Saskatoon HOME magazine Spring 2021

Saskatoon

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DESIGN • RENOVATION • BUILDING • DÉCOR

SPRING 2021

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Art Deco Modern | Colours of the Year | Mystical Yards

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Home of Saskatoon’s only

INSIDE

~our home~ 4

HOME Front

11

DIY with Britt

Photo Credit: Lillian Lane

Backyard Whimsy

Chalk wall and hanging garden.

16

Art Deco Modern

24

An Inspired Landscape

32

Colours of the Year

36

Bigger, Boulder, Better

42

Backyard Whimsy

51

Maureen's Kitchen

An Inspired Landscape

24

A greeting from the publisher.

A Home Lottery's most valuable gem.

Bold and beautiful in Nutana.

Ultimate Gray and Illuminating.

One family's rock-solid approach to boulderscaping.

Magical and mystical close to home.

Angel food cakes.

56

HOMEtown Reflections

62

Backyard Wedded Bliss

66

Viewfinder

McNab Park.

Planning an intimate wedding at home.

42

Photo Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier

Cover: Not everyone can boast of a rock concert in their own backyard. But Bryan and Carmen McCrea can, much to the delight of future mountaineer children Foster, Lincoln and Pearson. —Photo by Lillian Lane.

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

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HOME front

Issue 53, Spring 2021 ISSN 1916-2324 info@saskatoon-home.ca

Publishers

Springtime in Saskatoon is always a time of renewal and rejuvenation. As spring blooms and summer is in our sights, this is a time of year when we are gathering ideas and inspiration for both the inside and outside of our homes. Ushering in longer sunshine hours, and longing for greenery to start revealing itself, it is a time of planning and visualization. With more time than ever spent at home, it is our chance to transform our spaces into happy places—no matter what our budgets may be.

In this issue we share with you many local stories of folks who have done just this! Visit a stunning backyard dreamscape, the show stopping Hospital Home Lottery mansion, a squirrel saloon, a hobbit hole and even a mountain range-inspired bolder landscaped parkour course. This issue will really leave you thinking: If I can dream it, someone can build it. And of course, we have many more locally curated hometown stories mixed in to keep you smiling!

I hope these great local stories will inspire you to create your own paradise at home. We will be here for a while—let’s make the most of it.

Happy reading!

Amanda Soulodre Rob Soulodre

Editor Karin Melberg Schwier

Photographers Amy Schiller D&M Images Girl Boss Photography Imagine Events Lillian Lane Vanessa Lanktree Photography

Production and Design Amy Schiller

Writers Britt Arnason Jeff O’Brien Julie Barnes Karin Melberg Schwier Krista Martens Maureen Haddock Connect with us: www.saskatoon-home.ca www.facebook.com/saskatoon.home @HOMEmagazineSK /saskatoon.home

Amanda Soulodre

Saskatoon Home is published by: Farmhouse Communications

OWNER & PUBLISHER

204 - 120 Sonnenschein Way Saskatoon, SK S7M 0W2 Telephone: 306-373-1833 Fax: 306-500-2993 info@saskatoon-home.ca

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Do you have a great story idea for HOME? Email amanda@saskatoon-home.ca

4 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

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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

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with Britt This Issue:

Chalk wall and hanging garden by: BritT Arnason

When I tackle my renovation projects, I’m always looking at underused spaces in the home. I think about how I can add something that will make the space more usable and adds to the design.

An inexpensive DIY project I have created to add interest to a space is a chalk wall with a hanging garden. It requires very few materials, many of which can be bought at a local dollar store, and it’s a project that can be completed, start to finish, in a day.

Voila! Instant transformation.

Watch for Britt's Summer issue DIY— Front Door Upgrade Want more inspiration? IG: @investorgirlbritt

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

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Chalk wall & hanging garden MATERIALS

Chalk Wall:

- Paint primer - Chalk paint - Chalk - Sheet of MDF and brad nails (if mounting your chalk wall)

Hanging Garden: - The plant vases are salt and pepper shakers from the dollar store with the lids removed - Jute twine for the string (also from a dollar store) - Flowers (real or artificial) - Wall hooks (those with a corkscrew end make for easy installation)

12 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

Before:

The bare side of this cupboard was transformed into a functional statement piece in less than a day.

One of my favourite chalk wall and hanging garden installations was one on the side of a pantry in the kitchen area. It was a large space with potential to be the focal point of the space, and a chalkboard is both cost-effective and versatile.

I can write a list, a welcome

message, or an inspirational quote. All can be easily changed and updated.

I used a sheet of MDF to cover the side of the cabinet to create a custom-built look.

After cutting the MDF to size, I used brad nails to secure it to the pantry. In any project, always make sure to check

the length of the nail so it doesn’t come through the inside of the cabinet wall.

Once mounted, I filled the nail holes and sanded until smooth.

Depending on where you are putting your chalkboard, you may be applying directly to the wall and can skip the MDF step.

To prep the surface, apply two coats of primer.

Once completely dry, apply two coats of chalkboard paint. I like Rustoleum brand, but there are other options out there as well.

To create a border and more finished look, I framed out the chalk wall with a hanging garden.

To hang the vases, wrap the string securely around the neck of the vase three or four times and tie it off with a double knot. Leave about 18” of space and tie the next one.

To allow the vases to hang freely, mount hooks in the ceiling about three Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

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inches from the wall.

Hang the string from the hooks and add live, artificial, or air plants to the vases.

Play around with the garden, and get creative with it! If using live cut flowers, add food colouring to the water to bring in a splash of colour. Or create a hanging herb garden. For the holidays, think an occasionthemed plants. A bleeding heart for Valentine’s Day, tulips for Easter, a poinsettia for Christmas.

Between the chalkboard message, the garden vases, and creative ideas for what to put each vase, the opportunity for expression is endless.

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Art Deco Modern A Home Lottery Gem Over its 35-year history, the Hospital Home Lottery has showcased the diverse creative talents of many homebuilders. With this year’s luxurious 4,500-square foot open concept grand prize show home valued at 2.5 million dollars, the tradition continues.

16 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

An Inspiring History “Saskatoon was the original location for the Hospital Home Lottery and has become an example repeated across Canada, the US and Australia,” says Arla Gustafson, CEO of Royal University Hospital Foundation and Chair of the Spring 2021

Hospital Home Lottery.

“The first-ever lottery took place in 1986, and we’ve never missed a year,” says Arla.

Records show that the grand prize show home in that first years lottery was valued at a sizable price of $200,000.

As the lotteries continued,

organizers found themselves selling out tickets at record speed, so they moved to two annual home lotteries. “In 2012, we decided to switch to two offerings each year. We are amazed by the generosity of Saskatchewan residents,” says Arla. “It just shows the level of commitment our

Design ― Construction

by: krista martens Photos: d&m images

community has to our health care systems.”

The Hospital Home Lottery has raised 44 million dollars to support Saskatoon hospitals and has had 45 successful lotteries to date.

The lottery is a part of Saskatoon’s three hospital foundations’ more extensive

fundraising campaigns, and this year’s ticket sales will help support projects at all three hospitals.

“At Royal University Hospital, we are transforming our 43-year-old surgical suites. At St. Paul’s Hospital, we are supporting critical care monitors, and at

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This grand two-storey great room sets the stage for the art deco design theme. It features floor to ceiling finishes, layered ceiling details, full-height windows, chandelier, and mirrored two-sided fireplace.

