By Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
SGI CANADA brings free admission to Wanuskewin Heritage Park on Sundays in August. Initiated as a one-year partnership in 2024, the agreement saw the investment of $31,000 to help fund learning experiences at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park, to help advance visitors’ understanding and appreciation of the cultures of the Northern Plains Indigenous peoples.
In August 2025, the initiative will continue, allowing guests to enjoy free admission and parking on select Sundays and increasing access to one of Saskatchewan’s most treasured cultural landmarks. The continuing partnership with SGI CANADA helps deepen public understanding of Indigenous Peoples’ enduring relationship to the land through educational programming rooted in Northern Plains Indigenous culture, language, history, and land-based learning.
“For the second year in a row, SGI CANADA has walked alongside us in a spirit of true partnership,” says Andrew McDonald, Co-Executive Director at Wanuskewin Heritage Park. “Their support removes barriers and opens doors—inviting people from all walks of life to gather here, to learn, to reflect, and to be inspired by the stories and spirit of this land. Together, we are creating meaningful opportunities for connection, understanding, and reconciliation.”
During each free Sunday in August, guests can enjoy: interpretive exhibits and cultural presentations; guided gallery tours; access to 7km of walking trails, connecting you to bison jumps, tipi rings, and the Medicine Wheel; Wanuskewin’s bison herd; and an award-winning playground, restaurant, art galleries, and Gift Shop.
“SGI CANADA is pleased to continue this partnership with Wanuskewin, which reflects our ongoing commitment to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action,” said Penny McCune, President and CEO of SGI CANADA. “By allowing free access to this cherished cultural site in Saskatchewan, we hope more people can learn about Northern Plains Indigenous culture and history. This builds stronger appreciation and understanding in our communities.”
While admission is free, guests are welcome to donate in support of Wanuskewin’s ongoing operations and programming. As a nonprofit and registered charity, the Park relies on the generosity of its partners and community to continue preserving and sharing the stories of the Northern Plains Indigenous Peoples.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is a multi-award-winning cultural heritage site that showcases the Indigenous history of the Northern Plains. Situated above the opimihāw Creek and the South Saskatchewan River, Wanuskewin Heritage Park offers a glimpse into a lesser-known part of Canada’s history. What began as a dream to tell the story of this land and its first peoples has evolved into an essential part of our national identity. Located on the northeast outskirts of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Wanuskewin features exhibits, displays, films, and cultural tours that highlight the significance of the land where Nations have gathered for over 6,400 years.
Today, Wanuskewin provides an opportunity to explore life before contact for the first peoples of the Northern Plains, as well as how Indigenous cultures continue to be represented and connected to this land. The park’s theme centers on interpretation—exploring and sharing Plains cultures to foster a deeper understanding of ourselves, the Indigenous peoples of Saskatchewan, and our shared heritage.
Wanuskewin acknowledges a special debt of gratitude is owed to the Penner and Vitkowski families, who owned and preserved the land for over 40 years, allowing for careful archaeological exploration and a commitment to the long-term protection of the area. The story of Wanuskewin begins on a small cattle ranch owned by Michael Vitkowski. The discovery of numerous archaeological sites on the property, including a medicine wheel, sparked an interest in protecting the area from development. This interest led to the idea of establishing a heritage park, although it took many years for the concept to come to fruition.
In 1983, in partnership with the Meewasin Valley Authority and the City of Saskatoon, Wanuskewin Heritage Park was designated a Provincial Heritage Property. Then, in 1987, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II declared Wanuskewin a National Historic Site, and in 1992, the Visitor Centre and walking trails opened to the public.
Following extensive renovations as part of the Thundering Ahead capital renewal project, the trails have been refurbished, and the Visitor Centre has expanded more than threefold, featuring many new exhibits and programming initiatives. These updates allowed Wanuskewin to welcome bison back to the land in 2019, reinstating these large grassland animals as a focal point of the site. The herd currently numbers over 50 animals, including 13 calves born in 2025.
Wanuskewin is also home to the longest-running archaeological dig in Canada. Led by renowned archaeologist Dr. Ernie Walker, he and other researchers continue to uncover treasures in the area that illuminate the land’s social and spiritual significance.
The grasslands of North America are one of the most endangered biomes in the world. Part of the effort to protect this biome involves Wanuskewin’s bison conservation herd, whose reintroduction to their original habitat helps restore adjacent agricultural fields to native grasses and bring balance between people, land, and animals.
With the support of the wider provincial community, Wanuskewin Heritage Park is on the road to earning UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. In 2017, Parks Canada added Wanuskewin to Canada’s UNESCO Tentative List. In 2026, Wanuskewin will submit its final UNESCO World Heritage nomination dossier to Parks Canada.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) identifies, protects, and preserves cultural and natural heritage worldwide deemed to be of outstanding value to humanity. UNESCO World Heritage designation status not only benefits the park, but the community, too, bringing global awareness and recognition, increased tourism and economic activity, increased interest in preservation and conservation, community engagement and civic pride, reconciliation and education opportunities on a larger scale, demonstrates investment in social responsibility and cultural heritage, and access to UNESCO networks and partnerships.
Wanuskewin is widely recognized for its commitment to preserving and promoting the history of the land and the Indigenous peoples who have inhabited and prospered in this region for over 6,000 years. As the site of the longest continuously operating archaeological program in Canadian history, Wanuskewin has established itself as a premier national destination for cultural education and heritage appreciation. With the support of the Saskatchewan community, Wanuskewin is actively pursuing its long-term vision of becoming an international center of excellence in education, science, and culture.
Free admission takes place on Sundays, August 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st.