Railways

Regina would, quite literally, not exist if it were not for the Canadian Pacific Railway. In the early days of railroad construction, companies like the CPR had the capacity to literally make or break a town with the placement of its tracks. Regina , like Moose Jaw , owes its existence to the decision of the CPR to take a more southerly route across the Great Plains towards the mountains of British Columbia . When the railway came to the inhospitable area known previously as Pile of Bones, a city was born – with the railway came the title of capital of the North West Territories , and with the capital came the North West Mounted Police, and with the NWMP came the settlers.

The CPR main line runs right through the centre of Regina . In the early days of settlement, the prized real estate in the new settlement was as close as possible to the CPR depot, which was located where Casino Regina makes its home today. Businessmen found it advantageous to be as close to the railway as possible. This irritated Lieutenant-Governor Edgar Dewdney, who had been in charge of finding a more southerly spot for the territorial capital. Dewdney had picked Regina as the new capital – not coincidentally, this location was near some land that he owned. However, the CPR did not accommodate Dewdney by locating the CPR station near his land, which is on the west-side of Regina near the current RCMP depot and Government House. By locating so far from Dewdney's settlement in the west-end, the CPR condemned his settlement to relative obscurity.

In more recent years, the location of the railroad has been a thorn in the side of Regina 's City Council. The railroad takes up a lot of valuable real estate in the centre of the city that could be put to a more attractive use. Many efforts have been made to relocate railroad tracks away from residential areas and out of the city centre, although most of these efforts have fallen flat.

The CPR's main depot has always been a hub of activity. In the earliest days of Regina , the CPR depot boasted one of the only green spaces in the city: the CPR Gardens . Also known as Stanley Park , the CPR Gardens provided a nicely shaded island of flora to enjoy a warm summer day. Today, the CPR's main depot, formerly known as Union Station is home to Casino Regina. ( Stanley Park has long since been turned into a parking lot.)