Saskatoon’s Prairie Lily begins season with new owner at helm

The Prairie Lily took its first cruise of the season on the South Saskatchewan River Friday afternoon under new ownership. Stacey Hein has the story.

After being docked last season due to low water levels, the Prairie Lily has officially begun its season with a new owner at the helm.

Stephanie Simonot said she purchased the Prairie Lily to ensure the iconic Saskatoon riverboat could continue operating.

“I didn’t want to see Saskatoon lose the Prairie Lily because it’s such an iconic experience and I want everybody to continue to get that experience,” Simonot, the new owner, said in an interview with CTV News.

Simonot said while she has experience in hospitality, running a riverboat has been uncharted waters.

“I’m learning, and we’ve got great mentors,” she said.

Those mentors are former owners Mike and Joan Steckhan, who are guiding Simonot through her first season.

“It’s been a really good process. Stephanie and I are very like-minded,” Joan Steckhan said.

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The Steckhans first set sail with the 119-passenger riverboat in 2012 before announcing their retirement after last season.

“The reaction we got from people was a huge amount of sadness. They thought the Prairie Lily was done. We really felt we needed to dig in and make sure there was a continuing story,” she said.

As Simonot continues the Prairie Lily’s story, she is adding Harbour Coffee, giving people a chance to grab a drink aboard the boat during morning dock hours.

While the season is just getting started, she said the community is already showing strong support.

“We’ve had so much support, and it’s been great meeting so many people coming down and having a chat with us.”

The Prairie Lily’s schedule for the season is available on its website.