Released on August 19, 2005
The Saskatchewan Legislative Building will be aglow as the entire province gears up for the birthday party of the century on September 4th, 2005."The north wall will come alive with centennial colours as we light up our legislature and begin the final countdown to our official anniversary celebrations, when we'll once again demonstrate that nobody throws a party like Saskatchewan," Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Chair and Moose Jaw North MLA Glenn Hagel said. "There's not a more beautiful or majestic canvas for this centennial lighting show."
When night falls, red, yellow, blue and green lights will be choreographed to the official Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 song "Saskatchewan – We Love This Place!" and the centennial anthem "100 Years of Heart".
The centennial light show will begin at dusk each night from August 22nd to September 6th. To ensure that residents provincewide have the opportunity to share in the experience, live web broadcasts of the light show will be available at www.sask2005.ca.
"In addition to being one of the finest buildings in the province, the Legislative Building is a symbol of the important role that Saskatchewan has played in Confederation and of what our province has become in its first century," Hagel said. "The lighting display is another opportunity for family, friends and neighbours to come together and celebrate 100 years of heart."
Discussions began in 1905 to construct the Saskatchewan Legislative Building, the same year that the province entered Confederation. The location chosen for the building was the original site for the beginning of the 160-acre Wascana Park. As part of the design criteria, architectural firms were asked to create a dominating feature, such as the dome, which continues to act as a landmark today.
The Saskatchewan Legislative Building is the largest of all legislative buildings in Canada. Construction on it began in 1908. Thirty-four different types of marble from around the world were used throughout the building. The exterior walls are faced with cream-coloured Tyndall limestone from Manitoba, at the request of former Premier Walter Scott. The Legislative Assembly met for the first time in the new chamber on January 25th, 1912.
Additional information about the centennial is available on the Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 website at www.sask2005.ca.
Note: Media visits to the site and interviews can be arranged by contacting Chris Shauf.
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For More Information, Contact:
| Chris Shauf Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Regina Phone: (306) 787-1254 Cell: (306) 530-5775 |