| Diefenbaker Management Area | |
| Settlement Type: | Neighbourhood |
| Pushpin Map: | Saskatchewan#Canada |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Saskatchewan |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | City |
| Subdivision Name2: | Saskatoon |
| Subdivision Type3: | Suburban Development Area |
| Subdivision Name3: | Nutana |
| Subdivision Type4: | Management Area |
| Subdivision Name4: | Diefenbaker Management Area |
| Government Type: | Municipal (Ward 7) |
| Leader Title: | Administrative body |
| Leader Name: | Saskatoon City Council |
| Leader Title1: | Councillor |
| Leader Name1: | Mairin Loewen |
| Established Title: | Annexed |
| Established Title2: | Construction |
| Population As Of: | 2006 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Average Income |
| Population Blank1: | $ |
| Timezone: | UTC |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Coordinates: | 52.0967°N -106.6883°W |
| Website: | Exhibition Community Association |
The Diefenbaker Management Area is an area of Saskatoon, to the west of the Exhibition subdivision. The area includes Diefenbaker Park and the Nutana Pioneer Cemetery. The park is a frequently-used venue for picnics public events, and performances. The park also includes Optimist Hill, which is a hill used for skiing, tobogganing, and snowboarding in the winter.[1]
The Diefenbaker Management Area is located within the Nutana Suburban Development Area. It is bounded by the South Saskatchewan River to the west, St. Henry Avenue to the east, Ruth Street West to the north, and the city limits to the south. The only roads are St. Henry Avenue and the road looping through Diefenbaker Park.
The Pioneer Cemetery received its first interment in 1884. On June 20, 1905 the Nutana Cemetery Co was awarded a special grant at SW Section 20 Township 36 Range 5 W of the 3rd Meridian. The Pioneer Cemetery, located west of the intersection of Ruth Street and St. Henry Avenue, was also called the Nutana Cemetery, and was the first municipal cemetery for the city of Saskatoon until 1910 when Woodlawn Cemetery became the city cemetery. The Pioneer Cemetery was declared a heritage site in 1982.
The southern portion of Diefenbaker Park has been disrupted by the development nearby of the Circle Drive freeway extension, which removed a strip of the park and now places formerly quiet areas right next to freeway traffic.
In 2018, a large portion of the park, including its hill — now called Optimist Hill — entered a period of reconstruction and redevelopment that saw it reconfigured into a $3 million recreation facility with a ski hill, seasonal chalet, terrain park, and toboggan hill. The facility opened to the public in February 2019.[2] Prior to the redevelopment, the public was allowed to drive to the top of the hill, where a parking lot allowed for a scenic view of the city.
Diefenbaker park is home to Saskatoon's organized events on Canada Day, consisting of official ceremonies, live entertainment, various activities and nighttime fireworks.[3]
Optimist Hill is a small ski area in Diefenbaker Park. It is high and has a rope tow lift to the top. There is skiing, snowboarding, tubing lanes, a terrain park, and magic carpet lifts.[4] [5] [6]