I remember when...

[Laurjay30]

These are my thoughts from WAY back when that have managed to survive in my information overloaded brain! LOL. I actually found this Community looking for info on the old Bullwinkles Restaurant! haha. I remember the arcade games, cashing in the tickets for 10 cent toys lol. I remember the water and stage show put on in timed-intervals. Pizza! Cant forget the pizza. What more could a 10 yr old ask for? It was ALMOST my favorite place. #1 - Being the almighty West Ed Mall. lol. I also remember when the Rollercoaster went off the tracks/hit something? I remember someone being killed in that accident. Not such a fond memory, but memory none-the-less. I loved the Fantasy Land (at the time) lol, water park..skating rink...peacocks in glass cages and the ship with the glass bottom and the always prestigious-looking glass elevators. hehe.

Other items that stick out are: the Northlands Coliseum...my dad used to take me to see the Oilers when Gretzky played. Awesome awesome, Klondike Days...WAY COOL! I remember the thing that spun around (looked like a huge dryer drum) the floor dropped down, force of gravity immobilizing you against the wall...GOOD times! hehe. I also remember my mom taking us to Rundle Park then to the Saan store. haha.

I'd have to say my most vivid memory of Edmonton was when the Tornado hit. That was pure insanity. I remember the huge hail, and the tv warnings, my mom running around opening windows andjust before heading to our basement taking one last look out the living room window, seeing this huge mass of dark grey/black cloud darken the sky, sending debris everywhere. And my father being in Downtown Edmonton (home being in Clairview) in a high-rise laying flooring. Luckily we all were safe, but I remember the Millwoods area being hit pretty hard. Speaking of that Tornado, my parents had bought a commemorative book on the Twister and have misplaced it during our move East. I'm not sure if any one has any ideas on where we could obtain another but if you do, just let me know. Thanks!

[24karat]

Originally Posted by Laurjay30

I remember the thing that spun around (looked like a huge dryer drum) the floor dropped down, force of gravity immobilizing you against the wall.

Actually it was centrifugal force that stuck you to the wall.

[AlanW9]

I remember sitting in the back seat being 9 or 10 years old heading to Old Spaghetti factory downtown and going through the magical rat hole! I miss that tunnel.

[rime ice]

-When Ellerslie Road was just gravel and the other Grain Elevator said "What shall it profit a Man, if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul"
-When YEG had service to MAN,HNL,LHR,AMS, and the through flight to NGO from YYZ on CP to name a few.
-America West daily to LAS
-Daily AC DC-8 freighters.
-Wardair 747's
-PTV's at YEG

[Blueline]

for those that miss the rat hole:
From real estate weekly archive
http://www.rewedmonton.ca/content_view2?CONTENT_ID=538
I remember the truck load of cement powder that filled the south end of this horror while the front end of the truck made it about 20 feet in
Lucky it wasn't raining

[cmcharlesmillar]

I to remeber the rat hole my dad used to drive us over the top on 104 ave he would give it the gas as he hit the big hump and we in the back seat would be launched into the air.great fun as I remember I als remember the pictures f the thing flooding out

[cmcharlesmillar]

I remember living on 111 ave x113 st across the street from former alderman Julia Kiniski used to dislike her because of her views,now I respect her and feel she was right on how time changes ones views used to go to the muni and been invited up into the control tower try that today aonyone remember the winter of 68 went down below -30 f and stayed there for over a month I think it was Ched which issued survival certificates il survived the winter of 68

[24karat]

I remember a day, I think it may have been four years ago, when
the Brick didn't have a sale.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by cmcharlesmillar

I remember living on 111 ave x113 st across the street from former alderman Julia Kiniski used to dislike her because of her views,now I respect her and feel she was right on how time changes ones views

CM:

Which views of Ms. Kinisky do you have in mind specifically here? I have no memories of her being an alderman, though I do remember her son, Julian, holding that job. I recall that he took a position in favor of making Edmonton a nuclear-weapons free zone, and was mocked by the Edmonton Sun for this, the Sun of course being a right-wing, hawkish newspaper.

Later on, Kinisky came out against the Youth Emergency Shelter, referring to its clientele as juvenile delinquents or something. The Sun mocked him mercilessly on this position as well, saying that he went from being a sandal-wearing peacenik to being a grouchy old curmudgeon railing against helpless youth. Or words to that effect.

I also recall that Kinisky seemed to have generally strained relations with the press. The Edmonton Journal also attacked him directly by name a number of times.

[Blueline]

http://www.epl.ca/Elections/Resources/Kiniski_Jtxt.jpg
From the EPL archive

[cmcharlesmillar]

Ma Kiniski was an alderman er alderbroad in the 60s I left Edmonton before the son took over Her views were somewhat similar to the sons re a curfew for teens and teens were generally evil It seems poor Edmonton is prone to electing crack pots to office anyone remember Tooker Gomberg we sure heard about him here in Calgary

[Ole Timer]

Now be careful there cmcharlesmillar, Calgary has elected its share of crackpots as well, the main one that comes to mind is the ex newsman alcoholic mayor by the name of Ralph Klein. However, I must admit the that stupidity seemed to expand quickly to cover much of the province......

[RTA]

Originally Posted by cmcharlesmillar

alderbroad

Rude AND sexist. Good job.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Originally Posted by cmcharlesmillar

Ma Kiniski was an alderman er alderbroad in the 60s I left Edmonton before the son took over Her views were somewhat similar to the sons re a curfew for teens and teens were generally evil It seems poor Edmonton is prone to electing crack pots to office anyone remember Tooker Gomberg we sure heard about him here in Calgary

Tooker was a whacknut, but I do credit him for the world-class recycling and composting facilities we have today.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by cmcharlesmillar

Ma Kiniski was an alderman er alderbroad in the 60s I left Edmonton before the son took over Her views were somewhat similar to the sons re a curfew for teens and teens were generally evil It seems poor Edmonton is prone to electing crack pots to office anyone remember Tooker Gomberg we sure heard about him here in Calgary

Thanks, that puts her son's views on the YESS in some context.

