In order to complete this cache you will need to visit several of Regina's interesting sites and find information on plaques and monuments, which reference these sites. To get to the final cache you will need to solve a simple substitution cipher. Below are descriptions of each of Regina attractions, in some cases parts of dates have been substituted with letters of the Alphabet. The answers to match these letters to the actual numbers are available at the location.
It is possible to park near the first stop and walk the entire. The total distance to collect the information required to find the cache and return to your car by walking around the lake is approximately 6 kms. If you include the extra distance to the cache the round trip walk is approximately 10 kms.
The Coordinates on this listing are for the centre of Victoria Park, just a few yards from the first waypoint. This park is the centre of downtown activity, and is very popular in the summer with the downtown workers. Two exceptionally interesting items are in this park. In the North East corner of the park used to be a working Glockenspeil, composed of 24 Bavarian bells (it should be replaced in 2019). In the centre of the park is the Cenotaph. The Cenotaph was built to honour Regina's fallen heroes in World War I. It is made of Stanstead Grey Granite from Quebec. The original inscription reads "To the Glory of God and the immortal memory of the citizens of Regina who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918". The cenotaph was unveiled on November 11th, 1926 and in 1990 was rededicated to honour those Regina citizens who served in World War II and the Korean War. In the park there are also several other memorials honouring historic people, and events.
The coordinates are:
N FD° GF.HBB W EDH° AH.CCC
Stage 1
N50 26.827 W104 36.690 - This is Hotel Saskatchewan
The Hotel Saskatchewan was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1CCC of Tyndall Limestone and brick. This is the same stone used in the Saskatchewan Legislature, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, as well as the Canadian Parliament buildings in Ottawa, the Empress Hotel in Victoria, and the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. In 1993 the Hotel Saskatchewan was declared a heritage site. It is now a Radisson Hotel, but despite its age it is still an outstanding, yet amazingly affordable hotel, and is still the choice of royalty when visiting Regina.
****************
Stage 2
N50 26.644 W104 37.095 - This is the First Presbyterian Church
When the Presbyterian congregations of Regina elected to join the United Church of Canada in 1925, the dissenting members established a new congregation in 19BB. This church was completed in 1927. This church is a well-preserved example of Gothic Revival architecture. In this area, the Cathedral District, are several other notable places of worship including the St. Paul's Cathedral, an Anglican Church on Albert St. and Holy Rosary Cathedral on 13th Avenue. Also not far is the Knox-Metropolitan United Church at Lorne St. and 12th Avenue.
The remainder of the tour is spent in Wascana Centre. Wascana Park is the third largest urban park in Canada and is more than double the size of Stanley Park in Vancouver, and triple the size of Central Park in New York.
I suggest that any visit to Regina is not complete without taking an early morning or sunset walk around the main lake between Albert Street and Wascana Parkway. At any time of day, Wascana park is amazing, but in the early morning and early evening light Wascana is particularly striking.
****************
Stage 3
N50 26.249 W104 37.057 - This is Speaker's Corner
It is "dedicated to the people of Saskatchewan, who in the course of their short history have recognized and upheld the fundamental of free speech and free assembly." The lamps on the entrance pillars originally were in London's Hyde Park. The lamps bordering the walk came from the British Parliament, and the birch trees came from Runnymede where "King John set his seal to the Magna Carta in 121F".
****************
Stage 4
N50 26.240 W104 37.077 - This is the Albert Street Memorial bridge
It was built as an unemployment project during the great depression (the lake was also widened and deepened). It is noted for its glazed terra-cotta balusters and lamp standards designed in an Egyptian motif and decorative relief panels. It was formally opened on November 10th, E930 and dedicated to the memorial of Saskatchewan soldiers who fell in the First World War. It is rumoured to be the longest bridge over the shortest expanse of water in the world.
From here it is a short distance across the bridge to the next attraction. In this area around the Legislature there is are a great number of statues and memorials worth visiting. Including the Saskatchewan War Memorial and War Brides Memorial at N50 25.979 W104 37.051. The Legislature itself is an example of Beaux Arts architecture and is built of Tyndall Limestone. It is probably one of the most accessible legislative buildings in Canada. It is not unusual to see people tossing a Frisbee or playing football on the lawn.
****************
Stage 5
N50 26.109 W104 36.929 - Bronze Statue
Across from the Leg. is a life-sized bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth and her favourite horse Burmese. Burmese was a gifted to Queen Elizabeth in 1969 by the RCMP. The Queen rode Burmese in 18 consecutive birthday parades, and was the only horse Her Majesty rode for Trooping the Colour. The statue was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth in 20D5 during a visit commemorating Saskatchewan's Centennial.
