightly frozen.
No-Bake Black Forest Cheesecake Crust: 1 1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs 1/3 cup melted butter 2 tablespoons icing sugar Mix the above ingredients and press into a buttered pie plate, 8” spring-form pan or 12 silicone muffin cups. Refrigerate. Filling: 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 envelope Dr. Oetker’s Double Chocolate Mousse Supreme Using an electric hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add milk, whipping until silky. Sprinkle the powdered mousse mix, 1/3 at a time, into the cream cheese mixture, whipping until lump-free. When the filling looks smooth, spoon into the chilled crust and return dessert to the fridge for at least one hour. Topping: Remove chilled cheesecake from fridge. Cover the centre of the cheesecake with the cherries from one tin E.D. Smith Cherry Pie Filler, using more cherries than sauce. I sometimes use a Saskatchewan Sour Cherry filling made by Cherry and Berry Delight. One of my friends makes a raspberry sauce using fresh or frozen raspberries and pours it over each serving. Delicious! Whatever fruit topping you use, sprinkle a few chocolate crumbs on top for garnish. To serve, run a knife around the pie plate to loosen the crust or release the sides of the springform pan, and slice the dessert into wedges. If you are using silicone muffin cups, run a butter knife gently around the edges and push the cup up from the bottom, releasing the tiny treats. Avoid using anything that could cut the silicone cups. Better yet, freeze the muffin size cheesecakes and they will pop out like a dream, looking extremely smooth around the edges. My husband now prefers to eat them slightly frozen. Take them from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving. I have often doubled this recipe and prepared it in a 9” by 13” rectangular springform pan. If you see such a pan, purchase it. There are so many ways to put it to good use. Serving a cup of coffee with a sliver of silky Black Forest Cheesecake will provide the best memory you can offer a guest. I love to watch people react to their first bite because inevitably someone exclaims, “This should be illegal!” Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 |
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to store in my pantry. Trust me, this recipe is worthy of immediate action. Recently, I discovered gluten-free Oreos in the grocery store. My glutensensitive grandson once loved our Black Forest Cheesecake and has often helped decorate it for his grandfather’s birthdays. For this young man, I willingly separated the gluten-free cookies, removed the icing and crushed the wafers. The instant mousse and the cherry pie filler do not
list gluten, so I gave it a try. I am hopeful that glutenfree Oreo wafer crumbs will be available soon, but my grandson’s enthusiasm for his dessert made the extra effort worthwhile. For other simple, vintage no-bake desserts visit www.getabiggerwagon.com. A few to try: Lemon Cheesecake Dessert and Layered Raspberry Marshmallow Dessert. Maureen Haddock
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West Star Fruit, next to the Bluebird Groceteria on 20th Street, 1930. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - PH-2010-210
HOMEtown Reflections The Changing Landscape of Saskatoon’s Grocery Stores Part 1 of 2 It’s all supermarkets and mega-marts these days. People buy groceries at Wal-Mart and kids’ clothes at Superstore, and everything you could possibly imagine at Costco. But once upon a time, the mainstay of the grocery trade in Saskatoon
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By: Jeff O’Brien was the independent, neighbourhood store. The Corner Store They were everywhere. Dozens of them, strung out along the commercial streets and scattered across the residential districts.
They operated out of homes, sometimes with an addition tacked onto the front, sometimes by just remodelling the front room. Other times there was a store on the main floor and apartments above. They were named after the
proprietors: Joe’s Grocery, or Minovitz and Hussman. Or they had names like the Sunshine Grocery, or my favourite, the Universal Grocery. I want to imagine incense and hippies, but it was 1930 so probably not. They were close enough
that you could walk to them, most often on street corners, which is probably where we get the name: the corner store. The Beginnings of Retail Saskatoon’s first grocery store opened in 1883. Saskatoon in those days consisted of a couple of tents and one poorly built sod hut. But in one of those tents, somewhere in the Broadway area, Dr. J.H.C. Willoughby opened the colony’s first general store, which he operated through that fall and winter. By then, there were several wooden buildings in Saskatoon. One of them they called “the company store” (which it wasn’t). Another was a small house on 10th Street where, in the summer of 1884, Harry and Bessie
Minovitz & Hussman's store at 229 Avenue A South, 1929. Photo Credit: CoS Archives D500-III-865-011
Trounce opened Saskatoon’s first actual store in a room they built on to the front of their house. The Trounce store was only open for two years. Bessie died giving birth in 1887 and Harry returned to England where he also died. But Saskatoon was growing. Listings in an 1888
business directory included three general stores. One of them was run by Mrs. Grace Fletcher, Saskatoon’s pioneer businesswoman and a ferocious Temperance advocate who once hauled her own husband into court over a matter of illegal liquor sales. This is all in Nutana, of
course. Saskatoon didn’t exist north of the river until the railway came in 1890. But where man (and woman) goeth, so too, does retail. By 1899, there were at least two stores on First Avenue, one on each side of 20th Street across from where the railway station then stood.