Miscreant youth were a recurring concern of Edmonton City Council for many years. I think I remarked a few pages back on the obsession with trying to shut down video arcades in the 1980s. Seems kind of quaint, in this era of Grand Theft Auto.

[cmcharlesmillar]

I strongly disagree as to Klein I had the honour to personally drive Mr Klein on several occasions and I was very impressed as to how freindly and genuine he was he may have had his persona problems but they didn't get in the way of his doing his job. In my opinion he was a fantastic mayor and a better premier My only regret is he didn't run federally

[Jimbo]

I've met both Ralph Klein and Tooker personally. Just drawing exclusively from those meetings, Ralph was really nice, and Tooker was an idiot. Tooker saw me busking, and pulled out a harmonica to perform with me. Maybe he didn't understand I was trying to make a living. Let's just say he wasn't helping. His reason for doing it - he was trying to get some media dude to take his picture. I put a stop to that.

may he rest in peace.

I also remember when I went into his office to wish him luck on the eve of his last election (right after he embarrased Edmonton by showing up to an official function for a foreign dignitary wearing a t-shirt and sneakers). I was on my way to another candidates party, and was wearing a sports jacket & tie. Oops.

He went off on me (kaboom), blaming me for ruining his campaign, because I was wearing a tie. "It's people like you blah blah blah, etc"

It's obvious in hindsight Tooker had some mental health issues he was dealing with.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

He went off on me (kaboom), blaming me for ruining his campaign, because I was wearing a tie. "It's people like you blah blah blah, etc"

Gomberg got into the habit of using his wardrobe issues as an excuse for his political failings. I remember the night he lost his council seat. He went on a televised rant about how he would have won if it hadn't been for his lack of a tie, and asked the reporters what they thought this said about Edmonton.

Of course, his claims about being a victim of the fashion police were proven false by the fact that Michael Phair, representing the same ward, never wore a tie, and had a few other "unconventional" character traits, but still managed to get himself re-elected time and time again. But of course Phair was a contructive individual who knew how to build bridges rather than burn them.

[Ole Timer]

Ralph may have been nice, but due to his lack of intelligence, he put forward policies which screwed the majority of Albertans for the benefit of the multinational corporations. One only has to look at how he gave away billions of dollars to the energy companies by agreeing to let them pay very low royalties, deregulating energy prices so that we here in Alberta have the highest priced electricity and gas prices in Canada and the list goes on.

[DTrobotnik]

Oilers won a cup.
Gas was 33 cents.
Bill Matheson did the weather.
Dial up.
Rat Hole.
Whyte Ave traffic wasn't annoying.
Jan Reimer was mayor.
Huge planes flying over Kingsway mall.
The Roost and the Sidetrack were open.
A-Channel.
The bus cost 90 cents.
The Rev.
Churchill Square being a park.

[RTA]

^ I remember my dad getting p/o'd at gas going up to 33c. I was too young to understand or care about it at the time, but now it seems silly even with gas as "low" as it is now.

[overoceans]

I remember street signs directing people to churches. I think some of them might still be up, but I don't think they're putting up new ones.

Does anyone know who put those signs up? I always assumed the city, but would they really consider that their job? I also seem to recall that some denominations weren't represented on the signs.

[overoceans]

What was the name of the guy who announced Oiler hockey games on(I think) CFRN in the early to mid 80s or so? He was known for being really dramatic in his reporting.

[Sasquatch]

Rob or Ron something or other. Maybe be Rod...?

[Sonic Death Monkey]

CFRN - was that radio or TV? Rod Phillips has done the radio broadcast since the Oilers were in the WHA.

I remember when ITV did weekday Oilers broadcasts during the 80s and 90s. Bruce Buchanan was the play-by-play guy.

[lat]

being on Popcorn Playhouse when I was four...

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by Sonic Death Monkey

CFRN - was that radio or TV? Rod Phillips has done the radio broadcast since the Oilers were in the WHA.

You know, I was never a huge sports fan, and I can't quite recall if he was radio or TV. I think he must have been radio, because the Oilers weren't broadcast on CFRN TV, were they? I remember this guy had a reputation for being REALLY excitable, like they would run these ads on TV, showing him almost ecstatic while announcing the games. For some reason, Rod Phillips isn't ringing a bell. Was there another guy doing colour commentary?

(I could be wrong of course, and it could be Rod Phillips that I'm remembering.)

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Rod Phillips does get excitable on the air. His "HE SCOOOORRRREEEESSSS!!!" is a local institution.

[overoceans]

Anyone remember The Tall Girl stores? They sold clothing for tall women, of course. My mom used to occassionally shop there. I can't quite recall where they were located. I have a vague memory that one was downtown, in the downstairs of some building.

[Sasquatch]

I think I have a photograph of the northside of Jasper between 101st and 102nd streets and if memories serve the downtown Tall Girl store was located there. The photo is from 1978. If you remember that - Mike's News-stand was just down Jasper a couple more blocks but why am I thinking of a cigar for?

[Sasquatch]

Does anyone remember the four-plex drive-in where WEM stands today? Or how about driving up at the A&W on Stony Plain Rd. and getting served in your car?

