VIA Rail (Union) Station

Description of the Historic Place

The Via Rail (Union) Station is a one-storey railway station built by Canadian National Railway (CN) in 1964. It is located within the C.N. Yards Management Area on the southwest side of the City.

This historic place, located at 1701 Chappell Drive, was designated under the Federal Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act in 1996. The formal recognition is confined to the railway station building itself.

Heritage Value

Heritage value of the Via Rail (Union) Station lies in its ability to reflect the profound changes in rail transportation brought about by the introduction of diesel engines and container freighting during the mid-20th century. The creation of an up-to-date rail yard and a new passenger station on the outskirts of the city reflected both the need for reorganization and restructuring of rail service and facilities, and the continuing importance of Saskatoon within the Prairie railway system.

The heritage value of the Via Rail (Union) Station also lies in its significance as one of western Canada’s best examples of a station constructed in the International Style. This particular style is often characterized by large geometric forms, large un-textured (and often white) surfaces, large areas of glass and general use of steel or reinforced concrete construction.  The Via Rail (Union) Station’s sleek, straight lines, its balanced, symmetrical facades, its simple finishes and its open, sunlit plan exemplify modern station design.

Today, the Via Rail (Union) Station continues to serve as a prominent feature of the busy Chappell rail yards. The flat, simple, ground plan, and the open spaces surrounding the station complement the visual impact of its design.

Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database / Canadian Register of Historic Places

Character Defining Elements

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

• The simple massing and streamlined horizontal lines;
• Its rectangular and balanced symmetrical plan;
• The low, one-storey height, with a raised central section accentuating the interior concourse and the main entrances on the north and south facades;
• The contrast between solid and void, and sense of monumentality created by the two; the lower rectangular wings connected by a raised, glazed link; and
• Its International architectural style, evident in: the raised central roof, the entrance canopy that overhangs the vertical wall elements, the numerous windows on the upper portion of the raised central section, and the bands of windows on the one-storey side elevations.