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The Prairie Lily takes to the waters of the South Saskatchewan

May 31, 2012 | 5:53 PM

Saskatoon's new riverboat, The Prairie Lily, is getting ready for its maiden voyage after officially launching today.

Some people gathered near the boat to watch it make the journey from the Prairieland Park Exhibition parking lot to the water near Diefenbaker Park.

Ted Bach was one of the people who watched The Prairie Lily slip in the river.

He and his wife are planning a special celebration on board the boat this summer.

“We'll have our anniversary on this boat in August,” he said smiling. Bach and his wife will have been married for 62 years.

He said having an anniversary on the water was only natural as the couple has always loved boats.

Peter Kingsmill, president of Shearwater Tours, said this new boat will replace the other boats that have been running on the river.

The Prairie Lily was built in 1989 in Wisconsin and spent its life until now on the Colorado River near Las Vegas.

“(It's the) perfect marriage of a growing city and lots of optimism and lots of people wanting rides,” said Kingsmill.

The boat will offer two rides a day leaving from the docks behind the Mendel Art Gallery.

It is the largest boat on the river since a riverboat called City of Medicine Hat crashed into the Victoria Street Bridge in 1908. No one was hurt in that accident.

tburdeniuk@rawlco.com

@Trelle_B