[Ole Timer]

There were two different drive ins out in that area from what I remember - the Parkland which was about where Lewis Estates are today and I believe the Starlite which was between 149St and 156 St. on the south side of 87 Avenue. I do not remember one being where WEM is - but I could be mistaken. Back in the old days, all the A&Ws seved folks in their cars although a couple actually had restaurants where you could go in as well. I remember going to the one on 118 Avenue & 123 St, one on 101 St and 108 Ave, one overlooking the Capilano Freeway on 112 Ave and the one in Beverly.

[Sasquatch]

From where the road from Meadowlark Mall passes in front of the Miscordia hospital another 2-3 miles to that drive-in. We past it as we went from Woodbend Road into Edmonton. Might have been directly south of CFRN some distance.

[Ole Timer]

That would have likely been the Parkland Drive In

[grish]

don't know if it was mentioned, but I remember going on a submarine ride in the mall--twice.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

I think I have a photograph of the northside of Jasper between 101st and 102nd streets and if memories serve the downtown Tall Girl store was located there. The photo is from 1978. If you remember that - Mike's News-stand was just down Jasper a couple more blocks but why am I thinking of a cigar for?

Depsite being a downtown boy, I always get the street numbers on that end of Jasper mixed up. Is where you're describing sort of where the Scotiaplace is now? And didn't there used to be an arcade called Micheal's around there? POSSIBLY they had a sign that said "smokes and jokes", so maybe that's why you're thinking of cigars.

As for Mike's Newsstand, weren't they located in the space where the souvenir shop is now, between the late Cecil Hotel and Beaver Hill Park? And then I think they moved over to some space on one of the side streets, south of Jasper. Maybe accross the street from where Hawkeye's is. I recall Mike's had a sign advertising the Toronto Star.

[Ole Timer]

Mike's Newstand was directly east of the Empire Building, where ScotiaPlace is now. You could purchase newspapers, tobacco products, confectionaries and tickets to most of the events that were put on in Edmonton at their location.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by Ole Timer

Mike's Newstand was directly east of the Empire Building, where ScotiaPlace is now. You could purchase newspapers, tobacco products, confectionaries and tickets to most of the events that were put on in Edmonton at their location.

I see. But am I correct in thinking that they must have moved at some point? Am I just imagining that they were near Beaver Hill Park at one point in the 1980s?

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Messier, Anderson, Linseman and friends promoting WEM:
http://oilers.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=5&id=31377

[Blackbolt]

Yes, I remember the Johnstone Walker store located in Westmount Mall back in the late 1960s, when I was just a little kid. I remember it was located in the middle of the mall, in the front, and there were big windows. The store had a unique set-up----you'd enter the store by walking down some steps, and there was green carpet and a footbridge to the men's department. I always thought the store catered to men exclusively, but it catered to women and children as well. I don't remember when they closed it down, but I miss it. Other stores that I miss that used to be in the old Westmount Mall were Kresges and Woolworths, where I used to go eat french fries at the lunch counter there----sort of like 50s diner with red swivel chairs and a mirror on the wall, and the old Woodward's store on the north end of the mall. As well, does anyone remember the rather large sit-down restaurant in the middle of the mall? It wasn't well lighted, but it was fairly large, sort of like a cafeteria. I have very fond memories of Westmount Mall, because I grew up near it.


I guess as a kid, they always seemed to have this sort of exotic quality about them that I can't quite put my finger on. I remember at one of them, I saw some kind of zodiac chart on the counter, which seemed really mysterious. I think that was at the one in Bonnie Doon.[/quote]

[Blackbolt]

I remember the rat-hole fondly too. There used to be an A&W restaurant near that rat-hole. My Dad and Mom used to take me and my brothers there in the evenings after Dad got off work. They served root beer in glass mugs with the A&W symbol on it. And food was served on a tray clipped onto your car window.

[Blackbolt]

Does anyone have good memories of the old Zellers in downtown Edmonton? I remember the store had big green lettering "ZELLERS" on the front of the store. I remember there was a pet department located in the basement, accessed by a set of stairs. I used to buy tropical fish there and budgie birds. The basement also had a whole miscellaneous bunch of stuff, similar to dollar stores today. Upstairs was a cafeteria, clothing departments, and a music department where they sold vinyl records.

[Blackbolt]

What about the old METS department store located in downtown Edmonton? I barely remember that store. Only the big red letters. Lol.

[Blackbolt]

Here's another visit down memory lane----the old "Dreamland Cinema" near Chinatown, right across where Canada Place is now. And the old "GEM cinema" located near Dreamland. Also, remember the old W.W. Arcade Hardware Store located on the corner, across from Dreamland Cinema?

[lat]

Originally Posted by Blackbolt

Yes, I remember the Johnstone Walker store located in Westmount Mall back in the late 1960s, when I was just a little kid. I remember it was located in the middle of the mall, in the front, and there were big windows. The store had a unique set-up----you'd enter the store by walking down some steps, and there was green carpet and a footbridge to the men's department. I always thought the store catered to men exclusively, but it catered to women and children as well. I don't remember when they closed it down, but I miss it. Other stores that I miss that used to be in the old Westmount Mall were Kresges and Woolworths, where I used to go eat french fries at the lunch counter there----sort of like 50s diner with red swivel chairs and a mirror on the wall, and the old Woodward's store on the north end of the mall. As well, does anyone remember the rather large sit-down restaurant in the middle of the mall? It wasn't well lighted, but it was fairly large, sort of like a cafeteria. I have very fond memories of Westmount Mall, because I grew up near it.

I guess as a kid, they always seemed to have this sort of exotic quality about them that I can't quite put my finger on. I remember at one of them, I saw some kind of zodiac chart on the counter, which seemed really mysterious. I think that was at the one in Bonnie Doon.

