Factoria (Saskatoon)

 place with historical importance, interesting place

The brainchild of Chicago entrepreneur Robert E. Glass, "Factoria" was an entire industrial suburb planned around a series of factories to be built, including a brick plant, brewery, bottling plant and flour mill. In the optimism of Saskatoon's early boom days, developers projected it to have 2000 residents and all the amenities including schools, a hotel, post office and stores. By 1913, a rail line was built and several firms located to the site.

However, there were problems getting electrical power, and interest waned as the economy slowed in 1914. Power was eventually brought in by 1918, paid for by the Northlands Flour Mill that operated there. But it was too late for the grandiose vision of an industrial metropolis; the economic slowdown caused by World War I killed the dream of Factoria forever. The buried ruins of some businesses remain along the riverbank, at the foot of what is now Adilman Drive.

Ironically, the area would revive some 70 years later, as the residential subdivision of Silverwood Heights and the Marquis Industrial subdivision. It could be said that Factoria's destiny was eventually fulfilled.
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