Varsity View, Saskatoon
Encyclopedia
Varsity View is a mostly residential neighbourhood located near the center of Saskatoon
, Saskatchewan
, Canada
. It is immediately south of the University of Saskatchewan
campus. It is an older suburb
an subdivision
, comprising a mixture of low-density, single detached dwellings, detached duplexes and apartment-style units. As of 2007, the area is home to 3,611 residents. The neighbourhood is considered a middle-income area, with an average family income of $50,587, an average dwelling value of $284,710 and a home ownership rate of 38.7%. Its proximity to the university gives this area its relatively high student population - almost 25% in 2005.
Development was spurred by the establishment of the University of Saskatchewan
in 1907. The land for the Varsity View neighbourhood was annexed by the city in 1911; it was among the first parcels of land annexed after Saskatoon's incorporation five years earlier. The first homeowner was Richard Bottomley, an English real estate developer who was said to have invested $1.5 million in the real estate boom of 1912. His house, now referred to as Bottomley House, is a large, Queen Anne Revival style
home. It was designated a municipal heritage property on April 24, 2006.
In 1911, the school board purchased the block in which the Albert School
would be constructed; it opened in 1912 at 610 Clarence Avenue South. It was designed in the Collegiate Gothic style by Scottish architect David Webster
, who also designed several similar-looking schools (King George, King Edward, Buena Vista, Westmount, Caswell and Alexandra). Besides serving as an educational centre, Albert School played a big role in city sports, especially lacrosse and hockey. It was also used for other purposes, such as English classes for large numbers of Ukrainians in 1916.
According to a 1913 map, the current neighbourhood encompasses a collection of registered subdivisons were originally named University Annex, Bottomley Addition, Varsity Park and College Park (which would be reused to designate another neighbourhood
). College Drive and Elliott Street were not substantially developed until the late 1920s, while neighbouring Osler Street had to wait for residential construction until the early 1950s. The majority of the housing stock was built between 1946 and 1960. The oldest homes are located at the neighbourhood's north and west ends, as development progressed from the university campus and Nutana's
eastern edge. Two more schools, Brunskill and Bishop Murray, opened in the 1950s.
After more than seventy years, a drop in enrollments brought the closing of Albert School in 1978, after which it served as the centre for l'Ecole Francaise de Saskatoon. It became the Albert Community Centre in 1982, sparing it from the wrecking ball. It was officially designated a municipal heritage property on October 11, 1983.
of the Conservative Party of Canada
, first elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2006.
Provincially, Varsity View overlaps three separate constituencies:
In Saskatoon's non-partisan municipal politics, Varsity View lies within ward 6. It is currently represented by Councillor Charlie Clark, first elected in 2006.
The planting of 1500 spruce trees in President Murray Park was done under the supervision of Wyndham Winkler Ashley, a charter member of the Saskatoon Parks Board in 1912. W.W. Ashley Park in the Haultain
neighbourhood was named in his honour.
The Varsity View Community Association organizes events, delivers recreational and leisure programs, coordinates sports programs for children/youth and maintains the outdoor rink at Brunskill School.
business district. There are also a few businesses clustered near College Drive and Cumberland Avenue, bordering the University of Saskatchewan
campus. A couple of businesses also exist adjacent to Brunskill School on Temperance Street and Wiggans Avenue. 43 home-based businesses exist in the neighbourhood.
to the south, Cumberland Avenue to the east, and Clarence Avenue to the west. Roads are laid out in a grid fashion; streets run east-west, avenues run north-south. The University Bridge
connects the north end of the neighbourhood to the west side of Saskatoon.
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is immediately south of the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
campus. It is an older suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an subdivision
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
, comprising a mixture of low-density, single detached dwellings, detached duplexes and apartment-style units. As of 2007, the area is home to 3,611 residents. The neighbourhood is considered a middle-income area, with an average family income of $50,587, an average dwelling value of $284,710 and a home ownership rate of 38.7%. Its proximity to the university gives this area its relatively high student population - almost 25% in 2005.
History
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
in 1907. The land for the Varsity View neighbourhood was annexed by the city in 1911; it was among the first parcels of land annexed after Saskatoon's incorporation five years earlier. The first homeowner was Richard Bottomley, an English real estate developer who was said to have invested $1.5 million in the real estate boom of 1912. His house, now referred to as Bottomley House, is a large, Queen Anne Revival style
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
home. It was designated a municipal heritage property on April 24, 2006.