I remember the Johnstone Walker's store too... Used to go there with my Mom when I was real young and have tea and crumpets at the cafe they had in the store! I also used to go to the Kresge's lunch counter. I remember the banana splits they had there... yum! Man, that was so long ago...
There was also the permanent Santa Claus site that was at the south end of the mall on the east side, near the Woodward's furniture department... My buddies and I used to try and reach down to get coins out of the fountain there, while the security guards weren't looking...
That restaurant in the middle of the mall was a chinese food place... What was the name of it? Chan's? I also remember the malt kiosk that was in the middle of the mall on the east side... great malts they had there!

Man, I'm feeling old now... time for my geritol...

[glenorarat]

[QUOTE=lat;164803]

Originally Posted by Blackbolt

As well, does anyone remember the rather large sit-down restaurant in the middle of the mall? It wasn't well lighted, but it was fairly large, sort of like a cafeteria. I have very fond memories of Westmount Mall, because I grew up near it.

That restaurant in the middle of the mall was a chinese food place... What was the name of it? Chan's? I also remember the malt kiosk that was in the middle of the mall on the east side... great malts they had there!

That restaurant was simply known as 'Westmount Kitchen", and was owned by the Chow family. The one malt kiosk I remember was 'Mac's Dairy Lane' which was near the Woodward's Food Floor. The old proprietor, possibly 'Mac' himself was a grouchy old b******! He totally disliked it when one stood around his counter to talk as you consumed a milkshake or a malt that you just bought from him!! He wanted you to move on.

[lat]

[quote=glenorarat;164880]

Originally Posted by lat

That restaurant was simply known as 'Westmount Kitchen", and was owned by the Chow family. The one malt kiosk I remember was 'Mac's Dairy Lane' which was near the Woodward's Food Floor. The old proprietor, possibly 'Mac' himself was a grouchy old b******! He totally disliked it when one stood around his counter to talk as you consumed a milkshake or a malt that you just bought from him!! He wanted you to move on.

Chow, that was it...

[Blackbolt]

Originally Posted by cmcharlesmillar

I remember living on 111 ave x113 st across the street from former alderman Julia Kiniski used to dislike her because of her views,now I respect her and feel she was right on how time changes ones views used to go to the muni and been invited up into the control tower try that today aonyone remember the winter of 68 went down below -30 f and stayed there for over a month I think it was Ched which issued survival certificates il survived the winter of 68

We must have been neighbours my friend! I lived on 111A Avenue and 113 street, right across from Julia Kiniski who used to live in that green vinyl sided house on the corner. As a kid, I did not like her at all. One time, when I was about 7 or 8 years-old, I was singing out loud on my front porch, on a summer evening, and Mrs. Kiniski came up my sidewalk and confronted me. She told me to shut up because her husband was sleeping (at around 7 or 8 p.m!!!). Being a little kid, I was scared----I thought she was going to have me arrested or something. Lol. My neighbour was an old gentleman by the name of Walter Bisiup. He lived across the street from the Lion Seniors Centre. I lived on that street until just a few years ago. The houses there have gotten pretty run-down.

[Blackbolt]

Does anyone remember some of the old Chinese restaurants that used to be in Edmonton's Chinatown, like The New World Restaurant, Mei Lai Restaurant (where Canada Place is now), and Li Chee Gardens (located upstairs in a building, also where Canada Place is now.)? I remember the sidewalk in front of the New World Restaurant----it was paved with dark purple square or round glass tiles. Very unusual for a public sidewalk.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Not quite pertaining to Edmonton, but:

Anyone here remember Happy Valley outside of Calgary? It was a precursor to Calaway Park down the road in the sense that it was a combined campground and amusement park. It was located where the Valley Ridge golf course is now.

[Blueline]

YES, my dad took me there y e a r s ago, where I caught a rainbow trout on a bamboo pole baited wth green gaint kernel corn. Later cooked by Gus of Banff Cafe fame. Said fish devoured at same, Piscean Carnivor that I was

[maplegirl]

I remember when it was 'cool" to have a nanny, and we British chicks came by the dozens to Edmonton in the late 70's. I remember following the band "Patch" wherever they played. The Londonderry the Rex and the Regency and the Cap and then Sherlocks singing oldies around the piano. mobile phones started with XJ and weighed about 10lbs. Alberta Government telephones operated without shareholders or stockholders. Marks and Spencers. Kmart, Woolco, Eatons, Sears and Woodwards dominated. Jumbo jets took us back and forth to the UK. NO GST. Ernies steak-house at bonnie doon. Barry T's. Tania Murrell was taken God love her. Basements were seldom finished, but great hang-outs. Silk-hat on Jasper ave - great t-leaf reader. South side drive in. Drive-in A&W on Whyte. Rollerdome. Texas mickeys. When the Brazeau dam let go and flooded the river valley. Ed tel. No gangs and guns. Yuk Yuks on 82 ave. Folk festival and KD Lang. Bailey's. Midtowner motor inn.

[edmontonenthusiast]

Some memories I've had (remember I'm younger)
-Serenity was a small commercial building with McDonald's
-McElheran's black building was a Dairy Queen
-Downtown was not a happening place
-Walking around the Edmonton Art Gallery
-Ellerslie Road west of 111 St was just farmland
-There was a gap between IKEA and SEC
-Anthony Henday ended at Terwillegar
-Edmonton City Centre was empty and very dead
-Whitemud and 17th was no overpass

[maplegirl]

Originally Posted by blackbolt

does anyone have good memories of the old zellers in downtown edmonton? I remember the store had big green lettering "zellers" on the front of the store. I remember there was a pet department located in the basement, accessed by a set of stairs. I used to buy tropical fish there and budgie birds. The basement also had a whole miscellaneous bunch of stuff, similar to dollar stores today. Upstairs was a cafeteria, clothing departments, and a music department where they sold vinyl records.

yes i had my first steak-um sandwich there

[Medwards]

^^ Whitemud and 17th Street still has no overpass.

