september 2005 > a living history > edmonton

A Rose By Any Other Name >permalink<

The City of Edmonton has paid tribute to an Edmonton architect by renaming one of their most popular facilities in his honour. Peter Hemingway designed Coronation Pool as a Canadian Centennial project, first opening in the summer of 1970. On September 29th, the city rededicated the pool as the Peter Hemingway Fitness and Leisure Centre in Coronation Park.

Hemingway's work in Edmonton includes some of the area's most outstanding structures. He designed The Stanley Building on Kingsway Avenue, a striking example of Modernist architecture. Equal in merit is his Central Pentecostal Tabernacle, located on the corner of 107 Avenue and 116 Street. Edmonton's river valley jewel, the Muttart Conservatory, was also one of his creations. Peter Hemingway died on May 15th, 1995 at the age of 65.

For more about Peter Hemingway, visit the City of Edmonton's web site profiling their rededication and Lawrence Herzog's article at Real Estate Weekly.

Edmonton's New Movie Empire >permalink<

Empire Theatre As the result of the Canada Competition Bureau's consent to allow Cineplex Galaxy’s acquisition of Famous Players, a number of Edmonton area theatres were required to be sold.

As of September 30, 2005, Empire Theatres took over four Edmonton area venues -- Gateway, Westmount, Clareview and City Centre. Empire re-branded the sites as Gateway 8, Westmount Centre Cinemas, Clareview 10 and City Centre 9. Empire Theatres purchased the four Edmonton movie houses in August as part of a $83 million purchase of 27 theatres across Canada as part of the fallout of Cineplex Galaxy’s acquisition of Famous Players.

David and Goliath >permalink<

For the second time in three months, Wal-Mart has heard from area residents what NIMBY stands for: Not In My Back Yard.

Early in 2004, Wal-Mart announced that it was seeking to leave their southeast Edmonton location in Capilano Mall and move to a parcel of land at 50th Street and 90th Avenue. A public hearing on Wal-Mart's proposed rezoning and relocation drew more than 500 people who voted 97 per cent against the proposal.

City council was set to debate Wal-Mart's request to rezone their proposed location which is currently zoned for industrial use only. On September 9th, a letter from First Pro Shopping Centres, the retail development company behind the proposed store, informed council of Wal-Mart's withdrawal from the process.

It was the second time that public opposition stopped the construction of a Wal-Mart store in Edmonton. In June, the Delcon Development Group withdrew plans for a Wal-Mart at 97th Street and 160th Avenue.

Garbage In Garbage Out >permalink<

Landfill There's no getting away from it -- the garbage is piling up. It seems like it was only yesterday that Edmonton city council last faced this problem. They spent $6 million in the late 1980s looking at more than 100 possible locations to take out the trash.

The crisis of two decades ago was averted by a strong recycling program and the construction of a world-class waste management centre that routinely attracts visitors from around the world. About 60 per cent of the 300,000 tonnes of trash collected annually is now composted or recycled, with the rest landfilled. Some material is sent to a private west-end facility run by Waste Management of Canada Corp., which is scheduled to reach capacity by 2011.

In May of 2006, requests for proposals from companies and municipal authorities interested in taking Edmonton's trash will be entertained by the city. The current 30-year-old Clover Bar facility is expected to be full in 2009-10.

Going On and Off The Rails >permalink<

After years of going nowhere, Edmonton's Light Rail Transit (LRT) System is heading south. As work on the University Health Sciences Station is nearing completion, a temporary detour at Belgravia Drive and 114 Street has been set up so crews can start to excavate the LRT underpass that will dip under Belgravia Drive.

As the LRT heads towards the Southgate Shopping Centre, tracks will be laid down the west side of 114 Street (removing a strip of pre-WWII houses), and a level crossing at University Avenue and a stop at 76 Avenue will be constructed. The route then dips under Belgravia Drive and curves slightly west before heading south down the middle of the University Farm. A stop will be built between the Neil Crawford Centre and Foote Field.