Saskatoon City Hospital, we are supporting the sleep disorder centre,” explains Arla. “It’s a win-win endeavour where ticket sales fill the gaps between what we have in funding and the amount needed to support our priorities.”

Design Decisions As a first-time hospital lottery home builder, Decora Homes knew they wanted to wow the committee with a uniquely creative design proposal.

“From the start, we aimed to showcase something unique,” says Rhonda Iula, co-owner of Decora Homes. “I won’t lie.

18 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

It was scary to take the risk and push the edge of what Saskatoon may be ready for design-wise, but we received such positive feedback from the lottery team, we knew they were excited. It was the right time to bring this concept to Saskatoon.”

Their first decisions involved location for the build and overall design style. “We chose to build in Greenbryre for a couple of reasons,” says Rhonda. “We knew the base of our design would be three-storeys plus walkout concept, and this location would offer more options for overall footprint and the opportunity for

Following a theme showcasing intricate detail and tons of texture, the Master Suite features a custom upholstered headboard wall, inlaid with mirrored panels to create an upscale and sophisticated master retreat.

This kitchen boasts clean, sleek lines while maintaining ultimate functionality. The oversized island features a quartz countertop, convenient eating bar, under-mount sink, and custom faucet. Luxury appliances, backlit cabinets and integrated door panels add additional layers of sophistication and drama.

incredible views.”

The owners of Decora Homes then turned their attention to the design style.

“We have always dreamed of showcasing our take on a modern art deco home,” says Rhonda. They started collecting inspiration images from all their team travels, looking at their favorite art deco style pieces. “We looked to the ultra-luxury found in Beverly Hills as a starting point,” says Rhonda.

The custom builder understood this concept could be polarizing. “We knew that not everyone in Saskatoon would love the

home, but we believed it was time to shake things up. Creative endeavours are never without some risk,” says Rhonda.

The choice of customized elements throughout each level of the home feature material selections on repeat. “We used a lot of high-end finishes,” says Rhonda. “Integrated sinks, gold fixtures, mirrors and plenty of porcelain slabs keep the theme consistent throughout the home,” says Rhonda. “Even the interior doors were made by our finisher to match the art deco theme.”

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

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Dedicated to the Project When Decora's team decided to put forward a proposal to build the Hospital Home Lottery home they committed fully. "We presented a complete design concept with everything from material selections to furniture choices,” says Rhonda. “We also decided that to accomplish this custom build we needed a dedicated team." Kristi Katsiris worked on design.

Curtis Cooper and Ricky Iula were in charge of concept drawings inspired by the outdoor living space.

The pandemic added a layer of potential challenges.

Ordering custom products to be shipped from out of the country could delay timelines. The Decora team decided to utilize as many Canadian companies as possible during the build. “It was a challenge to source everything we needed, but found amazing suppliers in the process,” she says. “When we look back now, all the hard work and what seemed like endless nights of worry were worth it. It’s amazing how close we came to those initial inspiration images we started with.”

One of the joys for builders who create show homes is having people tour the projects in person.

With the pandemic, this wasn’t possible. “It’s a challenge when people can’t physically be in the home,” says Rhonda. “Although the photos are beautiful, they sometimes don’t translate the full feeling. With the number of porcelain slabs we used, it's surprising how

20 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

With diamond-tufted velvet panels, heated porcelain tile flooring, and an amber glass chandelier, this walkin closet sets the mood for glamour. Mirrors in the built-in wardrobes make the room feel limitless, giving the illusion of walking into a high-end luxury hotel.

Suspended LED honeycomb feature lighting in the garage extends the entertainment area outside of the house footprint and into the garage.

All bathrooms feature similar material to add rich layers. In this case, one-piece large-format porcelain slabs become a custom trough sink for that ultra-luxe feel.

No matter what the season, the homeowner can keep up their putting skills with this built-in putting green in the walkout basement level.

much cozier the home feels.

The amount of natural light flooding in changes the feeling for sure.”

Favourite Spaces No matter the individual style preference, the lottery home will offer spaces that will make anyone swoon.

“I have three favourites,” says Rhonda. “The first is the rooftop deck and yoga retreat. I love the outdoors, and sitting in a hot tub with a nice glass of wine on a summer evening sounds heavenly to me.”

Other opulent rooms that made the top swoon list include the lavish scotch room just off the central

living room, and the master suite walk-in closet. “The feeling in the scotch room is pure luxury. The rich copper velvet chairs and dark walls with mirror inlay invite you in,” says Rhonda.

“Of course, I can’t forget the master closet. With fully mirrored back panels, the room looks so much larger than it is. Pair that with the warm velvet panels and a stunning chandelier, you feel like you are in a sophisticated luxury hotel.”

Each year the lottery’s grand prize home allows people an opportunity to see inside a stunning and luxurious home. It's a chance to imagine

This third level retreat with a hot tub, outdoor bar and yoga studio does not disappoint. This room allows downtown Saskatoon views from sunrise to sunset and is the crown jewel of the show home.

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

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A four-level walkout build plan creates a grand backyard profile.

themselves living day to day in each room. Decora Homes set the bar high in Saskatoon’s Hospital Home Lottery tradition.

This spring’s $2.5 million dollar home is the highest valued grand prize ever in the lottery’s history.

Inspired by the ritzy glamour of the 1920s with rich, moody tones, layered textiles, and luxurious ambiance, this home is one to remember.

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An Inspired Landscape

Bold and Beautiful in Nutana Our outdoor spaces became even more important to us in 2020, so when Alora Arnold and Kale Wudrich’s landscaping was completed last June, they were ready to make the most of it.

24 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

The couple purchased their first home in November 2019—an A-frame design that didn’t quite suit their modern tastes. Before moving in, they oversaw a complete renovation of the

interior and exterior. By the time they moved in during the following spring, the landscaping was the final project to tackle.

Pre-renovation, the house was more cottage core than

urban core. Inside, the couple overhauled the cabin-esque kitchen and bathrooms, and sheathed the wood ceiling in a fresh coat of white paint.

On the exterior, new siding with black trim and accent

by: Julie Barnes Photos: Lillian lane

lighting created a more contemporary aesthetic.

Establishing Goals The couple hired Keystone Outdoor Living to landscape the front and backyard in a

style befitting their newly modernized home.

The couple had a firm grasp of their goals for the outdoor spaces. They wanted a place to barbeque and entertain, and a green space for Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

25

their dog. They also wanted dedicated areas for greenery, while keeping maintenance to a minimum.

Design Brief “I have a design background—it’s in fashion design—so I’m pretty clear with my vision,” says Alora. She prepared

an art direction board for Brayden Enns, Keystone’s project manager. The board included inspiration images of landscaping the couple liked, with notes on different zones, materials, features and their preferred colour palette—warm wood tones with black and white accents.

“We gave Brayden some

direction because I always find it works better when you are clear with your expectations,” says Alora.

“It’s helpful to have visuals, so I sent him the pictures and he transformed it into what would work in our space.”

It was just the right amount of direction, says Brayden.

“It really allowed for a lot

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of creative licence, but at the same time, gave enough guidelines to point me in the right direction and get moving quickly. It makes it a nice smooth project—you actually have a harder time when people are too rigidly married to their mental imagery.”