[edmontonenthusiast]

^Sorry Whitemud and 34th.

[Medwards]

well, I guess you are really dating yourself. That overpass was constructed less then 5 years ago

[edmontonenthusiast]

^So? I still remember it. It was just one that came to mind, ok?

[Medwards]

no reason to get hostile, I was just saying, ok?

[RTA]

Any more outta you two and I'll turn this forum right around...

[tiger lily]

Wow, this has sure stirred up some memories. I recall downtown being a vibrant and safe place to walk. Going to Mike's Newsstand, Palace of Sweets, the Met store, Woolworths, Kreskes, old Zellers in Tegler building. My folks taking my sisters and I to look at the Christmas window displays when the Bay, Eatons and Woodwards were all in separate buildings downtown(pre-Edm Centre), King Eddy hotel. The Switchboard Lounge, the Izba in the McDonald Hotel, the lounge in basement of the Royal Bank Building, the Beachcomber restaurant with a small footbridge and a ceiling with fake evening sky and stars. TikiTiki....The Coffee Cup cafe, Dreamland theatre, all the great movie theatres downtown: Capital, Strand, Rialto, Paramount.....Odeon. Saturday afternoon movies at the Capilano Cinema, tobogganing where the Capilano/Gretzky is near 106 Ave. Fishing at Mayfair Park with my dad. Drinking at the Kingsway, Crest, Rex, Riviera, Edmonton Inn before they were split up into 2-3 bars and when they still had live bands but no dancing. Caberets at the Capilano Motor Inn and the Regency. The summer of the Commonwealth Games.

[overoceans]

What kind of cabarets did they have at the Capilano Motor Inn? I grew up a few blocks away from there, and the place always seemed kind of depressing to me. I really like hotels, but that place was just out in the middle of nowhere. Didn't seem like the kind of place it would be fun to stay at.

[North Guy66]

The only thing I remember about the Capilano Motor Inn (now the King's College) is the Glory Days Lounge. It was a cheap man's Purple Onion (is there even such a thing?) that had dollar shooter specials and lots of fights.

[tiger lily]

The "Cap" wasnt' the type of place to stay at, not at all. But back in the 70's there were few places with live music where you could dance. Taverns had live music but no dance floor. The Cap would get live bands in on weekends and there was a dance floor and they called it a "caberet" with a cover charge. Same with the Regency. Possibly with the Riv, can't recall 100%. The ALCB rules at the time for bars/lounges/taverns were pretty archaic.

I also recall living in southwest Edmonton, pre-Heritage Mall when 111 Street south of 23 Aven was gravel. No Whitemud either, if I wanted to go to my sister's place in Mill Woods I had to go by way of 51 Avenue to 91 St. 50 St south of 76 Avenue (i think!) was all gravel. I grew up in the Gold Bar area and as a child we'd go to the Skyview drive in, all packed into the station wagon with pillows and blankets. When I was older we went there to see horror flics. Now it's 70's era houses.

[tiger lily]

Glory Days must've been after the 70's, I'd moved away from the area in the mid-80's. In the 80's there was a Franklins on 50St by Capilano Mall that got pretty busy at times.

Another thing that comes to mind is late 70's when a friend was living in a brand new house on 175 St and I wondered why anyone would want to live that far west, you could see the Parkland Drive In from her yard. Pre-West Edmonton Mall......

[North Guy66]

Yes Glory Days was in the 1980s. I also remember Franklin's around the Canadian Tire by Capilano. You'll probably recall the Pop Shoppe on 50st. and Baseline too.

[tiger lily]

Yes I remember the Pop Shop. That building used to be a Loblaws at one time and a couple other grocery stores too.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Originally Posted by edmontonenthusiast

-Serenity was a small commercial building with McDonald's

Yes, one had to climb a short flight of steps to get to the counter, and there were only like 10 tables.

Wouldn't mind seeing McDs return to Jasper Ave, but in the government area (105 - 109). They'd make a killing at lunchtime and on weekend nights.

[edmontonenthusiast]

^I used to have lunch there with my grampa.

Some other things that popped into my mind that I remember:
-Looking for Gold in one of the events at Klondike Days. I doubt they still have that.
-Being able to go to the top floor of the Legislature. That isn't allowed anymore.
-Devonian retrofit under construction
-The only thing on St. Albert Trail before St. Albert was City Ford
-West Edmonton Mall SilverCity was the theatre to be at in Edmonton and how much more 'classy' it was

[North Guy66]

The theatre to be was the Paramount, especially after they installed new seats.

[edmontonenthusiast]

^Yeah and now it's Scotiabank and in between (for I think the longest time) it was SilverCity. Was the Edmonton City Centre Empire Theatres also a Paramount or something?

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by tiger lily

I grew up in the Gold Bar area and as a child we'd go to the Skyview drive in, all packed into the station wagon with pillows and blankets. When I was older we went there to see horror flics. Now it's 70's era houses.

The Skyview was the one on 50th street? If so, that's the Nu West houses that are there. I think I referenced them earlier in this thread. I thought they were kind of ugly when they were first put up, but later I thought they were pretty cool.

[cmcharlesmillar]

When did you live in that neighbourhood. Ilived there in 68-69. If you remember the lions club you would remember the old white bungalow just to the south of thne club it also had an old rundown single car garage. That was my place.lots of memories there I bought my first car at the time. let me know i would like to share memories with you

[Chris56]

Does anyone remember Westmount mall when it had Woodwards and Johnstone Walker store? Johnstone Walker was also located downtown and I got some groovy 70's clothes there!

[Chris56]

I remember when there was a Star-Lite drive in theatre where Whitehall Square is now located and I sat on my parents garage roof to watch 'free movies' without the sound, of course. Wow...times have changed!