The route then mingles with existing roadways, curving east once past the Alberta School for the Deaf along the 61 Avenue bend. Tracks will then plunge under the south-bound lanes of 111 Street, emerging to run down the meridian of 111 Street. Negotiations with Southgate Shopping Centre will determine if the next major stop is located north or south of 51 Avenue. The project is to be completed by the end of 2007 and details can be found at Edmonton Transit's Edmonton South LRT Expansion web site.

Where the LRT goes next became a public debate between Mayor Stephen Mandel and city councillors. On September 6th, Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan pledged $108 million over five years towards the extension of LRT service to the old Heritage Mall location. The project, which will include four stations and two LRT underpasses, carries a price tag of $595 million. Heritage Mall is being redeveloped as Century Park, a dense population community.

Mandel says he wants to expand the LRT further north, including stations at NAIT and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, to coincide with the Heritage Mall project that would be completed in 2009. Included in the mayor's vision is to have the LRT run into Mill Woods and into the west end of the city. Currently, city planners have secured a right of way to Mill Woods, portions of two northern routes, but none on a west end leg which would ultimately terminate at West Edmonton Mall.

It was the concept of the route west that sparked the interest of area ward Councillor Karen Leibovici. City planners propose a new 900-metre bridge be built across the river to take the LRT out of the University area, tunnelling under 87 Avenue to 142 Street where it would rise to street level before continuing to West Edmonton Mall. Leibovici suggested the LRT take a more southerly path along the Quesnell Bridge and Fox Drive.

Also at issue is concerns of the west leg's proximity to the W.W. Cross Cancer Institute, which houses ultra-sensitive linear accelerators in its basement which are used for radiation treatment. A Cross spokesman feared having to recalibrate instruments every few minutes when a train goes by. City council next debates the matter in late October.

The Assassination of Jesse James >permalink<

Fort Edmonton Park closed its doors to Edmontonians so that they could open their doors instead to Hollywood. Brad Pitt's $30 million movie production took over the river park that depicts local history over a 150 year period, shutting the facility down for a month.

Local media and Pitt-o-philes were ever vigilant in their lookout for Brad and companion Angelina Jolie. The couple were spotted taking in attractions at West Edmonton Mall, buying food at a local Safeway and picking up a quick snack at a Subway restaurant. The movie used a number of local citizens as extras. Production of the film which co-stars Robert Duvall and Sam Shepard moved to Calgary in early October.

The Money Trees >permalink<

Elm Tree A report to be reviewed by Edmonton' Community Services Committee suggests it could cost $10 million to replace 16,000 trees that have died in recent years because of drought conditions.

More than 4,000 of the 16,000 trees have already been replaced at a cost of $2.6 million. The city is seeking another $2.6 million for the 2008 budget cycle to plant another 4,000 trees. Estimated costs to replace the remaining 8,000 trees is pegged at $4.9 million.

Edmonton usually loses 500 to 800 trees annually due to insects, vandalism or old age. The recent 2000-2003 drought placed area trees under stress, making them more susceptible to problems.

The report and current replacement program deals only with ornamental trees -- those planted and maintained by the city. Edmonton's inventory boasts an estimated 283,000 trees near roadways, on boulevards and in city parks. Edmonton has one of the largest concentrations of uninfected American elms in the world. Without additional funding, it would take up to 20 years to replace the rest of the dead trees identified in the report.

For more about Edmonton's efforts to manage its elm inventory, visit the city's Dutch elm disease page.

Saab Story >permalink<

Saab Story John "G" Auto Service has closed its doors. The long-standing Cloverdale landmark and an adjacent restaurant have made way for a 35 townhouse condo project called The Soho in Cloverdale. John "G" specialised in Saabs and Volvos, and their location at 9409 98 Avenue was a favourite radar trap enjoyed daily by thousands of motorists travelling from downtown to the east end.

Related Pages

deadmonton
The murdered and the missing in the metro area.
edmonton history and museums
The Last Link guide to local history.
final credits
Reflecting lives that have contributed to Edmonton and area culture.
it's our heritage
The Last Link guide to Lawrence Herzog's articles as published in Real Estate Weekly.

edmonton - a living history - september 2005

it will be a nice town once they finish building it