Alora took inspiration from the time she and Kale lived in Halifax by planting yellow lupines. The spiky flowers are commonly found in the Maritimes. She also planted two varieties of sedum (on left), blue fescue grass, sea thrift, Russian sage and silver mounds.

Street Appeal The front and backyard were both xeriscaped to minimize maintenance and irrigation needs. New fescue grasses, sea thrifts, lupines and silver mounds add texture and colour in the front yard, while established evergreens create vertical interest.

“Alora wanted to maintain some of the mature plant life,” says Brayden. A mature columnar cedar and a spruce bookend the façade, while a well-established globe

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Exquisite interior design, high ceilings, and Miele kitchen appliances, are just a few of the extras that this extraordinary building enjoys, and with only 41 units, you are guaranteed privacy and quiet.

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Alora grows a mixture of herbs and perennials in her backyard garden, including basil, thyme, sage, parsley, hot peppers, catmint, red lettuce and rhododendron.

Alora and Kale designed and built the outdoor sectional from the same type of pressure-treated lumber that forms the deck.

28 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

cedar sits adjacent to the front deck. “When you are looking at the house dead on, the tall cedar and spruce do a great job of framing the left and right side of the house,” says Brayden.

Keystone created an undulating dry riverbed “to give a sense of movement to the yard,” says Brayden. The yard gently slopes towards the riverbed, so in the event of a heavy downpour, the water drains towards it and slowly percolates into the groundwater rather than flooding the sidewalk.

“When I drive or walk down the street, I look at it and say, ‘This is a statement yard,’” says Brayden. “The owners made a conscious decision to renovate the house and make

it look beautiful and they did the same with the yard.”

A Dash of DIY “We kept the same theme going in the back,” says Brayden. “We used pressuretreated lumber for the deck and the stairs to match the front deck, and the same black aluminum railing that matches the house trim.”

Keystone also created a hardscaped patio in a stepping stone grid pattern with 24” x 24” pavers. The light colour of the pavers creates a sharp contrast with the surrounding charcoal rundle rock. “Having that contrast was pretty important because it shows off the design feature so much better,” says Alora. “It needs to

Alora and Kale built the trellis and cast the concrete planters for their container garden.

Keystone installed 24” x 24” pavers in a stepping stone grid. The blue-grey veining in the pavers picks up the colour of the surrounding rundle rocks.

pop so you actually notice it.”

The backyard is a brilliant mix of Keystone’s thoughtful hardscaping and a dash of DIY by Alora and Kale.

“Kale presented us with the idea for the sectional, and he and Alora built it themselves,” says Brayden.

“We came back after the weekend and they had it on their deck already. It’s fantastic to see something like that—they wanted to start using and enjoying their yard.”

Alora handled all the plantings herself. “I always used to do the flowers for my parents’ house,” says Alora.

“My nana, my mom and I would always do the yard every year. It was always something I liked doing and looked forward to.”

In her new home, Alora wanted to create a space along the garage for a small garden with herbs, lettuces and ornamentals.

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 | 29

“Kale and I always like to do projects, so we poured all the cement planters for the garden,” says Alora.

They bought concrete mix and built the molds themselves. “There were many nights of mixing cement in our garage. It’s not that hard—just kind of messy.”

The couple also built their own trellis for this area, which will act as a support for a clematis this growing season.

Brayden says he loves seeing clients customize and personalize their spaces.

“When you have a homeowner who is competent and knows how to build the awesome accent pieces that they’re envisioning, it’s a wonderful way for them to feel a sense of ownership in their yard.”

The couple's French bulldog, Birdie, enjoys her perch on the couple’s new outdoor sectional.

30 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

Puppy Pad for Two Incorporating some green space for their French bulldog, Birdie, was another key element to the backyard design.

Keystone installed an artificial grass rather than real grass, says Brayden.

Keystone installed an artificial grass ‘puppy pad’ for easy cleanup and to negate the need for a lawn mower.

“With real grass, you have to have fertilizer and a lawn mower, and it’s such a small area, so we decided on an artificial turf that keeps pet odours out.”

Birdie now shares the space with Pearl—an Italian greyhound Alora and Kale welcomed into their home last summer.

The Crowning Jewel Kale and Alora’s backyard has proven to be a perfect space for both quiet time and entertaining.

“I think I had my coffee out in the backyard every

morning last summer. We ate most of our dinners out there,” says Alora. “We are really close with our families so we had both sets of parents over and we would sit around the fire.”

The completed landscaping “was like the jewel on top of the whole project,” says Alora.

“We use our backyard so much. There isn’t a single thing I wish we had done differently.”

Julie Barnes

Keystone designed the dry riverbed to control runoff and give a sense of movement to the yard.

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Colours of the Year Ultimate gray and illuminating by: Karin melberg schwier Pantone, the ‘global authority and provider of professional color language standards and digital solutions for the design community,’ has been choosing the “it” colour of the year that influences all manner of industries for over two decades. This year, for only the second time in its

32 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

22-year history, two colours are taking centre stage. The self-explanatory Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, a vibrant yellow, step forward as an expression of positive optimism grounded in stability.

Fortitude and Hope According to Pantone, its selections PANTONE 17-5104

Photos: pantone color institute

Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, were paired to create “a marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.” Rather than a “harmonious blend” like the only other duo Pantone has ever selected—the 2016 choice of Rose Quartz and

Serenity—this year’s choice are independent shades that can make it on their own while complementing one another. It’s also a first in that Ultimate Gray is an achromatic shade (a colour without colour, if that makes it clear.)

In Sa s k a t ch e wa n where wheat and canola

is ubiquitous, people understand yellow. And as the sunniest province in the country with well over 300 sunshiny days each year, the choice of Illuminating makes sense.

But gray? As a Colour of the Year? Absolutely, says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. Lee has been called an international colour guru.

She speaks annually with Saskatoon HOME from her office on Bainbridge Island near Seattle about what’s behind the Colour of the Year selection or, in this case, Colours.

One would think that living on the ‘Wet Coast’ on an island in the Puget Sound

that can receive over 1,000 millimeters of precipitation a year, a colour expert’s least appealing hue would be gray.

But not so.

“Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope,” Lee explains.

While gray can be associated with dreary days, gloom and sadness, it also offers a sense of stability, reminiscent of pebbles on the shoreline and weathered boulders in the landscape that can stand the test of time. Pairing that grit and fortitude with a sanguine sunshine yellow “encourages and uplifts us,” Lee

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insists. “It’s essential to the human spirit.”

The pairing also suggests the importance of moving ahead together rather than merely as a sole entity.

“Although each of the selected colors can stand on their own,” Lee says, “it is the linkage of the hues that symbolizes the connection that must exist between each of us so we can move together to the future.”

and purchasing decisions in many industries, including fashion, home furnishings, décor and industrial design, as well as product packaging, graphic design and social media. As soon as the 2021 Colours of the Year were announced in late 2020, and even before the official vote was declared, these colours were already infiltrating various industries, marketing campaigns, interior design, décor and fashion.

A Splash of Colour is Big Business The Colour of the Year selection process requires “thoughtful consideration and trend analysis,” Pantone explains to anxious audiences awaiting the news each year. To arrive at the selection, colour experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new colour influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles and socio-economic conditions.

Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, and textures that affect colour, relevant social media platforms and even up-coming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.

