Wascana Park

Interpretive Panel:
Make No Little Plans

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Daniel H. Burnham 1846 - 1912 Architect Chicago, Illinois

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logiacl diagram once recorded will never die but long after we are gone will be a living thing."

Frederick Todd 1878 - 1948 Landscape Architect Montreal, Quebec

Frederick Todd This cautionary comment of the 19th century American architect Daniel Burnham has been the motto of those involved with the planning of the parks and lands around Wascana Lake. Since the first years of the 20th century, a number of visitors have stood on the shores of the lake and thought broadly about what might be achieved here. The first was Frederick Todd, perhaps the best known Canadian landscape architect of the 20th century. While much of his 1907 plan was never realized, his decision to situate the Legislative Building on the axis of Smith Street, his advice on the types of trees and bushes to plant and his call for the establishment of a nursery had a permanent impact on what has become the Wascana Centre.

Thomas Mawson The next visionary to develop a comprehensive plan for the lands surrounding Wascana Lake was the world-renowned urban planner Thomas Mawson. Mawson was recruited by the provincial government in 1913 to complete the layout of the Saskatchewan capital grounds surrounding the recently completed Legislative Building. What Mawson proposed was a series of formal roads, gardens and walkways to radiate out from the Legislative Building, and other points of significance on lands adjacent to the lake. While some of Mawson's more grandiose proposals were not accepted, his recommendations for roads, pathways and formal gardens continued to guidedevelopment of the Wascana environs for the next 50 years.

Thomas Mawson 1861 - 1933 Landscape Architect Town Planner Windemere, England

Minoru Yamasaki 1912 - 1986 Architect Detroit, Michigan

Yama and Tommy The formation of the Wascana Centre Authority in 1962, and the incorporation of hundreds of hectares of undeveloped land necessitated a new master plan. Taking up the challenge were the noted architect planner Minoru Yamasaki and landscape architect Thomas church. Their vision included the incorporation of Todd's and Mawson's ideas for the area around the Legislative Building as well as the placement of the new university campus.   Today Wascana Centre stands as one of the largest urban parks in North America. Fortunately, the development of the Centre's 930 hectares of land and water has not occured haphazardly. They have been guided and shaped by the visions of five individuals who had the foresight to make big plans

Thomas Church 1902 - 1978 Landscape Architect San Francisco, California