👑 A living fossil comes to Regina

Regina's friendly local roundup | Monday, October 12, 2026

Happy Thanksgiving Monday, Regina! 👋

Winter showed up early for the long weekend. Environment Canada has a special weather statement out for Regina, calling for wet snow through today, with about five centimetres in most spots and more in a few, while temperatures hover near freezing. The good news is it shouldn't stick around. Once skies clear on Tuesday, the predicted snow should melt off quickly as temperatures climb for the rest of the week.

Today we've got a rare tree at the Floral Conservatory, a Thunder team headed for the PFC final, a new book from the U of R, a familiar kicker back in green and your guide to what's open on the holiday. Let's get into it.

In today's edition:

The Regina Floral Conservatory has a new resident with a remarkable backstory. A Wollemi pine, donated by the City of Edmonton, has joined the collection, and the City of Regina says the gift reflects a shared commitment between the two cities to protecting and preserving plant species. For a long time, this tree was known only from fossils. Scientists believed the species was extinct until it was found growing in Australia in 1994, and today it is considered critically endangered, with fewer than 100 known in the wild.

Russell Eirich, Regina's director of parks and open space services, thanked Edmonton for the chance to care for the tree. "The Wollemi pine was once thought to be extinct, so having one here in Regina is something special," he said in a statement, adding that it gives residents a chance to see a rare species while supporting the city's work on conservation, education and biodiversity. The pine is now in its permanent home at the conservatory, where visitors can see it and learn about its history.

A living fossil in the Queen City. That's worth a trip on a snowy afternoon.

The Regina Thunder are one win away from another Prairie Football Conference title. Regina led the Calgary Colts just 12-1 at halftime of Sunday's semifinal at Leibel Field, then pulled away in the second half behind a punishing ground game. Running back Peter Boersch carried the ball 37 times for 340 yards and a touchdown, quarterback Jayden Zelionka scored twice on short runs, and the defence pinned Calgary deep often enough to force three safeties in the first quarter alone. Regina finished with 488 yards of offence.

Next up is a familiar rival. The top-seeded Thunder host the Saskatoon Hilltops for the PFC championship on Sunday, October 18 at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field. Regina beat Saskatoon twice this season, 37-13 at home and 19-6 on the road, and every PFC title since 2009 has gone to one of these two clubs. Head coach Scott MacAulay expects a loud crowd and a game decided in the final minutes.

Provincial rivals, a title on the line and a home crowd. Circle Sunday.

A new book launched this week at the University of Regina is shedding light on a part of Canadian history that has gone largely untold. The Lost Reserve, written by Dr. Kenton Storey in partnership with the Chacachas Treaty Nation, looks at how Indigenous communities lost reserve lands or had them taken, and the lasting impact on Indigenous Peoples, with a focus on the Chacachas Treaty Nation. Readers who don't know this period well will likely find parts of it shocking.

Editor Raquel Fletcher noted that stories like this are hard to tell when so much of the record is gone. With close co-operation from the Chacachas Treaty Nation, Storey pieced the narrative together from historical documents, interviews and oral histories. He was clear that while he wrote the book, the story belongs to the Nation.

One for the fall reading list, and a story worth knowing.

A familiar leg is lining up Saskatchewan's field goals today. Kicker Brett Lauther, who spent seven seasons with the Riders before his release last offseason, makes his 2026 Saskatchewan debut when the Riders visit the Montreal Alouettes at 11 a.m. It's the first meeting this season between last year's Grey Cup opponents. General manager Jeremy O'Day sent a fifth-round pick to Ottawa to bring Lauther back after he hit 94.1 per cent of his field goals with the Redblacks this year. First, though, he had to reclaim his old No. 12 from rookie defensive back Malcolm Bell.

Bell switched to No. 4, and Lauther is keeping the terms of the trade between the two of them. "We got it worked out and I think four looks good on him too," he said. He has spent the week building timing with long snapper Mike Benson and holder Oscar Chapman, whom Lauther has called one of the best holders in the CFL. Saskatchewan will be without slotback Sam Emilus and receiver KeeSean Johnson.

The turkey can wait until halftime. Wear your green.

City offices are closed today, but plenty is still running. Waste collection stays on its usual schedule, and the landfill is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the entry gate closing at 5:15. Regina Transit runs on its Sunday schedule, and paratransit operates on a holiday schedule from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Paid on-street parking is not in effect, so there's no need to feed the meter if you head downtown. Gates at Riverside Memorial Park and Regina Cemeteries are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., though the offices are closed.