The annual choice also drives product development

Emerging from 2020 The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating “expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude,” says Lee. “We’ve come through an extraordinarily chaotic, frightening and worrisome year and we’re not out of the woods yet.” As people look

PAST COLOuRS OF THE YEAR

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for ways to fortify themselves with energy, clarity and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty, she adds, spirited and emboldening shades satisfy our quest for vitality.

“Although gray might seem a rather sober choice, this particular Ultimate Gray is a lighter, easier tone evoking more pleasant associations such as encountering pebbles

or weathered driftwood on a much-needed beach walk,” she adds.

“These are grounded tones that can bring thoughts of quiet, restoring experiences.”

As 2020 becomes a memory, people want to believe their feet are firmly planted on solid ground as a turbulent year is left behind.

Ultimate Gray is emblematic of dependability. “We can also look up and look ahead

to a better year,” Lee adds.

“Illuminating is a bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity, a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power.”

Karin Melberg Schwier

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Bigger, Boulder, Better

One Family's Rock-Solid Approach to Boulderscaping

Bryan and Carmen McCrea bought their Arbor Creek home in January 2020 and aside from a few mature trees, the lot was a run-of-the-mill grass lawn. It backed onto one of the City’s concrete sound attenuation walls designed to reduce traffic noise from College Drive, and other than that

36 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

feature and a slight slope at the back, the yard was a bit of an open concept. As a family with three small energetic boys who love rough and tumble outdoor play, a plain old lawn wasn’t going to cut it.

Planting the Future Carmen, a high school teacher, started working on

designs for trees and shrub placement on the one-third acre lot. Her plan was that plantings would ultimately mature into a forest with secret pathways and canopies. The kid contingent includes five-year-old twins Foster and Linclon, and two-year-old Pearson who all love to spend time in the yard.

Making the outdoors more interactive and inspiring was on Carmen’s mind.

“The natural slope was there at the back of the lot,” explains Bryan. “Our kids love running around outside, so Carmen had the idea to build a pathway. Once the tress and shrubs grow it will feel like being in Fern Gully.”

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by: Karin melberg schwier Photos: Lillian lane The couple added a hardscape patio in that same area of the yard to capture evening sun, the perfect spot for a Mom-and-Dad glass of wine as the kids blow off steam before bedtime.

“Carmen is a green thumb,” Bryan insists. “She spent lots off time putting together her wish list of trees and shrubs.

We collaborated with David Kearns, a Saskatoon-based arborist. He helped us select and plant all of what you see back there.” The exception is the large apple, elm and birch trees and a few raspberries and a black currant, all there when the house was purchased. Carmen and David worked to

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Legacy Yard Works tackled a harsh slope and did a lot of groundscaping to lessen the incline in some areas, and make it greater in others. "Try wheeling 80-plus wheelbarrow loads of mulch at a steep slope and you’ll understand the scope of the job.” says the company’s Alison Friesen.

incorporate those large trees into the design and added purple sand cherries, caragana, junipers, and nine bark bushes. They also added scots pine, swiss stone pine, weeping white spruce, lilac, silver maple and Russian olive.

Fun and Low Maintenance Beyond the new foliage, Carmen’s backyard ‘must have’ list featured a fire pit, enough grass to have fun but not too much to maintain, a pathway, upper patio, and a spot for an above-ground pool.

“We wanted to build a staycation feel,” says Bryan.

Little did they know then how important home time would soon become as the pandemic lockdown decree approached. “The three boys need lots of space and opportunities to burn off energy. With such a big lot, we had to give lots of thought to making things low maintenance. For example,

38 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

all the grassed area is edged so no whipper snipping required.”

Bryan is a co-founder of 3twenty Modular, a general contractor that builds projects using a prefab building process—a concept that captured the attention of W. Brett Wilson on Dragons’ Den. Thinking outside the box isn’t a new thing. He and Carmen hired Legacy Yard Works to help put Carmen’s additional wish list into play and fleshed out her initial designs.

Then the company presented them with a particularly weighty possibility.

A Rock-Solid Idea Legacy Yard Works brought the ‘boulderscaping’ idea to the couple. It was an opportunity to showcase their artistic landscaping design approach and use of out-of-the-ordinary hardscaping materials (see sidebar). The project involved 36 tonnes of boulders, all

sourced locally from Legacy’s supplier pits in Martensville and Langham. Bryan and Carmen believe in buying local, even when it comes to big boulders. Just an fyi, a metric tonne weighs in at just over 2,200 pounds.

“We were super open and flexible,” says Bryan.

“So we connected our visions with theirs and it just clicked. Once we saw what Legacy was doing, it very quickly reminded us of the Canmore area.” The boys, he added, were excited about the prospect of their own mountains to climb.

It’s clear that the rock placement and pathways are intentional, far more than a load of boulders dumped off in the yard. But neither does it look all neat and tidy.

There’s a more natural look the couple appreciates.

To create this majestic rock staircase, there was a lot of planning, creativity and heavy lifting.

Perfecting the Hang Dog As the McCrea boys grow up with boulders in their Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 | 39

playpen—and while they wait for those new trees to be a climbable size—their parents aren’t too concerned about helicoptering their activities.

There may be some risk of falls, bumps on the head and—God forbid—a knocked out tooth but no more than what lies in wait on the ice in any hockey arena or on a skateboard deck.

With big beautiful boulders beckoning the boys to play, they might want to brush up on mountaineering terms like hang dog, lie-back, sewingmachine leg, and red point.

Hopefully they’ll avoid learning first-hand about the whipper and especially the screamer.

“Our kids have always loved ‘big play’,” says Bryan.

“Running, jumping, and yes, falling. Although they love running around on the

Pre-planning and flexibility are key to making boulderscaping look natural.

Rock concert Making a collection of boulders look “natural” takes some orchestration. There’s a concerted effort to determine where and how much earth to excavate from the site, choosing sizes, shapes and colours, knowing how to place—and adjust placement—given limited accessibility, and working with a flexible and creative crew.

Moving a flat stair stone that weighs 1.1 tonne isn’t as easy as moving a couch to the other side of the living room. “We choose a few from our yard that we know will work well, and load the rest of the truck with various sizes and colours,” explains Alison Friesen of Legacy YardWorks. “Once we start placing, we chain and strap up a specific boulder as a starting point, have one person in the equipment and two or three crew members who turn, place, 40 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

and lift several times, stabilize and pack into place. Then on to the next one.” She says some behave perfectly; others are a bit more persnickety.

Once the main boulders are in, the fillers go in and the design is completed with specifically chosen statement pieces that show off shape and colour. “The point of a natural hardscape is to make it look as natural as possible.” In a project this size, Alison adds, “the design plan changes throughout the placement so we need to have a lot of design options going in to make it turn out stunning and secure. We think making decorative statements with natural steps, retaining walls, and just general boulder placing is our favourite part of landscaping.” Bryan, Carmen and the boys think it’s well worth all that heavy lifting.

Photo Credits: Bryan McCrea

The McCrea boys have loved every step of the process.

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pathway, they spend more time jumping from rock to rock.” Like goats, these kids are learning to tackle terrain and how to move their bodies to get where they want to go.

Stepping Stones And who knows how a boulder might shape future pursuits? It was Sir Edmund Hillary, the New Zealander who first conquered Mount Everest, who said, “People do not decide to become

extraordinary. They decide to do extraordinary things.”

