The YMCA of Saskatoon's Story

We're contributing a handcrafted cornice is from the first Saskatoon YMCA building circa 1912.  They accented eaves and panels under the front portico, adding a stately elegance to what the Saskatoon Daily Phoenix called “one of the most luxuriously planned association structures in Canada.”  The building was demolished in 1971 but the cornices were rescued by a friend of the YMCA, Bob Isinger.

This paddle has belonged to three generations of Porteous family members who were active in the Saskatoon YMCA and Camp Wakonda on Wakaw Lake. 

It represents what the Porteous family says the YMCA has given them: an understanding and respect for the environment, reverence for life, a healthy lifestyle, the opportunity to care for others, and a love for life-long learning.