[Chris56]

Originally Posted by tiger lily

Wow, this has sure stirred up some memories. I recall downtown being a vibrant and safe place to walk. Going to Mike's Newsstand, Palace of Sweets, the Met store, Woolworths, Kreskes, old Zellers in Tegler building. My folks taking my sisters and I to look at the Christmas window displays when the Bay, Eatons and Woodwards were all in separate buildings downtown(pre-Edm Centre), King Eddy hotel. The Switchboard Lounge, the Izba in the McDonald Hotel, the lounge in basement of the Royal Bank Building, the Beachcomber restaurant with a small footbridge and a ceiling with fake evening sky and stars. TikiTiki....The Coffee Cup cafe, Dreamland theatre, all the great movie theatres downtown: Capital, Strand, Rialto, Paramount.....Odeon. Saturday afternoon movies at the Capilano Cinema, tobogganing where the Capilano/Gretzky is near 106 Ave. Fishing at Mayfair Park with my dad. Drinking at the Kingsway, Crest, Rex, Riviera, Edmonton Inn before they were split up into 2-3 bars and when they still had live bands but no dancing. Caberets at the Capilano Motor Inn and the Regency. The summer of the Commonwealth Games.

I remember Zellers in the Tegler building. It was cool...so sad when they excavated it and turned into a boring bank building.

[norwoodguy]

I remember the smell of chicken in the old farmer's market on 97 street, W W Arcade, getting clothes at the Army and Navy store , getting prescriptions filled at Family Drugs and watching the Planet of the Apes at the Dreamland Theater.

[overoceans]

Forgotten or obscure comic strips I recall from the late 70s early 80s Edmonton Journal...

According To Guiness. It was like this weekly compendium of stuff from the Guiness Book Of World Records. Rather boring.

Winnie Witch And The Giant Potato. It was about a witch, and her sidekick, an anthropomorphized potato. I think it was Canadian content.

The Maestro And Amelita. Don't remember much of anything about this, except that it had something to do with music. Maybe the masetro was a Phantom-Of-The-Opera type character or something.

Our Boarding House. This strip was ancient even in the 1970s, and it always seemed rather "adult", in the sense of not being understandable to a kid. I found an old copy of the Journal comics years later, and it had an installment of OBH in which Major Hoople was making commentary about drug abuse in the disco scene. So I guess it was actually more au courant than it seemed to me as a kid.

Mary Worth and Rex Morgan M.D. I rarely read either, and in fact I think I never read Rex. I recall a couple of Mary Worth episodes that seemed to have relatively racy story lines. I guess neither of these really qualify as forgotten or obscure, since they're probably both still around.

Buford. Okay, this is definitely obscure, and quite likely forgotten. The hilarious adventures of a cantankerous old pig farmer. It was very badly drawn, and the jokes were definitely on the groaner side.

I remember Spider Man being a running strip in The Journal. I suspect it was coasting largely on the continuing popularity of the Ralph Bakshi TV cartoon.

And in my humble opinion, the biggest mistake the Edmonton Jorunal comics page ever made was cancelling Ernie. I actually called the ombudsman to complain about that one, and he told me they had gotten complaints about it being in poor taste. Well yeah, duh! That was the whole point of the strip.

[byzantine15]

It makes me conscious of my years when I read of people waxing nostalgic for events or places that seem quite recent to me. As a matter of fact many of these events represent the demise of the 'good old days' for me. Oh well. I've got a question. While walking in the river valley (north side) I noticed a flattened out area somewhere beneath 114 st. partway up the hill from the golf course. It's obviously man-made, doesn't fit the lay of the land. It's area is close to half a block. There are huge boulders that were obviously placed there by people. There was once some iron work and some steps but they're long gone. Does any one know the origin of this area? I suspect it was a park at one time. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[IGNITERS]

When I was a kid that place was known for being the place that witches cast spells ! ( er was is SATANISTS?) lol
just a spooky place to put a couple rocks and an iron gate...more than likely built by some man for his special lady huh ?

[Blueline]

My mom used to talk about a railway or street car that ran all the way past the Leg west to Groat road. Could you be seeing the remnants of one of the stops ?
You can clearly see the profile of the old rail bed from the south side of the river. Some of the trails by Vic are built on this rail bed

[byzantine15]

Thanks for the responses. The only info that I'd received in the past was that it was a recreational area for railroad employees (or was it city employees?). This was 3rd or 4th hand information, so I'm not going to bet the ranch on it.

Another topic: Does anyone remember the Danceland Ballroom? It was located on Jasper Ave. just west of the Gibson Block. Apparently it was formerly known as the Palace Gardens, but that was even before my time. I believe that it closed sometime in the early 70's. I'm not holding my breath on this one because you'd have to be pretty old to remember it, and pretty candid to fess up to ever setting foot in that den of iniquity. BTW I was familiar with the place as an employee, not a customer. Honest.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by byzantine15

Another topic: Does anyone remember the Danceland Ballroom? It was located on Jasper Ave. just west of the Gibson Block. Apparently it was formerly known as the Palace Gardens, but that was even before my time. I believe that it closed sometime in the early 70's. I'm not holding my breath on this one because you'd have to be pretty old to remember it, and pretty candid to fess up to ever setting foot in that den of iniquity. BTW I was familiar with the place as an employee, not a customer. Honest.

Are you being faecitious in your description of that place? Or did such establishments really have a bad reputation in those days? This is just regular ballroom dancing we're talking about, right? Was that sort of viewed as the equivalent of our sleazy meat-market nightclubs today?