Mount Everest’s peak is 29,035 feet. To five-year-old twins Foster and Lincoln, with two-year-old Pearson close on their heels, the highest rock at the back of their yard might be just as awe-inspiring. Besides, even Sir Edmund had to start somewhere.

Karin Melberg Schwier

306-230-5937 www.northernsky.ca Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

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Backyard Whimsy

Magical and Mystical Close to Home by: Karin melberg schwier Maybe it was the itchy feeling from quarantine or imaginations run amok during self-isolation, but many Saskatoon residents found creative outlets for their pent-up energy during the pandemic.

For some, the fruits of their labours have cheered

up countless neighbours, staycation destination seekers, and sometimes the media, all looking for a little comic relief and innocent wonder during unsettling times. Saskatoon HOME visited a few of these local points of interest.

So a Squirrel Walks Into a Bar… Rather than letting a pandemic drive him to drink, retired mechanical engineer Dave Hunchak built himself a saloon. A while back, he built a cute bar with stools–bird feeder size—and was amused when squirrels bellied up for peanuts and a peanut butter chaser. Someone suggested it would be fun to see a fullblown watering hole.

Scaled the same as Barbie doll accessories— 1/6th scale—the saloon is dollhouse-like and Dave’s woodworking skills came in

42 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

handy. His son’s 3D printer was enlisted to create the miniatures for the One Star Saloon.

“The 3D printer was great for doing the intricate bits and pieces and odd shaped parts that would be hard to fabricate,” says Dave. He created bottles and cups, brackets for the footrail at the bar, swinging doors, wagon wheels and nicetouch pinecone finials on the stairway posts and railings. Family members scoured magazines for tiny logos to paste on the bottles;

Photo Credit: Dave Hunchak

Photo Credit: Dave Hunchak

Photo Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier

Photo Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier

there’s even a Lysol bottle as a sardonic nod to former President Trump.

It’s one thing to have a saloon open for business during a global pandemic.

But what if customers don’t come? Dave didn’t worry long. He soon had plenty of well-behaved regulars.

Some, though, throw bottles and peanut shells on the floor, overturn chairs and climb on the piano. There

were even one or two who’d crawl up the stairs to the second storey of ill repute, enticed by a come-hither lady squirrel portrait, painted by Dave’s daughter.

“Squirrels are territorial, so there have been a few brawls,” says Dave, who shot many adorable photos.

“The bar fights were always so fast, I never got a chance to capture those.”

“It’s been fun trying to

get squirrels into realistic positions,” says Dave. A little dab of peanut butter inside a beer mug will have Stumpy—a regular with a short tail—and his bar mates holding mugs in their hands like real cowboys blowing the head of a brew after a dusty day on the trail.

“I enjoy making models so when COVID hit, it seemed like a good project,” says Dave. It captured the

attention of media outlets from as far away as Calgary.

Each tried to outdo the others with nut-related adjectives and puns. “The media attention was surprising, but it is the kind of light-hearted story people really like when things look bleak.”

There are no plans to open a Two Star Saloon. Social distancing makes the profit margin go squirrely.

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 | 43

Saskatoon's First Hobbits in City Park It’s not often that hobbits go on adventures. The epic tales of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins are legendary because they are unusual.

According to J.R.R. Tolkien, hobbits normally are a “plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”

Perhaps hobbits heard there were toques in Canada and mistakenly believed long-lost relatives lived here. Whatever the impetus, wanderlust in the Took side of the family led two hobbits—Lily and Raven—to set hairy-toed feet on a Shire path leading all the way to Saskatoon. To City Park, to be exact. To a dirt mound they turned into a comfortable hole in the ground with a bright blue door.

The hobbit hole appeared in the front yard of the Harder family. Scott Harder, a chiropractor, along with Ann Marie and son Nathan, were working on a landscaping project. They removed the old grass, put in some stone-lined swales to move rainwater, and added larger rocks for interest. One morning, Ann Marie said, “I think that looks like a hobbit hole.” It was true; hobbits had laid claim to a pile of leftover dirt by the east fence and now the drain had a bridge across it and a path leading to a tiny mailbox. The hobbits acquired hobbit-sized garden tools. The sod roof is suitable for gardening and they have claimed the other side of the sidewalk for pumpkins and squash.

The Tooks are very shy and Photo Credits: Karin Melberg Schwier

44 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

Photo Credits: Karin Melberg Schwier

mind their own business.

The Harders and the Tooks co-exist peacefully on the property; the Harders moved to the house on Ninth Avenue North 24 years ago. They raised son Nathan, now 23, a U of S BFA theatre design student, who is also finishing a second degree in modern languages. Daughter Avery, 27, an electrical engineering student, is also working on a computer science degree.

While they admit they have never actually seen the Tooks, the Harders can tell when they’re home most evenings.

A tiny 10-lumen solar cell on the chimney powers a glow inside visible through the window. The Tooks do a lot of reading by lamplight, especially tales like There and Back Again and any one of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They are very proud of Nathan and Avery for

getting a U of S education.

Bookish pursuits are very important to hobbits.

Interest in the Tooks really took off when the media seized on them as a happy diversion during the pandemic. Scott reports that “it went from having a few people stop to take photos and pose in front of the hobbit house, to hundreds.”

Some drive by slowly, others park to get a closer look. One favourite was a big, burly biker type who stopped, looked around furtively, crossed the road and took a quick photo. “Kind of a closet hobbit fan.”

Children often drop off letters and notes, elaborate pictures, and well wishes.

By late January 2021, the Tooks had received nearly 200 letters, cards, and pieces of art. Many pose pointed questions (the hobbits much appreciate self-addressed reply envelopes with stamps) and some come from as far away as Calgary. Some children write in Dwarvish

or Elvish runes that need to be deciphered before a response can be sent. The Tooks answer each with a polite handwritten response, and often include a floor plan of their home and drawings of themselves. They don’t have modern technology like cameras. The Harders mail replies or leave them in the mailbox for children to retrieve. There are dozens of penpals now.

Though familiar with Tolkien’s stories, the Harders were never big fans of hobbit stories. But they have enjoyed seeing so many happy people stop, hoping for even a glimpse of a real live hobbit.

The Tooks received many visits over the holidays, and miniature gifts—including extremely small cookies, tiny Christmas cards, and festive chocolates—were left.

Ann Marie says having hobbits move into their garden is a wonderful thing.

“You are in for a lot of fun if you're lucky enough to have it happen to you.”

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 | 45

Birdhouses on the Brain Deborah Grenier isn’t so much a bird watcher as she is a birdhouse watcher.

On the Grenier acreage about six miles west of Saskatoon, her collection of birdhouses is taking over her flowerbeds.

“I saw the idea in a magazine years ago,” she says. “Most are decorative. I come across them in various places. They just stumble into my path.”

Her collection first filled a perennial flowerbed and it’s creeping into others.

“I’ve tried to contain the collection but I just can’t!”

With each addition, husband Don sinks a post and screws the house down

for stability. “I check they’re at the right height. I just love the colour and interest they add year round.”

Over the years, Deborah has replaced a few and now pays closer attention to durability. Saskatchewan weather can be harsh in any season.

So far, she hasn’t had any tenants move in.

“We get birds who like to perch, but we haven’t had problems with the farm cats. They usually hang out at the barn.” So far, her collection hasn’t spread that far. Yet.

Photo Credit: Deborah Grenier

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Fairies, Dragons and Bears, Oh My!

