YORKTON – Royal Canadian Legion General Alexander Ross Branch No. 77 – Yorkton and the Yorkton Tribal Council have joined forces in order to put a request the city mark the contribution of veterans by renaming City Centre Park and a related roadway near the park.
Brittany Johnson, president of the local Legion branch appeared before the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday where she noted Yorkton is one of the few major communities in Saskatchewan without a dedicated street or park named to honour veterans.
In contrast, many nearby towns and cities including Melfort, Prince Albert, Montgomery Place (Saskatoon), Moose Jaw, and Imperial have visible tributes, she said.
“Years and years ago, Yorkton’s Legion request for a veterans-named street was declined,” she added.
Johnson said the two organizations see it as being time to rectify the situation.
“Today, recognizing the lasting community pride in military heritage and Treaty relationships, Yorkton Tribal Council and the Yorkton Legion request action to publicly honour veterans both Indigenous and non-Indigenous and unite the city in remembrance,” she said.
Phase 1 of the proposal calls for the renaming of a street to ‘Veteran’s Way’, with three possible streets suggested;
* Second Avenue from Darlington Street to the park,
* Darlington Street from Betts Avenue near Dr. Brass School to Sixth Avenue,
* The street from the downtown park to the old Brick Mill.
Johnson said the first option offers the highest visibility.
Also as part of Phase 1 was a request to rename the downtown park, again with three options provided.
* Circle of Remembrance Park: Symbolizes unity and reflection beneath the teepee, connecting all “Treaty people” and honouring veterans together.
* Veterans Memorial Teepee Park: Directly associates veteran commemoration and the Yorkton Tribal Council teepee as a landmark of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous pride.
* Remembrance Teepee Circle: Merges the teepee’s significance with remembrance—an inclusive place for reflection and gathering
“A commemorative plaque is proposed for the site, jointly by YTC, Legion, and the City of Yorkton, explaining the symbolism and the partnership,” said Johnson.
As a second step, after street and park renaming, consider an educational and commemorative art installation at the park, she added.
“Renaming a street and city park as visible tributes will position Yorkton with its neighbours as a leader in honouring veterans. The partnership between Yorkton Tribal Council, Legion Yorkton, and the City of Yorkton will elevate community pride and inclusivity.”
Council was not ready to make decisions Monday, calling on the matter to be referred to City Administration to follow-up in regards to process and costs.
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