Audio Transcript

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The Wascana Center, which you're walking around right now, is a 930 hectare urban park built around Wascana Lake. It was established in 1912, and now features the university of Regina, Royal Saskatchewan museum, Conexus arts center, Saskatchewan Sciene center and the CBC regional broadcast center.

Wascana lake was created in 1883 by damming Wascana creek, a low flow seasonal run off stream, to serve as a reliable water reservoir for the town and railway. Additionally, residents readily began using the lake for recreation. The name Wascana was derived from the Cree word Wascana, meaning pile of bones. Yes, you heard that right, pile of bones.

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The unique name is in reference to the plains bison bones scattered around Wascana creek before the area was populated by non indigenous people. During the fall and winter of 2003 / 2004, Wascana lake was drained and dredged too deepen it by an average of about 5 meters, which decreased aquatic weed growth, improved water quality and allowed more competitive and recreational canoeing and paddling during the summer months.

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As you'll see walking around it, the lake include several small islands including willow island, spruce island, pine island, goose island and Tern island. Wascana Lake and the Wacana Centre really make up one of most beautiful urban areas in all of Canada, so I sure hope you take some time to enjoy it.