Photo Credits: Amy Schiller

Crescent, there’s also a Charlie Brown display for Christmas. And four years ago, fairies began showing up.

“About then I met Brian,” says Beth. A soulmate who shares a love of fairies and dragons, it was a match

People have to be careful where they step on Beth Rudolph’s property.

Woodland animals began showing up 20 years ago, starting with a Mother’s Day gift from daughter Jessica. Because the house is on Brown

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made in heaven. “Both of us were very excited to start a fairy garden.” They spent many weekends at home and garden stores looking for fairies, dragons, tiny houses and accessories.

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on a grass-like surface but didn’t want to constantly move them to mow.

We decided on using a longer bladed turf,” Beth explains. “It was Brian’s idea to place a sheet of blue corrugated plastic cardboard under the turf

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so that we could cut out the river and pond.”

The yard is Beth and Brian’s summer hobby and it shows. Dragons began appearing on top of the recycle shed.

Now a dinosaur fights o ff g n o m e s i n t h e

back flowerbed. Colour changing solar lights lets the couple enjoy the yard in the evenings from the deck or hot tub.

“Last year, Brian and I were married,” Beth says.

“We had a fairy-anddragon-themed wedding,

complete with a six-foot air blown two-headed dragon who also makes an appearance at Halloween.

Each spring, Beth and Brian look forward to setting up for visitors.

“We are happy to show our yard to anyone who

shares the same love of fairies, dragons and other small creatures of the forest.”

Karin Melberg Schwier

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MAUREEN'S KITCHEN Angel Food Cakes By: Maureen haddock

Often considered a symbol of spring, the egg is one of the most versatile foods available. At this time of year, I think about my childhood visits to my aunt and uncle’s farm where there were often

too many eggs. A huge Pyrex bowl filled with eggs sat on the countertop. My aunt could whip up an angel food cake in minutes, and she was famous, locally, for her prizewinning Toasted Coconut

Angel Food Cupcakes.

Angel food cakes have long been considered a treat because in the days before stand mixers they required extreme effort to create. Imagine how long it

would take to whip air into egg whites by hand until stiff peaks formed. By the mid to late 1800s, tools like the hand-crank rotary eggbeater had been invented and by the 1900s stand mixers

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

51

appeared on the market.

In the early 1950s, Betty Crocker launched an angel food cake mix that contained powdered egg whites.

Although mixes improved with each decade, they couldn’t replicate the angel food cakes my aunt used to make.

In the 1970s, recipes using angel food cake mixes as a base were featured in many magazines. I often used a mix to make Lemon Angel Food Slice or Spiced Autumn Angel Food Dessert.

My favourite was Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Coffee Whipped Cream.

These days we have an exciting cake mix option.

Kinnikinnick’s Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake Mix tastes just like homemade. The box contains the perfect blend of gluten-free dry ingredients to which one adds 1 ½ cups of real egg whites. If you don’t

want to have loads of yolks left over, you can use Simply Egg Whites by Naturegg.

When making an angel food cake, it’s important to use grease-free baking utensils, mixing bowls, and pans. If I am concerned about traces of oil left from a previous recipe, I simply wipe the surface of the bowl with a vinegar-soaked paper towel and follow with a clear rinse.

The following recipe for homemade angel food produces a cake with a lovely texture. It isn’t too sweet, so it’s great with fruit and sauces. It is also quick and easy to make as long as you have a stand mixer. If you are fortunate enough to have an old family recipe that you love, be sure to type it out with instructions and a little history. Future generations will thank you.

Egg colour is determined by the genetics of the hen that produced it.

52 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

Vintage Angel Food Cake This is a smaller recipe, so the size of the pan determines the height of the cake. You will need a sieve or sifter for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 375°F Ingredients: 1 cup sifted cake and pastry flour. Sift first, then measure and level 1 ¼ cups fine granulated sugar (divide in half) 1 cup egg whites (8-10) ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cream of tartar ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon almond extract

Toasted CoconutAngel Food Cupcakes Toasting Coconut Spread 2 cups of unsweetened, flaked coconut onto an aluminum cookie sheet. If you only have a few cupcakes, toast less coconut. Place the pan in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Set aside while you ice the cupcakes.

Preparing the Cupcakes Remove the paper liners from the cupcakes and invert them on a rack. Once cool, ice the bottom, which is now the top, and the sides, with your favourite buttercream icing. While the icing is still sticky, roll the cupcakes in toasted coconut. Let the cupcakes sit for an hour before eating, freezing, or serving. I can never wait that long because these fluffy treats are delicious.

Sift the flour with ½ cup of the sugar, together, twice, and set aside.

Beat room temperature egg whites and salt until foamy.

Once the eggs are foamy, sift in the cream of tartar. Add the remaining sugar, 4 tablespoons at a time, beating through each addition. Beat in the flavouring. Continue beating until the whites develop a nice sheen and form stiff peaks that hold their shape. A spoon will stand up in egg whites that are stiff enough.

Next, gently fold the flour-sugar mixture into the egg whites in 4 separate lots, until no flour shows.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased, ten-inch tube pan, cut batter with a knife to remove air pockets, and level the top with a spatula.

Bake at 375°F for 35 to 45 minutes. This will produce a cake that is about three inches high. If you use a smaller pan to make a taller cake, just fill it to the ¾ mark. I often bake this recipe in my 7 ½-inch pan and use the extra batter to make a few cupcakes.

When golden brown, remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan. Leave the cake in the pan to cool.

To make cupcakes, line muffin tins with large cupcake wrappers and fill each to the ¾ mark.

Cupcakes will bake within 15 minutes, and there is no need to invert them while they cool.

If you plan to make delicious Toasted Coconut Angel Food Cupcakes, remove the wrappers while the cakes are still slightly warm.

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

53

Angel Food Tips and Tricks

The colourful eggs featured in our angel food cakes were a gift to Maureen from Maria and Elise Mann, the owners of a Saskatoon company called The Egg Mann.

They are in the business of raising chickens, and know a good egg when they see one. These young entrepreneurs were the 2020 winners of the Get a Bigger Wagon Young Entrepreneur Awards - age 7 to 9 category.

Recipes in italics at

www.getabiggerwagon.com

•

For a tall, 10-inch angel food cake, use a recipe calling for at least 1 ½ cups of whites.

•

Egg whites whip better when they are at least 3 days old and at room temperature. Grocery store eggs will be older than 3 days.

•

If you use grocery store eggs, you must store them in the fridge. If your eggs are farm fresh and they haven’t been washed, you can store them on the counter; washing removes nature’s protection.

•

A gift of farm fresh eggs could never be wasted at my house.

One dozen egg whites will yield a beautiful angel food cake, allowing me to make a Golden Angel Food Cake. Gord’s Favourite Butterscotch Pudding also requires yolks. For other yolk-based recipes visit www.getabiggerwagon.com.

•

Angel food cakes are super easy to make, but if you’ve never made one, start with a Kinnikinnick brand mix which is sort of a hybrid between a cake mix and a scratch cake so you can add your own touches.

•

If you aren’t sure how fresh your eggs are, do the water test as outlined in the 1915 Five Roses Cookbook. Gently lower an egg into a bowl or tumbler filled with water. If it sinks to the bottom it is fresh. If it hovers in the middle, use it soon. If it floats, throw it away.

•

So many more hues than white and brown! Did you know that egg colour is determined by the genetics of the hen that produced it?

