Montgomery Place, named after the famous British Field Marshal of the Second World War, Bernard Montgomery, is a Veterans Land Act community established in 1946 following the Second World War. Fifteen Veterans and their families moved into the newly established area in 1946, followed by three more families in 1947. Lots of ½ an acre provided agricultural holdings for families and the community became a part of the City of Saskatoon in 1955. Homes were built until 1977, when the Veterans Land Act closed. Montgomery Place streets are named after battles, personalities, a destroyer and a bomber from the Second World War and the community is presently a tribute to the men and women who served Canada in the Second World War and Korean War.
In 1987, two Veterans raised the idea of building a memorial cairn in Montgomery Park to recognize this unique community and to honour the contributions of Montgomery Place residents to the war. The two Veterans were Bernard Newman of 3303 Caen Street (built in 1956) and Lewis Winger of 3437 Normandy Street (built in 1960). At a Montgomery Place Community Association meeting, a small group of residents and friends agreed to form the Cairn Committee. The President of the Community Association, Jim Earle, recruited Glen MacDonald of 3106B Ortona Street to chair the Cairn Committee. Michael Molaro, a resident with architectural drafting experience, volunteered to join the Committee. Other Committee members included : Gordon Dewar, Ruth Murray, Wendel Dent, Fred Hodgkinson, Ivan Bowman, Harold Olson, George Thompson and Ed Price. Dave Scott acted as City of Saskatoon liaison.
On May 9, 1988, Saskatoon City Council granted permission to place a cairn and in the following year the City approved the construction details and exact location of the cairn. Many of the construction details were worked out between Bernie Newman, Lew Winger and Jim Sabino. The final plans were drawn by Michael Molaro in July 1988. A community meeting was held on January 26, 1989 when the cairn proposal was endorsed by Montgomery Place residents. Almost $1,000 was raised at that meeting towards the overall budget of $9,900. Work began on the cairn in the spring of 1989.
A great deal of stonemason Jim Sabino's time and effort was given voluntarily. Other organizations and businesses that assisted included : Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans, Beverage Central Ltd., CJWW Radio, Cindercrete Products Ltd., Dent Holdings, Estevan Brick, Intercontinental Packers Ltd., Labatt's Saskatchewan Brewery Ltd., Lakeshore Nursery which provided landscaping around the cairn, Macdonald's Restaurants, National Stone and Bronze who provided the granite and the original bronze lettering, Ramstead Construction Ltd., Revelstoke Redi-Mix Ltd., the Rent-It Store, Tim Hortons Donuts, Trinity United Church, Weldon’s Concrete Products Ltd. And Western Caissons.
On September 10, 1989, the cairn was officially dedicated. Participants included: the Honourable William McKnight, Minister of National Defence; Ron Fisher, M.P. for Saskatoon-Dundurn; Roy Romanow, M.L.A. for Saskatoon Riversdale; His Worship Henry Dayday, Mayor of Saskatoon; Pat Lorje, Saskatoon City Councillor; Reverend Father Urbansk; Reverend Arlene Reynolds; Vic Dubois as Master of Ceremonies; and Cairn Committee members – Bernie Newman, Lew Winger and Glen McDonald. The important role of the cairn as a memorial to the lives of Canada’s returning war Veterans was reflected by a Fly Past of Snowbirds aircraft during the Opening Ceremony. A time capsule, a project with local school children and youth groups, was buried at the base of the cairn.
In 2010, Montgomery Place Community Association president Barb Biddle undertook the task of compiling names of veterans who built or bought homes in Montgomery Place between 1946 and 1977 under the Veterans Land Act soldier settlement program. Through the research, 563 names were gathered. A ceremony was held on June 22, 2013 for the dedication of this monument which is located adjacent to the Memorial Cairn.
Barb Biddle also submitted a request for Montgomery Place to be considered a National Historic Site representing all the Veterans communities that were created by Veterans Affairs for returning Second World War Veterans and their families. In 2016, Montgomery Place was named as a National Historic Site - considered a place "of profound importance to Canada".
The site of the Memorial Cairn, Monument and National Historic Site plaque is the site used for the annual Remembrance Day outdoor ceremony each year.
The Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery plaque was placed in 1946. A duplicate of this plaque is located at Montgomery Park. In 2004, the Montgomery Place Community Association embarked on a project to explain the choice of names for Montgomery Place streets. The research and writing were undertaken by Kevin Gooding who was the Finance Director at the time, with help from President Jim Earle.
The signs were produced at Abe’s Sign Design Group of Saskatoon, with owner Gerry Tunicliffe giving the Association his whole-hearted support. Gerry even offered the Cassino Avenue sign free-of-charge, since his father had fought at the Battle of Monte Cassino. With interest and dedication, Gerry was also a great help to Kevin tracking down photos for the signs.
On September 22, 2007, Kevin, Jim and Vice-President Dave Price, along with Secretary Larry Rempel, Communications Director Gary Berg and resident Don Janzen, rented an auger and then dug, filled, tamped and installed the first 16 signs. Three more signs were installed later.