[byzantine15]

No, not at all. It was a very seedy place. The clientele was, for the most part, made up of skid row derelicts, criminals, pimps and prostitutes. I witnessed fights, mob fights, stabbings, robberies, a pimp strangling a prostitute (briefly, not to death). You get the picture. It may have had it's glory days when it wasn't such a hell-hole but that was before I was aware of the place. The 'ballroom' designation was almost absurd as an attempt at respectability. It was a skid row joint for skid row folks.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by byzantine15

No, not at all. It was a very seedy place. The clientele was, for the most part, made up of skid row derelicts, criminals, pimps and prostitutes. I witnessed fights, mob fights, stabbings, robberies, a pimp strangling a prostitute (briefly, not to death). You get the picture. It may have had it's glory days when it wasn't such a hell-hole but that was before I was aware of the place. The 'ballroom' designation was almost absurd as an attempt at respectability. It was a skid row joint for skid row folks.

I just did a google on the location of the Gibson block, and yeah, I can imagine what you mean about the Danceland being a seedy place. I used to work in that area, and one thing that always struck me as amusing was how the places around there had these high-society sounding names, but were in fact the polar opposite of high-society(the International, the York etc). Not that I wasn't occassionally known to enter such places myself.

Was the Danceland located where Canada Place is now?

[byzantine15]

The Coffee Cup Inn was located where Canada Place is now (corner of 97 and Jasper). Danceland was about a half block east of there. The building that housed Danceland was about 60 feet west of the Gibson Block, it's been torn down for quite some time. I know what you mean about the Anglophile hoity toity names. Perhaps the 'Royal' wins the prize for pretentiousness.

[Legacy]

Bob Bradburn's Christmas reindeer races on QT880 (or was it 1110 AM at one point)
Dad taking us to A&W Drive In on 109th and Jasper
The Rathole
Southgate Woodwards' "Dollar Forty-Nine Days, Tuesday!" (Can't forget about the awesome potato bread from Woodwards)
Free Cookies for the kids at Pleasantview IGA
Free batteries monthly from Radio Shack (they weren't the best, but hey)
Franklin's French Onion Soup at the Mayfield Inn
Edmonton Journal's Gold Hunts - used to try to decipher the clues every day which would make me rich!
Pacific Fish Co. on Rice Howard Way
Shopping with Dad at Saveco, WW Arcade
Being sent alone on a WardAir 747 to go to Expo 86 at the tender young age of 11
Watching Darren Dutchyshen as Sportscaster for ITV News
421-1111 gave you the time
311 gave you the number you called from

[byzantine15]

I remember when the rating system for movies had two designations, 'family' or 'adult'. Adult films could not be seen by people under 16 unless they were accompanied by someone over 16. When we were around 13, most of the movies we wanted to see (usually horror) were 'adult'. So we would stand outside of the Strand Theater (and others) and ask people to take us in with them. We always assured them that we wouldn't sit with them and that we would behave ourselves. Sometimes it worked, sometimes someone who worked in the theater would come out and tell us to get lost.

[RyanS]

Originally Posted by edmontonenthusiast

^I used to have lunch there with my grampa.

Some other things that popped into my mind that I remember:
-Looking for Gold in one of the events at Klondike Days. I doubt they still have that.
-Being able to go to the top floor of the Legislature. That isn't allowed anymore.
-Devonian retrofit under construction
-The only thing on St. Albert Trail before St. Albert was City Ford
-West Edmonton Mall SilverCity was the theatre to be at in Edmonton and how much more 'classy' it was

- They still do the gold panning at the CaptialEx
- You still can
- Don thave to be that old to see the Devonian U/C...(what was it 2-3 years ago?)
- Not much has changed on St. Ab trail
- SilverCity is still the busiest theater in Edm...adn to address your comments from a different post Empire Theaters DT nor Scotia Bank theater were ever Paramouns. Scotia was simply called silver city until about 2 years ago and Paramount was the single theater located on Jasper where amazingly there is still a big " paramount" sign.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by byzantine15

I remember when the rating system for movies had two designations, 'family' or 'adult'. Adult films could not be seen by people under 16 unless they were accompanied by someone over 16. When we were around 13, most of the movies we wanted to see (usually horror) were 'adult'. So we would stand outside of the Strand Theater (and others) and ask people to take us in with them. We always assured them that we wouldn't sit with them and that we would behave ourselves. Sometimes it worked, sometimes someone who worked in the theater would come out and tell us to get lost.

I would imagine that, these days, you could get into a lot of legal hot water if you assisted some kids in seeing an adult-rated movie. Society tends to be a lot more uptight about that sort of thing right now(I'm thinking about parents who get sued for allowing their teenagers to have drinking parties in the basement with friends, and stores that get busted for selling smokes to minors).

Mind you, paradoxically, kids these days are likely to have seen a lot more risque fare on the internet than they could ever hope to see at a movie theatre.

As for the ratings system, I remember the categories being "family", "parental guidance", "adult", "adult not suitable for children", and "restricted". As I recall, the "adult" categories allowed children to see them if accompanied by an adult, but "restricted" was for adults only.

[Esk Fan]

Originally Posted by Sonic Death Monkey

Cubb Carson on the BEAR (now with the same station in Ottawa)

Same name, different guy. Edmonton's Cubb moved back to Ontario to attend university. As far as anyone knows, he's never gone back on his vow to stay off the radio forever.

[byzantine15]

"As for the ratings system, I remember the categories being "family", "parental guidance", "adult", "adult not suitable for children", and "restricted".

