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#JustCurious: A Sask. legislative building history lesson

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REGINA -

The Saskatchewan Legislative building is one of the most historic properties in the province. It’s where government conducts business and introduces, debates and passes laws that impact you.

According to the Government of Saskatchewan website and the Sask. Archives, the building was designed by a from Montreal callked E. & W.S. Maxwell and the construction was carried out by another Montreal-based firm called Peter Lyall & Sons. Construction began in August 1908 and finally finished in 1912.

Prior to completion, the legislative assembly of Saskatchewan was in the North-West Territorial Administration Building on Dewdney Avenue.

The premier at the time, Walter Scott, saw limitations in the space and put the wheels in motion on a new space in 1905.

The location was subject of much controversy. The City of Regina had hoped for Town Park which is now home to the Creative Saskatchewan Soundstage. Victoria Park was also under consideration. Premier Scott, however, had already eyed up the space that the legislative building is currently located on, and proceeded to buy the area for a little over $96,000. Factoring in inflation rates, the cost at the time would be roughly $2.76 million today.

 

The plans originally called for the exterior to be red brick but once construction began, Premier Scott, decided that limestone would give it a more grandeur look and feel.

The building itself is comprised of dolomitic limestone, more commonly known as Tyndall Stone.Tyndall Stone, is actually a trademark name owned by Gillis Quarries Ltd. It’s sort of like how a lot of people call all tissues “Kleenex” but not all tissues come from that maker.

The stone comes from Selkirk, Man., and the mottling gives the rock a tapestry-like effect.

You’ll see the same in parliament buildings in Ottawa, and a number of Federal buildings.

In 2014, the Saskatchewan government did a lot of work on the stone and the dome.

The Chambers were designed to accommodate 125 MLA’s. Premier Scott expected that people would flood into Saskatchewan, which didn’t happened the way he envisioned. There are just over 60 MLA’s today, but that does leave plenty of room for expansion if our population does increase in such a way that warrants another representative.

The first session of the legislative library was held on Jan.11, 1911.

The final cost of construction in 1912 was $1.8 million dollars. That’s roughly $49.15 million today.

The Saskatchewan legislative building was the first to be named a Provincial Heritage Property in 1978 and earned a National Historic Site designation in 2005.

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