In 1911, the school board purchased the block in which the Albert School
Albert Community Centre
The Albert Community Centre is a designated Municipal Heritage Property located in the Varsity View, neighborhood of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Originally built as the Albert School, the two-and-a-half storey brick building served as a public school until 1978 when the building was sold to...
would be constructed; it opened in 1912 at 610 Clarence Avenue South. It was designed in the Collegiate Gothic style by Scottish architect David Webster
David Webster (architect)
David Webster was a Scottish-Canadian architect best known for his designs of elementary schools in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. His school designs were often in a Collegiate Gothic style emphasizing a central tower, locally referred to as a "castle style"...
, who also designed several similar-looking schools (King George, King Edward, Buena Vista, Westmount, Caswell and Alexandra). Besides serving as an educational centre, Albert School played a big role in city sports, especially lacrosse and hockey. It was also used for other purposes, such as English classes for large numbers of Ukrainians in 1916.
According to a 1913 map, the current neighbourhood encompasses a collection of registered subdivisons were originally named University Annex, Bottomley Addition, Varsity Park and College Park (which would be reused to designate another neighbourhood
College Park, Saskatoon
College Park is a primarily residential neighbourhood located in the east-central part of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The majority of its residents live in single-family detached dwellings, with a sizable minority of high-density, multiple-unit dwellings. As of 2007, the area is home to 5,255...
). College Drive and Elliott Street were not substantially developed until the late 1920s, while neighbouring Osler Street had to wait for residential construction until the early 1950s. The majority of the housing stock was built between 1946 and 1960. The oldest homes are located at the neighbourhood's north and west ends, as development progressed from the university campus and Nutana's
Nutana, Saskatoon
Nutana is a primarily residential neighbourhood located near the center of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It includes the business district of Broadway Avenue. It comprises a nearly even mixture of low-density, single detached dwellings and apartment-style multiple unit dwellings. As of 2009,...
eastern edge. Two more schools, Brunskill and Bishop Murray, opened in the 1950s.
After more than seventy years, a drop in enrollments brought the closing of Albert School in 1978, after which it served as the centre for l'Ecole Francaise de Saskatoon. It became the Albert Community Centre in 1982, sparing it from the wrecking ball. It was officially designated a municipal heritage property on October 11, 1983.
Government and politics
Varsity View exists within the federal electoral district of Saskatoon-Humboldt. It is currently represented by Brad TrostBrad Trost
Bradley Ryan "Brad" Trost is a Conservative Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Saskatoon—Humboldt....
of the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, first elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2006.
Provincially, Varsity View overlaps three separate constituencies:
- Saskatoon SutherlandSaskatoon SutherlandSutherland is a neighborhood or subdivision of the University Heights SDA, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.Saskatoon Sutherland is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada....
- North of 14th Street. It is currently represented by Joceline SchriemerJoceline SchriemerJoceline Schriemer is a Canadian politician. She was elected to represent the electoral district of Saskatoon Sutherland in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan in the 2007 election. She is a member of the Saskatchewan Party....
of the Saskatchewan PartySaskatchewan PartyThe Saskatchewan Party is a conservative liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal party members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic...
, first elected in 2007. - Saskatoon NutanaSaskatoon NutanaSaskatoon Nutana is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is named for the neighbourhood of Nutana which is one of several within its electoral boundaries.- External links :*...
- South of 14th Street and west of Munroe Avenue. It is currently represented by Pat AtkinsonPat AtkinsonPat Atkinson is a Canadian provincial politician. She was a Saskatchewan New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1986 to 2011, and is currently the longest-serving female MLA in Saskatchewan's history....
of the Saskatchewan New Democratic PartySaskatchewan New Democratic PartyThe Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
, first elected in 1986, and re-elected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007. - Saskatoon GreystoneSaskatoon GreystoneSaskatoon Greystone is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada.The district encompasses the Greystone Heights, Grosvenor Park, Brevoort Park and Wildwood neighbourhoods of Saskatoon....