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Ramshackle and rundown, the L&E Apartments prior to demolition in 1965. The grocery store closed in 1940.
XL Grocery at 901 Avenue C North, 1967. Photo Credit: CoS Archives - 1100-1768-03
The Growing City As Saskatoon spread out over the next few years, so did the retail trade. In 1908, there were 16 entries in the city directory under the heading “Grocers – Retail.” They were clustered around 20th Street and Avenue A, scattered up into lower Caswell Hill, along Second Avenue downtown and on Broadway. Saskatoon had a population of about 6,500 people in 1908. This was a dramatic increase from the 544 they counted five years
earlier. But things were about to get even crazier. There were 12,000 people here in 1911 according to the census, and an astounding 28,000 the following year. People have to eat, and the number of grocery stores expressed as a ratio of the population was generally consistent. With the exception of the boom years, when the retail sector played catch-up to explosive population growth, the number of grocery stores hovered consistently at about
Unidentified grocery store, early 1940s. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1463
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Photo Credit: CoS Archives - 1100-2006-01
one for every 400 people (give or take) until the 1950s. Even in bad years this was true. Saskatoon suffered through a major recession after the boom collapsed in 1914, in addition to a war in Europe. You’d have thought the grocery industry would have been staggering, with marginal players dropping left and right. Instead, the number increased. It was the same story during the Great Depression. What had the local grocers howling the loudest in the 1930s wasn’t
near-complete economic collapse, but when the city started forcing people on unemployment relief to shop at the city-owned Relief Store instead of at their local grocer. To be fair, the shoppers weren’t much enthused either, since it meant having to go all the way across town instead of just up the block. Specialization in the Grocery Trade The larger downtown department stores all had
Kong Lee full-service grocery store, late 1930s. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1475
Riversdale Grocery ad, 1920.
The brand-new City Grocery building, later L&E Apartments, in 1913. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - LH-3860a
Rex Groceterias advertisement, Jan 19, 1929.
grocery sections and even then, these would have been fair sized. Not Costco-sized, but not someone’s-frontliving-room-sized, either. However, the majority of the neighbourhood stores were small, under a thousand square feet, with some of them half that. In those days, small grocery stores usually specialized. Some stocked only “dry groceries” like canned goods and non-perishables. Others were what the English call “greengrocers,” selling fruits and vegetables. Still others sold meat and meat products. In Saskatoon, stores with names like “Star Fruit” and “Fruit Land” certainly imply specialization, and probably explain why some blocks on the city’s commercial streets had two or three grocery stores one after another. At one point, the West Star Fruits and Confectionery, at 245 - 20th Street West, actually shared an entrance with the Bluebird Groceteria next door. But names can be misleading. A photograph of the Sanitary Grocery Photo Credit: Saskatoon Star Phoenix
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By the 1940s, chains like OK Economy were changing the way people shopped.
J.F. Cairns general store, Second Avenue near 21st Street, 1912.
Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1488
Grocery store interior, ca. 1910. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - LH-3073
and Fruit store at 721 Broadway shows animal carcasses hanging in the window. Looking through historic photographs and old newspaper ads, you can find plenty of similar examples, suggesting that Saskatoon’s wily grocerymen were prepared to stock whatever the public was buying. “Self-Service”—The Wave of the Future A huge difference between then and now is counter service. Until the 1920s, when you bought groceries, you gave your order to a clerk who filled it from shelves behind the counter. But in 1917, a clever American invented the self-service store, where shoppers wandered the
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aisles picking out their own groceries, and then paid for them at the cash register. Grocery store owners took to self-service like mice on cheese. One of the new groceterias, as they called them, could operate with significantly fewer staff than a store offering counter service. This cut overhead and made stores more competitive. Savings were presumably passed on to the customers, and ads for the groceterias made much of this fact. The Blue Bird Groceteria Self Service Stores, which first opened in 1922, guaranteed shoppers that their dollar would “purchase its full value in quality merchandise.” An ad for the Eaton’s groceteria department in 1925 promised
shoppers the “freedom of the shelves,” calling self-service a “pleasure that once indulged in is not to be denied!” Of course, as a 1948 Maclean’s magazine article pointed out, any reduction in overhead was “the small end of the self-service benefits.” Retailers of all sorts very quickly realized that given a chance to browse at their leisure, shoppers tended to buy far more merchandise than they would if they were standing in front of a counter calling out their order item by item. Self-service had very little to do with savings and a great deal to do with profits, regardless of what the ads said. Along with counter and telephone service, most grocery stores in those days offered free delivery and payment on account. But along with self-serve, came “cash and carry,” which meant you came in, paid cash and carried it home yourself. Cash and carry was also advertised as a money saver and a convenience. But the
truth was that home delivery was costly. A newspaper ad from 1920 called it “the bane of the merchant’s life.” When Safeway came to town in 1930, opening five brand-new, self-service stores, the writing was on the wall for counter and telephone service as an industry-wide practice. Still, there were plenty of small stores delivering to homes into the 1950s, employing delivery boys on bikes with big front baskets and delivering mostly to seniors, as one person we talked to recalled. The Second World War made grocery shopping complicated for retailers and shoppers alike. The Wartime Prices and Trade Board demanded that retailers streamline their operations in order to keep prices down, and then to show it was serious, instituted price ceilings and brought charges against operators who violated them. Caught between dwindling supplies and rising prices,
Photo Credit: CoS Archives HST-045
store owners struggled. The answer was subsidies, and of course, rationing, which continued until well after the end of the war. But stores like OK Economy also announced an end to free delivery as a way to comply with the new regulations. By the end of the Second World War, Saskatoon was still a compact city with a small-town feel. Even the chain stores, the Safeway and the OK Economy stores, were relatively small and they still had that neighbourhood vibe to them. But change was coming. As the 1940s drew to a close, Saskatoon began to shake itself free from the grip of drought, Depression and war that had held us hostage for so long. There was a new wind blowing, and where it was going to take us was anyone’s guess. But that’s a story for the Fall issue of Saskatoon HOME. Watch for it September 2021. Jeff O’Brien
Grocery store interior, ca. 1900. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - LH-4014
Sanitary Grocery and Fruit store display, ca. 1947. Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - A-1481
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Light the Night Illuminating the Home Landscape
by: Julie barnes
Photo Credit: Kichler Lighting
Having worked in the landscaping industry for 15 years, Jonathan Ahlstedt thinks of each client’s yard as a blank canvas. There’s an artfulness to pulling together a cohesive, tasteful yet functional design—so it only makes sense that each masterpiece can be enjoyed even after the sun goes down. “I typically talk to my clients about their landscaping, and then I ask them if they’ve ever thought about lighting,”
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says Jonathan, owner of Ahlstedt’s Landscape Contracting. “Many people have never conceived of it before, or they can only imagine themselves being in their yard during the day.” Jonathan, who lives in Montgomery, has a young family and a spacious backyard. “On a warm fall evening, the sun goes down at 6 p.m. and we turn on our big spotlights in the backyard and we’re playing soccer, catch and Frisbee. It’s the best thing—we can play outside
as late as we want.” Homeowners, he says, should ask themselves how lighting could help them enjoy their yard more at night. For some, that could mean lighting a space they use for entertaining, or drawing attention to garden beds, water features, stately trees, pathways or structures like pergolas and arbours. Rainbow Connection On a recent project in Evergreen, Jonathan created a landscape design that
included almost 100 lights. In the backyard, a staircase leading to a hot tub has two lights integrated into each step, and wall sconces light up the hot tub area. Landscape lights (see sidebar) illuminate a once shady garden. But it’s a fixture in the front yard that truly shines, says Jonathan. “I suggested that we do some uplighting on a Scotch pine tree.” He told his client about a colour-customized Wi-Fi controlled option, and his
Jonathan incorporated two lights into each stair riser leading to a raised deck and hot tub at a recent project in Evergreen. He also installed lights on the privacy screens to further illuminate the space after sunset.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ahlstedt
client quickly got on board. “He could not be happier,” Jonathan says, “because he’s always changing the colours. If it’s Halloween, he can do orange. If it’s Christmas, he can do a combination of green and red. He can have fun with it—it’s all the colours of the rainbow.” Blinding Lights When it comes to lighting large features like trees, Jonathan says it’s important to consider the scale. He has a 100-foot-tall tree in his
yard, and says, “It would look ridiculous if I just put one or two lights below it.” He’s considering installing the same Wi-Fi controlled colour-customized lights his client now has, and says he’d place two lights at the base, another two lights one-third of the way up and another two fixtures two-thirds of the way up. “They would be uplighting,” he says. Using two or more uplights also helps avoid harsh shadows. “Something I’m always considering is blinding
Outdoor lights “can also be used to lead you somewhere” says Jonathan.
