The Vimy Memorial

Description of the Historic Place

The Vimy Memorial, also referred as the Vimy Memorial Bandshell, is an open structure/monument supported by pillars that was built in honour of Canada's participation in the First World War at the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge. The monument was built in 1937, and is located in Kiwanis Park on the bank of the South Saskatchewan River facing the junction of 20th Street and Spadina Crescent.

This historic place is listed under Bylaw No. 6770 (Holding Bylaw). This Bylaw provides short-term protection of the building from demolition by providing for a 60 day holding period in the event a demolition permit is received. Within that 60 day period heritage designation is considered by City Council.

Heritage Value

The Vimy Memorial is a symbol of the lives that were lost during World War I, and the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The Battle of Vimy Ridge, which occurred in April of 1917, involved four Canadian divisions, 120,000 men, and resulted in 10,602 Canadian casualties - 3,598 of them being fatal. Vimy Ridge was the first great Canadian victory of World War I. The battle and its success was one of the rites of passage for Canada as it moved from colony to nation.

Inspiration for the erection of the Vimy Memorial came from the 1936 pilgrimage to Vimy, France made by 6,000 veterans and their families and all those who had lost loved ones in the Battle of Vimy Ridge.  The Kiwanis Club designed the Vimy Memorial to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in World War I, and to also serve as a centre where citizens could gather as a community to enjoy and participate in music. A special memorial committee was established and included many prominent Saskatoon citizens, including  A.N. Boyd (chairman), J.M. Stevenson (secretary), Frank P. Martin (architect),  R.J. Arrand (contractor), and A.H. Browne (superintendent of Parks for the City of Saskatoon).

The Vimy Memorial was built of concrete and painted white. The semi-domed roof, crowned with a lantern (a turret crowning a dome) is supported by eight pillars. Steps lead to the band area which is enclosed by an iron balustrade.  Above the entrance, carved in a band of grey corrugated concrete below the dome are the words: "VIMY MEMORIAL". A brass plaque to the left of the steps reads: "ERECTED 1936 - 1937 BY THE KIWANIS CLUB TO COMMEMORATE THE BATTLE OF VIMY RIDGE 1915". The dedication ceremony for the Vimy Memorial was attended by approximately 2,000 citizens. Throughout the years the monument came to be a centre for community concerts and events.  During the 1940s, patriotic war-related activities were organized and community sing-alongs were held on Sunday evenings.

In 1987, the City of Saskatoon began restoration of the Vimy Memorial. The past 50 years had weathered the memorial, and an effort was made to return the monument to a more original condition. Five layers of old paint were removed and a new paint, close to the original colour and texture, was applied. Cracks in the upper floor were routed out and filled with a special sealant.  Through the City’s Heritage Awards Program, the Vimy Memorial received an award for the renovation of a public site in 1988.

The Vimy Memorial is a prominent and symbolic landmark in Saskatoon, and even today the memorial continues to be used for organized public meetings, public concerts and weddings.

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 that relate to the monument's historical significance including its concrete structure, roof with crowned lantern, pillars, iron balustrade, inscriptions and brass plaque.