When the Balmoral Hotel, located on Livingstone Street, burned down in 1985 a slice of Yorkton's history was lost forever.

One of the first buildings built on the new Yorkton townsite in 1897, the Balmoral Hotel was an imposing three storey brick building with 50 rooms with a raised balcony over the impressive entrance. At the time of its construction, the Balmoral Hotel was considered the finest hotel in the eastern part of the province.

The hotel, a stopping off place for locals and travellers, was a place where the men could drink, smoke, play pool and do business.

There have been many stories told of the shenanigans that went on in the hotel.

It is said a Scotty McDonald, who was in town for a parade, rode his horse through the front door of the hotel and into the bar where he ordered a drink.

In the early 1900s the Bronfman family bought the hotel. Old pictures of the hotel show a sign reading "Balmoral Hotel. Harry Bronfman Proprietor."

It was in this hotel that the foundation of the Bronfman dynasty was laid. It is said the hotel was where the Bronfman's planted their money tree.

During prohibition, the Bronfmans obtained a license for a drugstore and a bonded warehouse, located on the east side of the hotel. This gave them the license to manufacture liquor for medicinal purposes. It was no surprise when his medicine became in great demand and became a highly profitable enterprise.

It is said that the professional gamblers from across Canada and the United States were drawn to the hotel.

As the Bronfman business grew, Mr. Bronfman expanded to two hotels, an automobile agency, a trust company, a livery stable, stores and a theatre.

His ambition to become mayor of the city did not become a reality, due to his reputation as a "bootlegger" and conflict with a local merchant.

The Bronfmans sold the hotel in 1921and with the end of prohibition, the reputation of the hotel waned and it became an respectable family business.

Frank Brunner and his son operated both the Balmoral Hotel and the Yorkton Hotel. Under the management of Mr. Brunner, the dining room of the Yorkton Hotel became known far and wide for its fine dining.

In 1949 the Balmoral Hotel was purchased by Emmanual Balacko, who along with his wife operated the hotel until the mid 70s.

One rainy day, a young couple from the United States arrived at the Chamber of Commerce office on a motorcycle. They were on their honeymoon and arrived wet and broke. They felt they could not afford a room at a hotel and asked for assistance.

Mrs. Balacko was contacted and the plight of the couple was explained to her. She graciously said she would give them a room for a very low rate. Informed of this the young lady asked if there was a colored television in the room. She was told in no uncertain terms that at the rate Mrs. Balacko was asking, the room would be warm, dry and clean! Such was the life of a kind-hearted hotel operator.

The hotel was totally destroyed by fire in 1985.