Maureen Haddock

54 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

Help prepare your child for school and commit to reading 1,000 books with them before Kindergarten!

Once you register, you and your child will earn badges and literacy tips for reaching various milestones.

For more information and to register, visit

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Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

55

McNab Park memorial gateway and plaque, ca. 1960.

HOMEtown Reflections

Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - QC-215-2

mcnab park Born in the shadow of the atom bomb, McNab Park was once a symbol of the rising tensions between East and West known as the Cold War. Today, this quirkiest of Saskatoon neighbourhoods is the site of a shiny new business park. But for more than half a century, it was a place to call home.

Tucked between Circle Drive and the airport, the McNab Park area was first surveyed more than a hundred years ago, during

56 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

the city’s first big real estate boom just before the First World War. Like dozens of other fringe-area subdivisions from those days, Devonshire Heights and Drummond Place were never more than a speculator ’s daydream.

Nothing would be built there until 1952, when the Saskatoon airport underwent a major expansion as an air force training base.

Indeed, the story of McNab Park is inextricably

linked to the history of aviation in Saskatoon.

Spirits Soar Few things symbolize the exuberance and optimism of the 1920s better than the airplane. The “Roaring ‘20s” they called them, and the thing that roared loudest were the engines of aircraft taking to the skies.

Newspapers were full of the exploits of daring aerialists as they set and broke records almost daily. Aviation had

By: Jeff O’Brien

come to Saskatoon in 1919, when Stan McLelland started a flying service out at the west end of 22nd Street. By 1930, Saskatoon had the second largest flying club in Canada and our own aerial celebrity, Nellie Carson, who set an aviation record that year by flying to 16,000 feet without an oxygen mask.

Saskatoon had its own airport by then, west of Avenue A just past 51st Street.

It was a humble affair, with a couple of hangars and a small

building that was sometimes used as a weather station.

But in 1939, Canada went to war and in 1940, the federal government transformed our sleepy, country airfield into a sprawling air force training school, one of more than two hundred built across Canada to supply pilots and aircrew

for the war effort. By the time the school closed at the end of the war, more than 2,400 pilots had graduated from there.

Airport Expansion Calls for Married Quarters But governments around the world were awakening to new geopolitical realities,

including, by the 1950s, the prospect of nuclear war. In March of 1951, the Canadian government announced that several of the wartime training schools would be re-opened, including here in Saskatoon, which was to be home to an advanced flying school, training pilots on

multi-engined aircraft. Work on the ten-million dollar expansion to the airport began later that spring, including accommodations for at least some of the base families in “PMQs”— Permanent Married Quarters.

The training school opened on January 1, 1952 and

Berney Avenue looking north, 1952.

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Star Phoenix Collection - S-SP-B-1901-001

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Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

57

A map from 1969 shows McNab Park's location with street names from that time.

Newly-completed and ready to move in, 1953.

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Star Phoenix Collection - S-SP-B-2292-002

the first families moved into their new quarters the following November.

In total, 162 PMQs were constructed, including singledetached houses, duplexes and larger buildings of up to six units each. Heated by steam via underground pipes from a central heating plant, they were equipped with the most modern of appliances including electric ranges, refrigerators and washing machines. They had hardwood floors, three-footwide stairways, “oodles” of built-in kitchen cupboards, to quote the newspaper, and four-piece bathrooms, including shower.

New Community Takes Flight In 1955, the new community was officially named McNab Park after former Saskatoon MLA and provincial Lieutenant Governor, Archie McNab, who died in 1945. A memorial wall and plaque were formally dedicated at a ceremony that summer that included McNab’s wife and his son, Second World War fighter pilot Group Captain Ernie McNab. McNab Park was a community like any other.

There was a community association, which raised

58 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

money to build amenities like a curling rink and a playground. The school was a little different in that it included a Catholic teacher for students of the Roman Catholic faith. Although it wasn’t part of Saskatoon until 1965, McNab teams competed in the various sports leagues operated by the Saskatoon Playgrounds Association, and there were floats from the McNab playgrounds unit in the Saskatoon Children’s Day parades.

But it was also unlike any other. People lived at addresses like “O-4 and “D-6”, in buildings identical to those found on military bases across the country. It was isolated, far out on the city’s fringe, with fields all around and no bus service. And the people who lived there were all military, which meant that while they came from all over and they never stayed long, they were connected in ways that bound them more tightly than in any other neighbourhood in the city.

But cuts to defence spending in the early 1960s spelled the end of Saskatoon’s air force base. In 1962, the flying schools were moved to Manitoba, taking most of the base personnel with

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Star Phoenix Collection

McNab Park School, 1981.

Photo Credit: Local History Room - Saskatoon Public Library - CP-8251-31

Children playing at the rink at McNab School, Feb. 1985.

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Star Phoenix Collection - S-SP-A-23169-006

them. A small complement remained behind to support the local reserve unit, but this was temporary. Early in 1964, operations here shut down completely and the base was closed.

Low Income Housing Needed It was the end of Station Saskatoon. But not the end of McNab Park. The federal Crown Asset Disposal Corporation initially entered into a sales agreement with a private consortium based in Edmonton. But Saskatoon’s City Council wanted McNab as a low-income housing district, of which the city was in desperate need. A tussle of interests ensued. But the city’s plans were contingent on financial assistance from the federal and provincial governments, which was not forthcoming. In the end, McNab was sold to Winnipeg-

based Framar Investments as a rental property.

The city annexed McNab Park in August 1965. That September, the school was sold to the Saskatoon Public School board just in time to re-open for the 1965-1966 school year. Half-hourly bus service was instituted that fall, and other city services as well, so that it was soon just another Saskatoon neighbourhood.

But the writing was always on the wall for McNab. Isolated and distant, buried in an otherwise industrial district with little likelihood of new construction happening, it was living on borrowed time from the start.

People from there remember it fondly. It was a town within a city, an affordable community with big back yards and places to play, where everyone

A typical McNab Park home living room, 1952.

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Star Phoenix Collection - S-SP-B-1901-006

PMQs under construction at RCAF Station Saskatoon, 1952.

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Star Phoenix Collection - S-SP-B-1672-003

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 | 59

Multi-unit quarters, 1952.

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Star Phoenix Collection - S-SP-B-1901-002

Boarded-up house on Berney Avenue, 2011.

Boarded-up house on Carole Crescent, January 2021.

Photo Credit: City of Saskatoon Archives - Acc. 2011-033. Photo by Jeff O'Brien

knew their neighbours and doors were left unlocked.

McNab’s Death Knell But over the years, things changed. By 1985, enrolment at the school had dropped to less than a hundred, and the decision was made to demolish it. The president of the community association called it McNab Park’s “death knell.” With the passing years, the neighbourhood became deteriorated further, earning a reputation for crime that got it nicknames like “McStab Park.” In 2001, a police spokesman called the crime rate “staggering.”

In 2008, Saskatoon was booming. Property values were skyrocketing and

60 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

investors and money were pouring in. One of those investors put up $17 million to buy McNab Park with the goal of turning it into a high-end business park, with hotels and office buildings.

This was always the danger of living in McNab: that one day, the landlord was going to decide there was more money to be made using it for something other than low-rental housing. That day had finally come.

Real estate booms are wonderful if you’re high enough up the food chain.

But house prices can quickly climb beyond the reach of those at the bottom. By 2008, Saskatoon needed 3,500 new affordable housing

Photo Credit: Jeff O'Brien

units. Losing McNab was going to make the situation even worse.