Photo Credit: Hinkley
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String lights are an easy, inexpensive way to add ambience in the evening.
Uplights are a great way to illuminate trees after dark.
Unlike most outdoor lights, lamp posts are typically not low voltage and need to be wired to an outlet.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ahlstedt
somebody,” says Jonathan. “There’s the advantage of making something look good from 40–50 feet away, but when you’re actually enjoying the structure— like an arbour—and you’re walking through it, you don’t want to be blinded by the light. With an arbour covered in vines, you’d want maybe six very delicate lights.”
Advancements in LED lighting allow you to select a colour and mood at the tap of a button.
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Light Foresight Landscape lighting doesn’t fit within every landscaping budget, but Jonathan says it’s a good idea to consider future light placement before decks are constructed and paving stones are put down. “If you have specific areas you would like to have lit, you just run the wire trenched underground and then it’s set
up. Preplanning will give you more options so you aren’t in a situation where you have a concrete patio and you can only do solar lights because a power source is not reachable.” Turn Your Lights Down Low It’s common for newer homes to have electrical outlets in their soffits for Christmas lights, and Jonathan says it’s a good idea to add a few extra outlets on the home or garage if building new. “That’s all you need to install a typical transformer,
which accommodates all the low-voltage wire.” Although lamp post lights are typically high-voltage, most outdoor lighting is low-voltage, which is why a transformer is necessary. Jonathan only uses LEDs, and photovoltaic sensors are now a company standard. The sensor turns the light off once the sun rises, and turns it back on when the sun sets. “If we don’t put a light on a timer, or if it’s not Wi-Fi controlled, I suggest a photovoltaic sensor.”
"When lighting is incorporated into a beautifully designed landscape, you don’t want to leave that yard and you want to invite people over,” says Jonathan. “It encourages a great time with friends and family.” Photo Credit: Jonathan Ahlstedt
Let there Be light If you’re looking to illuminate your landscape, here are a few common styles of outdoor lights to consider.
Bullet light
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Bullet lights cast a narrow beam of light, which make them ideal for illuminating trees. Their adjustable heads let you choose the angle and direction of the beam.
Downlight Just what it sounds like—this fixture casts light downwards to illuminate lawns, patios and paths. They can also be affixed to trees to throw light at the foliage below.
Before
After
Floodlight Many Saskatoon homes have integrated soffit lighting, negating the need for external lights to illuminate their facades. For those without soffit lighting, floodlights are an option for highlighting a home’s architectural features.
Landscape light Also known as a pathway or garden light, these fixtures are often used to mark paths or highlight greenery within a garden bed. The bulb casts a downward glow from the top of a typically 18–24-inch post.
Wash light Often used to highlight vertical surfaces like fences, or the façade of a home, a wash light casts a soft, even light (typically not as bright as a flood light).
Well light Mounted in the ground, the bulb is encased in a waterproof housing and casts light upwards. Well lights are often used to highlight surrounding greenery.
Four Season Enjoyment The light fixtures Jonathan sources are durable and able to withstand harsh winters. “High quality lights can be buried in the snow and they’re just fine. Landscape lighting is awesome for all seasons,” he says. He loves turning on his own outdoor lights after a blizzard for the charming ambience it creates. The snow settles on the lamp post lights and
creates a magical, peaceful atmosphere. Despite all his lighting know-how, Jonathan can still appreciate simple DIY lighting, whether it’s a patio topped with string lights or solar-powered landscape lights. “It creates interest. It’s like a beacon—a little signal that there is life here.” Julie Barnes
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Saskatoon HOME Summer 2021 | 65
Viewfinder
A Local Project to Admire each issue
Photo: Stew Coles
With the reduced capacity at leisure centres, stock tank pools made a big splash in Saskatoon backyards last summer. Breanne and Stew Coles took the plunge and purchased one for their King George backyard, which they enjoyed with their 2.5-year-old daughter, Emmy. As a teacher with summers off, Breanne says, “We had our own little oasis to relax in, and it made our hot west-facing backyard a place I actually enjoy spending time in.” She adds that it’s important to refer to the City’s pool bylaws before purchasing to confirm whether a permit is required.
Have a project you think we should have in our VIEWFINDER? Email info@saskatoon-home.ca with one photo and a description of the project.
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