- South of 14th Street and east of Munroe Avenue. It is currently represented by Rob NorrisRob NorrisRob Norris is a Canadian politician. He was elected to represent the electoral district of Saskatoon Greystone in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan in the 2007 election. He is a member of the Saskatchewan Party....
of the Saskatchewan Party, first elected in 2007.
In Saskatoon's non-partisan municipal politics, Varsity View lies within ward 6. It is currently represented by Councillor Charlie Clark, first elected in 2006.
Education
- Brunskill School - public elementary, part of the Saskatoon Public School DivisionSaskatoon Public School DivisionSaskatoon Public Schools is the largest school system in Saskatoon and is the second largest in Saskatchewan.Saskatoon Public Schools has approximately 22,000 students with 44 elementary schools and 9 high schools. The offices of the Saskatoon School Board are housed in the Eaton's Building. ...
. The school was built at a cost of $247,430 and opened in 1951. It was named after William 'Cy' Brunskill, a longtime member of the school board. It was the first single-storey school in Saskatoon with a specially designed kindergarten room and main floor playrooms. It was also the first school where the principal was not assigned a particular grade to teach. Brunskill School was the first Saskatoon elementary school to have a centralized library. The school was closed for the 1999-2000 school year while almost the entire building was demolished and then rebuilt. Classes resumed at the "renovated" school in the fall of 2000. - Bishop Murray High School - separate (Catholic) secondary, part of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School DivisionGreater Saskatoon Catholic School DivisionGreater Saskatoon Catholic School Division is Saskatchewan’s largest Catholic school division. The Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division has approximately 15,000 students in 44 schools located in Saskatoon and surrounding rural districts. St. Pauls R.C.S.S.D No. 20 belongs to Department of...
. The school was originally an elementary school when it opened in the mid-1950s, but was converted in the mid-1980s to a high school with alternative programs.
Other
- Albert Community Centre - formerly Albert School, now a multipurpose facility for community events
- Kinsmen Children's Centre - facility opened in 1985 and attached to Brunskill School, housing several agencies to help children with special needs
- Luthercare Communities - assisted living and care facility for senior citizens
Parks and recreation
- Raoul Wallenberg Park (2.6 acres)
- Cumberland Park (3.3 acres)
- Albert Park (3.4 acres)
- President Murray Park (7.3 acres)
The planting of 1500 spruce trees in President Murray Park was done under the supervision of Wyndham Winkler Ashley, a charter member of the Saskatoon Parks Board in 1912. W.W. Ashley Park in the Haultain
Haultain, Saskatoon
Haultain is a mostly residential neighbourhood located in south-central Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a suburban subdivision, consisting mostly of low-density, single detached dwellings. As of 2007, the area is home to 2,742 residents...
neighbourhood was named in his honour.
The Varsity View Community Association organizes events, delivers recreational and leisure programs, coordinates sports programs for children/youth and maintains the outdoor rink at Brunskill School.
Commercial
Commercial development is limited; some businesses are located at the southern edge of the neighbourhood, within the 8th Street8th Street East (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
8th Street East is a road serving the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It begins as a continuation of a minor residential street at Highway 219 in Saskatoon, and runs through the city, eventually exiting the city limits, going through the eastern part of Corman Park Rural Municipality and...
business district. There are also a few businesses clustered near College Drive and Cumberland Avenue, bordering the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
campus. A couple of businesses also exist adjacent to Brunskill School on Temperance Street and Wiggans Avenue. 43 home-based businesses exist in the neighbourhood.
Location
Varsity View is located within the Core Neighbourhoods Suburban Development Area. It is bounded by College Drive to the north, 8th Street8th Street East (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
8th Street East is a road serving the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It begins as a continuation of a minor residential street at Highway 219 in Saskatoon, and runs through the city, eventually exiting the city limits, going through the eastern part of Corman Park Rural Municipality and...
to the south, Cumberland Avenue to the east, and Clarence Avenue to the west. Roads are laid out in a grid fashion; streets run east-west, avenues run north-south. The University Bridge
University Bridge (Saskatoon)
University Bridge spans the South Saskatchewan River between Clarence Avenue and College Drive on the east shore with 25th Street on the west in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada. The bridge is also known as the 25th Street Bridge and is a major commuter route between the two halves of Saskatoon...
connects the north end of the neighbourhood to the west side of Saskatoon.