The time I'm referring to to would be '58' to '60, and I'm pretty sure there were only two designations. If I remember correctly, It was 'Tom Jones' that inspired the 'restricted' designation in '63. It was deemed imperative that NO ONE under the age of 18 should be allowed to witness that depiction of carnal depravity (snicker). At this point I pretty much ignored the evolution of the rating system because I became old enough to watch any damn thing I wanted. I'm not trying to get you to give away too much, but perhaps you were too young to remember the more simple xystem: (a) everyone welcome or (b) must be 16 or older unless accompanied by an adult. I guess at the age of 16 you were considered sophisticated enough to get an eyeful of cleavage and hear the words 'goddamit'.

[Esk Fan]

As a kid in the late '60's-early '70's I remember:
-Bonnie Doon Mall before it was fully covered.
-long lineups for ice cream treats on warm summer Sunday nights at the outdoor takeout window of the Dairy Queen on 99th Street.
-the long floor-troughs that served as urinals in the men's rooms at Clarke Stadium and Renfrew (a.k.a. John Ducey) Park.
-the lunch bar in the back of the Tamblyn's Drugstore in Bonnie Doon Mall.
-when the toboggan hills at the south end of Mill Creek Ravine were still part of the ravine.
-a series of gag photos in The Journal strongly implying that Bryan Hall was about to be fired from CJCA (for wrongly predicting that the Eskimos would miss the '73 playoffs).
-racing downtown by bus to Kelly's record store at a specified hour to get a time-limited dirt-cheap price on a certain newly released album.
-when the trailer/RV sales place near the Argyll Road undrpass was a drive-inn called The Dog n' Suds.
-all of the Johnstone Walker stores (including the one in downtown Calgary) because both my parents worked at JW for years and years.
-my buddy and I opening a kool-aid stand so that we could raise enough money to buy a Giuseppi's frozen pizza at the long-gone Safeway (that's now All-Sports Replay) on 83rd street and Argyll Rd.
-a blond forward named Dale Conrad starring for the Edmonton Monarchs senior hockey team at the Gardens.
-being delighted as a little kid named Bruce when my mom took me for lunch at The Bruce Inn on Whyte Ave. and also when I found out that there was a racehorse named Wild Bruce running at Northlands Park.
-missing the first 45 minutes or so of Jaws at the Sky-Vue Drive-In because it was too light outside when they started the movie.
-the outdoor rink at Austin O'Brien when I played mite hockey. The long step from the players' box to the ice was a doozy that resulted in all kinds of ugly pile-ups at the benches.
-my mom (who never learned to drive or catch a bus) calling Wagon Taxi to take her to work.
-walking a long way to get my skates sharpened at Del's Sporting Goods on Argyll Road and even longer to get my haircut from the Sonny Bono lookalike at Trendsetter's Hairstyling on Argyll and 99th Street.
-watching the Klondike Days Parade from the roof of the old Holt Renfrew Store on Jasper Ave. which my dad managed.
-the Richie Esso service station (99 St. & 76 Ave.) that we always went to for gas and repairs.
-calling the Empire House for Chinese food delivery and also Rafina Pizza.
-the thrill of walking the newly opened Windermere Golf Course on the occasional Sunday morning with my dad and his golf cronies.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Originally Posted by EE Fan

Same name, different guy. Edmonton's Cubb moved back to Ontario to attend university. As far as anyone knows, he's never gone back on his vow to stay off the radio forever.

Wait - so not only did Ottawa copy our Bear, they also hired a guy named Cub Carson? How lame is that??!! Anyway, moot point now that the one in Ottawa has been re-badged as Virgin Radio.

[overoceans]

Originally Posted by byzantine15

I'm not trying to get you to give away too much, but perhaps you were too young to remember the more simple xystem: (a) everyone welcome or (b) must be 16 or older unless accompanied by an adult.

I was born in the late 1960s, so the ratings system I am thinking of was the one that I remember from the mid-70s to the early 80s. As I recall, it got changed in the early 80s, making it easier for kids to see more mature-oriented stuff. Which was a welcome move for me, because my parents generally did not take me to "adult" movies, and the "family" movies were usually pretty juvenile.

[McBoo]

I remember, so many eras:

Let's see, taking the U6, transfering to the R1 to go downtown and see a show at the Capital, followed by fries and gravy at Ernies.

My first driving lesson, through the rathole.

The CP Dayliner.

930 CJCA Tiger Radio - and that killer neon sign atop the Birks Building.

Jeez, best stop before the arthritis kicks in........

[cmcharlesmillar]

The old theatres that showed saturday matinees for kids. The Dreamland on Jasper Ave x 97 st. wondering if the sticky floors would rip the soles off my runners, also why the heck that building did'nt slid down the hill. The Avenue I believe was on 118 Ave x 91 st $.35would get youy in on a Saturday I think the last movie I saw there was M*A*S*H. I went to Victoria Composit high 67 to 70. Does anyone know if they are having a 40 year class reunion this year.

[overoceans]

I remember a guy in the late 70s, early 80s, who led a local campaign to legalize marijuana, mostly by organizing the annual smoke-in, which was held in the river valley somewhere. He called himself Buck, and his surname was a number that varied according to what year it was. In 1979, he was Buck '79, in 1980 Buck '80, and so on. He was an older guy, early 50s, with a gray beard. After a few years of hosting smoke-ins, he disappeared from public view.

[Krokwalk]

finding large calibre shell casings and gas masks in the field that became Meadowlark Mall
watching Meadowlark Mall and the Jasper Place Library being built
my parents happy that Jasper Place had voted to become part of Edmonton
playing in the ravines that are now known as the Whitemud
bicycling to the Hillcrest country club at the end of 156 st. for swimming and horse riding lessons

[byzantine15]

That period in the history of JP prompted this memory:
http://www.rewedmonton.ca/content_view2?CONTENT_ID=216

The JP gun battle (it's well into the article, you have to read down a bit). When the media indicated that it was over, my friend and I rode our bikes over for a gawk. No yellow tape, very insecure scene, nothing like today.