Union Station

Provincial Heritage Property

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 21, 2022

1. Union Station Marker

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Saskatchewan.

Prairies.

America,

Hemisphere,

World,

Anglosphere.

colony

Land.

Excerpt:  Regina's Former Canadian Pacific

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 21, 2022

2. Union Station Marker

The marker is mounted on the west/left side of the front facade.

Railway Station was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1911-13 and substantially renovated in 1931-32. This attractive 3-storey late Beaux-Arts building has a soaring central entrance arch. Today it is part of a large Casino complex situated at 1880 Saskatchewan Drive in downtown Regina.

Excerpt:  The heritage value of Union Station lies in its association with the development of the railway system in Saskatchewan. For 70 years, Union Station served as both the regional office for several railway companies and the main junction for passenger service in Saskatchewan. Constructed in 1911 by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Assistant Chief Engineer’s Office in Winnipeg, Union Station accommodated both the rail service and the divisional headquarters for the CPR and the Canadian Northern Railway. Increasing rail traffic soon necessitated the expansion of the station. A major expansion was undertaken in 1931 under the direction of J.F. Orroch, Construction Engineer for the CPR

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 21, 2022

3. Union Station (front/south elevation)

at Montreal, during which Union Station assumed the monumental look which reflects its status as one of the premier railway stations in Saskatchewan.

The heritage value of Union Station also lies in its architecture. As Regina was a major junction on the CPR mainline, Union Station was designed to exude the importance and modernity of the railway. A passenger arriving on a train would have been confronted by a Neo-Classical façade clad in cut stone that emphasized the station’s key place in the rail-system. This façade is characterized by high stone relief and includes a Roman arch surmounting the original entranceway. The elegance of the exterior is continued in the grand hall dominated by a vaulted ceiling and three large art deco chandeliers framed by detailed plasterwork. During the 1931 expansion, terrazzo floors, marble support columns and plaster molded ceilings heightened the grandeur of the interior. Exiting the station, a passenger would pass through a two-storey archway, the centerpiece of the Tyndall Stone façade facing downtown Regina. This façade exhibits a simplified, but monumental, Beaux-Arts influence. The classical

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nature of the building is emphasized by fluted stone pilasters and a prominent cornice.

The heritage value of Union Station resides in its association with the development of Regina. Prior to the widespread use of automobiles, the railway was the major access point to the city. Exiting the station, a passenger would immediately be confronted with a view of the length of Rose Street and the breadth of Railway Avenue (now Saskatchewan Drive), which runs parallel to the station’s façade. These two major roadways were important arteries in Regina’s road system. The largest and most important businesses in Regina were located within a few blocks of Union Station, many along these two streets, illustrating the importance of the railway to the city.

Excerpt:  The Beaux-Arts style Union Station was constructed in 1911–12 and was Regina's third train station. The station was completed the same year the deadly Regina Cyclone struck the city, tearing through Wascana Park and gutting part of the downtown area. The building underwent a major expansion in 1931, and the original façade was redone in a simpler Art Deco style with Tyndall stone. As well, terrazzo floors, marble support columns and plaster moulded ceilings were added to the interior.

In 1990, cutbacks to Via Rail throughout Canada lead to the closure of Regina's Union Station. The station had been an important part of Regina's history and heritage since its opening in 1912. After the station's closure, its fate remained unknown for several years. Union Station was designated as an official heritage site in November 1991. By 1995, a $37 million construction project began to convert the vacant station into the province's second casino. In 1996, Casino Regina opened.