A New Lease on Life That year, a private developer named Innovative Residential partnered with the City of Saskatoon to renovate ten of the largest McNab Park buildings and move them to Fairhaven.

Habitat for Humanity re-purposed another four buildings. Although showing their age, the houses in McNab had been solidly built of good-quality fir lumber, and the project was a success. Eighty-four living units—just over half of the total housing inventory— were saved from the landfill

and given new life serving the needs of Saskatoon’s most vulnerable.

Construction at the Aerogreen Business Park got underway in 2013. By then, only a few of the old McNab Park houses remained, most of them abandoned and empty, with only a handful of people still living there. In the fall of 2020, the last tenants were given notice to move.

There are still a few houses out there as of this writing (January 2021) but they are boarded up and empty, the last remnants of a unique moment in Saskatoon’s history.

Jeff O'Brien

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Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 |

Backyard Wedded Bliss

Planning an Intimate Wedding at Home Call it Plan B for “backyard.”

Angela Hodel from Imagine Events, a Saskatchewanbased event planner, had a full calendar of weddings booked in early 2020. By spring, 95 per cent of those weddings were postponed or cancelled due to COVID. The nuptials that went ahead became more intimate, al fresco affairs from the comfort of her clients’ backyards.

“We did a handful of backyard weddings because a lot of people were still holding out to see if they were going to be

62 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

able to have the larger wedding they had originally envisioned,” says Angela. “I think we’ll see a lot more backyard weddings in 2021 because we are still going to be managing COVID for the foreseeable future.”

Hosting your wedding at home is a budget-friendly option, says Angela. “The other thing is, it’s really nice to have that intimate feel. You don’t necessarily have to go anywhere—you can literally just get ready in your house and then walk outside and you’re at the party.”

Shelter, Power and Sanitation It might seem simpler than a wedding at a traditional venue with a 300+ guest list, but “there are a lot of logistical things behind the scenes that people don’t consider when they are hosting it in their own yard,” says Angela.

It’s not always a nice day for a white wedding in Saskatchewan, so having a tent or another form of shelter for inclement weather is one of the first items Angela discusses with her couples.

by: Julie barnes

“Does the tent need to be staked to the ground and are there power lines below? If you are hiring a DJ to play music for your ceremony, do you have adequate power to run the DJ’s equipment? If you have a caterer bringing in food, does it need to be kept hot? Will they need power?”

The backyard weddings Angela oversaw last summer ranged in size from 10 to 30 people, a figure that changed as SHA guidelines evolved. She says couples need to consider if they

are comfortable with their guests entering their home to use the washroom, or if they’d rather rent a portable restroom they can park in their driveway.

A n g e l a ’s b a ck y a r d weddings also included sanitation stations. “They’ve got hand sanitizer, masks and hand-washing stations for people to use as they are coming into the wedding,” she says. “Even with all close family and friends, it’s really important to follow all those safety measures.”

Even with a small backyard wedding, many of Angela’s clients rent chairs for a polished, unified look.

This archway formed the backdrop to one couple’s ceremony.

Photo Credits: Girl Boss Photography

Clear Communication Making your guests feel at ease about COVID safety measures starts with clear communication ahead of the big day, says Angela. It’s important to stay on top of the ever-evolving guidelines and ensure everyone understands them.

Last summer, that meant that Angela’s couples had to advise their guests in advance that everyone would have to wear a mask unless they were seated at their table, and that guests couldn’t mingle with people outside their household bubble. Tables and chairs for the ceremony and dinner were set up to ensure six-feet

of distance between bubbles.

Dances weren’t permitted, but some brides and grooms chose to include a first dance as a newly married couple.

Virtual Vows Under normal circumstances, Emily Post would certainly not have approved of rescinding a wedding invitation.

But today’s wedding guests are empathetic to the uncertainties of changing COVID protocol.

Incorporating a virtual component to your wedding is a way to include family and friends who can’t be there in person to celebrate with you.

Angela recommends including a separate information card with your invitations, stating, “Due to COVID restrictions we may have to downsize. Should that happen, please join us and virtually celebrate our wedding on this date.” Couples can create the link to the virtual wedding in advance, and include it on the card.

“A lot of people use platforms like Zoom or Facebook Live,” says Angela.

She recommends having one person who is dedicated to operating it, “so you are

Wedding ceremony seating is set up to ensure six feet of space between household bubbles.

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 | 63

Cupcakes are a popular option for wedding desserts. They are easily individually pre-packaged for guests.

DIY Décor: The couple who hosted this early spring backyard wedding handled all the décor themselves.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Lanktree Photoraphy

Photo Credit: Imagine Events

64 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

not having to worry about it.

It’s usually a family member or friend because the couple wants to make sure they’re not giving away a seat to a stranger.”

Facebook Live broadcasts your event, allowing your virtual guests to witness your wedding, but not interact.

If you’d like these remote guests to participate, by offering a toast for example, interactive platforms like Zoom are a better fit, Angela says. “It’s definitely a great way to keep other people engaged.”

“I recommend, maybe a week before, just testing it out so people know what it looks like and they can effectively take part,” she adds. “If you are doing Zoom, send out a link a week ahead of time so people can sign in and you can show them how to use it so that you’re not having to mitigate those issues on the day of the wedding.”

Testing the software from your planned outdoor event space will also help you verify if you have a strong enough internet connection to use it efficiently.

Eat, Drink and Be Married Food and drink guidelines are subject to change, but regardless of the rules, no one wants to see Uncle Steve speaking moistly over the sliders. In 2020, all food and drink had to be served to seated guests—self-serve buffets were a no-no.

Although most of Angela’s clients had a cake-cutting photo taken, those couples didn’t serve the cake to guests. “A lot of people ordered cupcakes, or had pre-packaged desserts,” she says. “It’s almost like wedding favours—you’re putting them at guests’ place settings and that is their wedding dessert.

It’s been pre-packaged by the cake baker.”

Even with smaller weddings, it’s the reception that usually requires a few rentals. Most of Angela’s clients had to rent items like tables, chairs, linen tablecloths, dishes, glassware and cutlery.

weddings at a rented venue, she says “we’ll definitely see a lot more micro weddings going forward.”

She thinks small, backyard weddings will be a continuing trend throughout 2021.

“When you have 300 guests, your attention is pulled in lots of different directions and you’re trying to get around to everybody and say hello,” she says. “It’s really quite difficult to do.”

Her clients who host smaller gatherings end up with a more memorable experience, “because they get to interact with those same 15 to 20 people for multiple hours. A lot of couples rave about it because it’s an experience that they typically wouldn’t have that allows them to celebrate one of the most special days of their lives with a very key group of people—their close family and friends.”

Julie Barnes

Making Memories Although Angela doesn’t envision the backyard wedding replacing larger

Saskatoon HOME spring 2021 | 65

viewfinder

A Local Project to admire each issue

Photo: @jonnypark

This stunning custom bed was designed with sleek floating features to give the condo owner a sophisticated style with maximum comfort. Originally located near the rear of the riverfront condo, the floor plan was flipped to give the master bedroom the best river views and the most natural light. It’s certainly a statement piece in this full Metric condo design and renovation project.

Want more inspiration? @metricdesign @azuzadesign

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.

66 | spring 2021 Saskatoon HOME

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