Need to walk off the stuffing? The Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre and North West Leisure Centre are open noon to 6 p.m., and the Sportplex Fieldhouse and Lawson Aquatic Centre are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Neil Balkwill Arts Centre is closed. If the kids need somewhere to go, the Saskatchewan Science Centre has holiday hours from noon to 5 p.m., and the Royal Saskatchewan Museum is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., holidays included.

Transit on Sunday hours, meters off and leftovers in the fridge. Enjoy the day.

October 12 to 14

🚀 Journey to Space, final day | Saskatchewan Science Centre, 2903 Powerhouse Drive | 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Thanksgiving hours | General admission | Find out how astronauts live and work in space before this visiting exhibit leaves.
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🛰️ Earth in Focus: Insights from Space, final day | Saskatchewan Science Centre, 2903 Powerhouse Drive | 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM | General admission | A Canadian Space Agency exhibition on the technology and innovations of Canada's space program.
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🌪️ Stormbound in IMAX | Kramer IMAX Theatre, 2903 Powerhouse Drive | Playing through December 31, check showtimes | Paid admission | Ride along with storm chaser Jeff Gammons into the heart of the world's most powerful hurricanes.
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🎸 The Lazys: Too Tough To Die Tour | The Exchange, 2431 8th Avenue | Doors 7:00 PM | $35 / $45, all ages and licensed | The Lazys bring their Too Tough To Die Tour to The Exchange, with The Bloodshots.
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🎭 Mosque Heist | Globe Theatre, 1801 Scarth Street | 7:30 PM | Paid admission | Zarqa Nawaz's comedy about a Regina caterer who plans a heist at a mosque on the Night of Destiny. Runs through October 18.
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🔍 Crime Lab Forensics Experience | RCMP Heritage Centre, 5907 Dewdney Avenue | Sessions at 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM, also Wednesday | $32 plus tax, includes gallery admission, ages 12 and up | Crack a case of small-town bank robberies using real forensic techniques like fingerprint and hair analysis.
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🎨 Drop-In Art Studio with Dustin Ritter | Community Commons, Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM | Drop-in | A drop-in art session open to kids, teens and adults.
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📖 Family Storytime | Connaught Branch, Regina Public Library | 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM | Drop-in | Stories and songs for little readers and their grown-ups.
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🎮 Big Screen Video Games | Central Children's Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM | Drop-in, for teens | Game night on the library's big screen.
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🎭 Mosque Heist | Globe Theatre, 1801 Scarth Street | 7:30 PM | Paid admission | Zarqa Nawaz's crime comedy heads into its final week, closing October 18.
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🎬 The Outer Threat | RPL Film Theatre, Central Library | 7:00 PM | Free admission | A 2026 Canadian feature, 94 minutes, rated PG.
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🪕 Wednesday Night Folk | Bushwakker Brewpub, 2206 Dewdney Avenue | 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM | Free, no minors | Local and touring roots, bluegrass, alt-country and folk acts, every Wednesday.
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🪶 Culture Connect: Indigenous Teachings | Community Commons, Central Library, 2311 12th Avenue | 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM | Ages 13 and up | Traditional drumming, songs and dance, plus teachings from Knowledge Keepers. Light refreshments from Chili for Children.
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🖼️ Bruce Anderson: Herd-Bound, final day | Dunlop Art Gallery, Sherwood Village Branch | All day | Library exhibition | Your last chance to see this exhibition, curated by Alexander Rondeau.
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🔬 Science Time for Tots | Saskatchewan Science Centre, 2903 Powerhouse Drive | 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM | Check site for pricing | Simple, sensory-rich science activities for toddlers and their caregivers.
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🧸 Preschool Storytime | George Bothwell Branch, Regina Public Library | 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM | Drop-in, ages 3 to 5 | Stories, songs, rhymes and activities for preschoolers.
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👵 Celebrate Seniors | Regent Place Branch, Regina Public Library | 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM | Weekly drop-in | Meet new friends and try new activities, from guest speakers to fibre arts and paper crafts.
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🥪 The next-day turkey sandwich
🥧 Pie for breakfast
🍲 Turkey soup, obviously
🥔 Cold stuffing, straight from the fridge

Hit reply and let us know :)

Thanks for reading Queen City Digest. Stay warm, take it easy, and enjoy one more slice of pie.

🗓️ Next edition: Wednesday, October 14.

-QCD