The river valley, most of which is parkland, is a jewel and, to be corny, what makes Edmonton shine. I look forward to letting the current take me through the length of the City while I sit back and enjoy the high sculptured valley walls and the memories they evoke. This is a list of memories of my youth (1952 – 1964) as I move through the city from west to east.
Part B
From the west: R= right shore or valley top, L for gauche
Edmonton Country Club and Golf Course (L): I caddied for Mrs. Elise Duggan in the Alberta Women’s Championship in 1959
White Mud Creek R
-skiing with my mother in 1953 –rope tow and saw a sleigh hitting a tree
-Rainbow Valley –skiing at Snow Valley using a rope tow and horseback riding in the summer. On one occasion, while riding up the tow rope, it wound itself around the loose fabric on my wind shell below my arm pit, lifted me off the ground at the point of disembarkation and only came to stop as I was 1 foot away from the first wheel. On stopping, I was released and fell 20 ft to the ground striking my head on the steel tower suffering a concussion.
-Rainbow Valley –further south using a poma lift to get up the hill by the same name
Edmonton Valley Zoo (1959) L I went there within days of its official opening.
Saskatchewan Drive R *Is there a more picturesque address in Canada?*
R Covey of large houses standing out on the promontory; (1950’s) Shandro, Millar, Morris, and Hartley sisters (no relation) among others. *Is there a more picturesque address in Canada?*
Gravel Pit –now Hawrelak Park R
Mayfair Golf Club (R): I started caddying at a young age, and in 1961 I was asked to work in the pro shop cleaning members clubs on finishing their rounds and picking up golf balls on the driving range. I had the same job in1962.
St George’s Crescent L *Is there a more picturesque address in Canada?*
Wellington Crescent L *Is there a more picturesque address in Canada?*
Clifton Place L *Is there a more picturesque address in Canada?*
Groat Road and Bridge (1953 I watched them being built -fascinating)
Emily Murphy Park and hill –gravel road R
Victoria Golf (“Muni”) L: I learned to play golf here
Windsor Park Community Recreation Centre (R) which provided two sheets of outdoor ice, one for hockey and one for free skating, and in the room above the change rooms space for the scout troop (Edmonton 52nd).
U of Alberta R
-Quonset huts
-ski hill –believe it or not I saw a ski race on this hill, now long grown over. The racers finished on the frozen river.
-Old wooden stand alone ice rink on SW corner of 87th Ave and 115th street
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium R (1955 watched it being built)
Victoria Park Road L
100th Ave L *Is there a more picturesque address in Canada?*
Garneau Theatre R In 1952 I saw my first movie which was the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth R I am amazed that Queen Elizabeth II is enjoying her Diamond Jubilee this year.
River Road L
Royal Glenora Club L
Grandin School (110th St & 99th Ave) L: For better or worse I learned my 3 R’s here from grades 1 – 9 as part of the Edmonton Francophone community
High Level Bridge; Memory of following a NADP horse drawn milk wagon across the bridge from the south shore in winter at -20 F and you can imagine what the horse did with its digested oats. This bridge is a classic!
Walterdale Park and Hill R
Kinsmen Park and playing fields (Pre pool 7 sports centre) R
Edmonton Huskies R Their training facility was run out of and old house on the grounds.
Duggan Bridge (watched it being built in 1957 – 58) Saskatchewan Dr; Father of two neighbours - Eric & Dr (cub master) : John Joseph Duggan 1868 – 1952; Mayor 1902 -1903 & 1908- 1910 –over Fort Hill Road previously wooden and unpaved. R
Parliament Buildings L From time to time we would venture over to the Parliament Buildings at noon from Grandin School and just enjoy its structure and the museum. One day we actually found the staircase to the turret of the rotunda open and made our way up to take in this classic view.
105th St Bridge
Rossdale generation station L
Queen Elizabeth Park + Drive R
“South Side” Swimming Pool R Many a happy sunny summer day spent at this outdoor pool.
Grain Elevator R
Renfrew Park baseball stadium L
McDougall Hill (soap box derby) L
Macdonald Hotel L
Grierson Hill L
Low Level Bridge
Edmonton Ski Club R For three winters I lived here; you could not tell me I wasn’t the luckiest kid around. On occasion when the hill became too icy, we would dig it up and continue as if nothing happened.
Connor Rd Ski jump R This derelict wooden trestle was terrifying as it stood above the crest of the hill and any jumper would literally, after descending the in run, take off as the buses passed within feet below.
Jasper Ave NW L
Clarke Stadium (Stadium Avenue) L Edmonton Eskimos of Jackie Parker, Johnny Bright, Normie Kwong, Rollie Miles, Art Walker, Oscar Kruger, et al; also home stadium for Junior Huskies and Wildcats.
Edmonton Gardens (Exhibition Grounds) L Edmonton Flyers, a farm team of the Detroit Red Wings playing in the Western Hockey League until 1963, of Johnny Bucyk, Glenn Hall, Al Arbour and Norm Ullman; also home of junior Oil Kings
Riverside Golf Club R
Highlands Golf Club L
Rundle Park L
Highway 16 Clover Bar Bridge
CNR Bridge
Next stop Fort Saskatchewan and Lake Winnipeg
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