City Park School

Description of the Historic Place

City Park School is a large three-storey brick building reminiscent of the ‘castle schools’. Constructed in 1928, City Park School is located in the neighbourhood of City Park at 820 9th Avenue North.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of City Park School lies in its architecture and its role as an educational institution and community focal point in its surrounding community. The building features a solid design by architect Frank P. Martin with traditional brick work. Its construction reflects the British tradition which emphasized simple, bold lines. Although the school was built later than the other 'castle schools' in Saskatoon, it still retains the traditional, collegiate look.  At the time of its opening in 1928, it was Saskatoon's third high school. 

The school was originally designed to accommodate 200 students but by the 1970s the student population was up to 900 and the school had to run split shift classes.  The first addition to the building occurred in 1957 with the addition of a gymnasium and auditorium. To accommodate the larger student population in the 1970s, an addition was put on the school in 1974.  This new section added 22,300 square feet and housed three new classrooms along with an expanded gymnasium and locker rooms. With the opening of Marion Graham Collegiate in 1984, there were no longer enough students to keep the school viable, and City Park School was subsequently closed.  The building was leased to the Saskatoon Region Community College for two years until it was reopened as a Saskatoon Public School in the fall of 1986. Since then City Park School has been an alternative secondary school.  The school provides education to students planning to directly enter the work force and now includes an auto mechanics shop, welding and woodworking facilities, a daycare and a preschool.

Today, in addition to its educational role in the community, City Park School provides a focal point for events and programming.

Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Those features and functions that relate to the building’s historical and cultural value such as its imposing and elaborate appearance representative in its form and its continued use as an educational/community facility; and
• Its British (castle school) style of architecture, evident in: its brick façade and central tower.