Decades later, 100,000th citizen reflects on honour
The USSR had just launched an unmanned spacecraft towards the moon; the French were prepping to invade Algeria; Saskatchewan faced a looming doctors strike while then-premier Tommy Douglas fought to finalize Medicare; Joni Mitchell had her first paid performance.
And at 12:07 a.m. on April 24, 1962, Saskatoon welcomed its 100,000th citizen into the world.
Carol Joy Sahli, the youngest of three kids, was born at St. Paul’s Hospital. Reporters crowded into the hospital room to take photos of the baby girl.
Mayor Sid Buckwold was on hand, and little Carol Joy was welcomed as a significant symbol of the city’s growth.
More than 50 years later, Saskatoon’s population has surpassed a quarter million, and Carol Joy — whose married name is Lewis — says she’s still fond of her early memories.
“Did I feel special? Yes I did,” she said Thursday, while sifting through old scrapbooks in her living room.
“It made me feel different than everybody else. It was my story and I was there.”
Lewis’s mother Ida wasn’t the only woman in labour that night. But, as the story goes, the doctor offered her castor oil to speed the birth along, and she ended up winning the race to deliver the city’s 100,000th citizen.
Years later, Lewis said, that doctor would announce her status to the entire waiting room every time she came for a visit.
“He would say, ‘Do you know, everyone, she was the 100,000th citizen of Saskatoon and I delivered her.’ He did that all the time when I would go to the doctor. He had a picture of me in his office.”
She still has the city’s certificate of merit and the engraved baby mug presented to her by Buckwold.
She also kept the savings bonds donated by the city and the president of the board of trade.
Using Statistics Canada’s most recent numbers, city planners now estimate Saskatoon’s population has cracked 250,000 people, reaching 253,000 last July, making it the 20th largest city in Canada.
Lewis, who works with her husband Marty as a housing developer, said she has seen the growth first hand.
“When it reached 250,000 we couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of things change. I’m only 52, but I saw the invention of the colour television, the Internet. All kinds of things have changed. So has this city.”
Lewis and her husband have two children of their own, adding to the city’s booming population.
Reaching another population milestone has given her time to reflect.
Her husband has even asked city council to name a street after her. That naming request will go before city council next week.
“IT MADE ME FEEL DIFFERENT THAN EVERYBODY ELSE. IT WAS MY STORY AND I WAS THERE.”
CAROL JOY LEWIS