****************
Stage 6
N50 25.951 W104 36.750 - North West Mounted Police Memorial fountain
This fountain is one of a pair which stood in Trafalgar Square in London from 1845 to 19A9. It and it's twin were donated to Canada and it's twin resides in Centennial Park in Ottawa.
****************
Stage 7
N50 25.638 W104 36.400 - You are at the Surveyors Monument
This monument is dedicated to the surveyors of Canada and Saskatchewan who were influential in the development of the nation. The upper portion of the monument is a surveyor's lookout. Part of this monument is a virtual geocache called "First Post - Regina" (GC6C1A), it is the control survey location for all of Saskatchewan. The lower portion of the monument, a shelter near the lake shore represents the campsite that early surveyors and explorers used while on their mapping expeditions. In the centre is a cairn containing a time capsule, which was sealed in 1967 and is to be opened in G067, 100 years after it was sealed. At one spot on the monument is an plaque containing as part of the inscription the following quote: "Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's land-marks which they of old times have set in thine inheritance." This is a quote from Deuteronomy 19:1H
If you chose to walk, at this point you should continue heading east to Wascana Parkway and cross over the bridge to the North. If you want to return to the Hotel Saskatchewan you should head through the park to the West. If you are going to take the hike to the cache, cross Wascana Parkway and head toward the East.
****************
The placement of this cache in this location was for two reasons. The first is it highlights one of the more wild regions of one of Regina's wonderful attractions, Wascana Park. The second is to fulfill a request of my geocaching partners (my children) that we place the cache on "Regina's mighty shores". This is a reference to their favourite Arrogant Worms song called "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate". For those of you who are uninformed about the Arrogant Worms, they are a Canadian novelty band who definitely understand what sarcasm is. For those of you uninformed about "Regina's mighty shores", you won't be by the time you complete this cache. For more information on Wascana Park please visit Wikipedia or the Wascana Centre page.
The cache is a rubbermaid container, containing several items of Regina, and Saskatchewan interest including pins and postcards as well as other trinkets of interest to children. The special code required to complete the Great White North GeoTour is on a laminated card in the bottom of the cache container as well as on the log book.
Like most caches placed on the bald prairie, the cache site will become somewhat more visible in the fall and early winter, and likely will be unreachable once any significant amount of snow flies. Please replace the leaf litter covering the cache so it will not become too exposed.
This cache, placed as part of the
GREAT WHITE NORTH GEOTOUR
Look for the number on the Cache ID Card inside
Stops on the tour:
British Columbia (Victoria) - GCXRHE
Alberta (Edmonton) - GCXP29
Saskatchewan (Regina) - HERE
Manitoba (Winnipeg) - GCY71E
Ontario (Toronto) - GCXHXG
Quebec (Québec City) - GCYVE8
New Brunswick (Fredericton) - GC5Z6Z9
Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown) - GCXTN9
Nova Scotia (Halifax) - GCY5JH
Newfoundland and Labrador (St. John's) - GCXDZ8
Great White North GeoTour (Ottawa) - GCYK96 (FINAL CACHE)
Besides what you have seen during this tour, Regina has many other interesting attractions:
- Royal Saskatchewan Museum
- Saskatchewan Science Centre
- Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery
- RCMP National Training Centre and Museum
Of special interest is RCMP Depot Division. The RCMP Chapel is the oldest remaining building in Regina, built in 1883 in Ontario and shipped to Regina via train, steamboat, and ox cart. It was originally the guard house, then the mess hall, and in 1895 it was converted to a place of worship. The area on the grounds at Depot is full of history but is only accessible when the museum is open. Guided tours are offered Monday-Friday at 1:30PM. Two must see items at Depot are the RCMP Museum, chronicling the history of the NWMP/RCMP, and the RCMP Memorial Wall, commemorating RCMP personnel that have fallen in the line of duty.
- Government House
- Casino Regina
- The University of Regina — The main campus (and the Wascana Centre itself) was originally designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the architect of the original World Trade Center in New York, in a stark modernist style.
- Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field — a municipally-owned football stadium is home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Regina Rams, outdoor concerts and other major events.
- Ipsco Place - is the second largest trade show and exhibition space in Canada. It the venue for:
- Buffalo Days Exhibition - held the first week of August.
- Royal Red Arabian Horse Show — one of the top Arabian horse shows in the world.
- Canadian Western Agribition — held in late November yearly, it is one of the largest livestock shows in North America with attendees from as far as Europe and Japan.
- Farm Progress Show — North America's largest dryland farming show.
- Brandt Centre — a facility that serves primarily as ice surface for hockey, curling and concerts, but, also hosts the National Finals Rodeo during Agribition.
- Regina's Historic Warehouse District and numerous others.
Good luck and hope you enjoy your time in Regina!