Here’s a fine city trek, a loop of sorts taking in the entire length of Edmonton Trail in Calgary’s (shallow) Northeast and on the return leg quieter residential streets off to the east. It’s like going back in time, the closer one gets to downtown, the older things become. There’s plenty to see including many interesting old houses and churches and other stuff. If you get growlies there’s plenty of places that can fill the void. Not a bad little stroll if we do say so.
Begin at the far northern reaches of Edmonton Trail where it dead-ends at a bus gate. There’s some on-street parking here. Head south passing commercial strip malls, residential areas and numerous businesses. To your left, an old hotel is seen. Closed up for a few years now, the former Quality Inn (nee: Airliner Motor Inn, built 1960s), is today being turned into housing for the working poor.
Edmonton Trail: there ‘n’ back and a homage to “The King”. A Chris & Connie Adventure!
No surprisingly this project has been met with lots of resistance from local homeowners. “It’ll bring down property values or some such thing” – that tired old song.
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By the way, Edmonton Trail, long ago, was the main route north out of Calgary.
Pass beside the neighbourhood of Highland Park, houses here dating from the 1940s-1960s. Pass through an industrial/commercial area for a time. Long ago there was a drive-in theatre here. Now it’s all autobody shops and things like that.
Across the road, the oddly named “Deer Head” Cafe, an old school diner if there ever was one. Your author stopped in here in the 1990s – might have to make a return some time.
Edmonton Trail bends a bit here and there. Block after block of houses, with occasional strip malls or businesses. There’s a church here and there. Have a thing for them, strangely. Never attended but love to photograph and explore places of worship of any denomination or faith.
Edmonton Trail separates the communities of Tuxedo Park/Balmoral and Winston Heights/Mountview. The former dates from the 1920s, the latter the 1930s. Lots of nice old homes here, simple and unassuming, quaint and charming and rather tiny where compared to the McMansions of today, which look like hotels in comparison. Pass the Italian Market – lots of yummy here! You have been warned.
Cross busy 16th Avenue, the Trans-Canada Highway through Calgary. Try not to get mowed down. You’re now in Crescent Heights (left, from the 1910s) and Renfrew (right, from the 1910s-1950s era), which at one time was home to the city’s earliest airport. More home and businesses.
Drop down to river level, hit Memorial Drive, where Edmonton Trail ends and loop back. Many old commercial blocks here from the 1910s. Downtown is just across the river and here we’re in Bridgeland. A grilled-cheese/beer/wine restaurant? Okay…trying to be trendy I guess.
Heading back up…if you’re hungry at this point the top of the escapement is where most of your dining options will be. We picked a burger joint. The “Fat Elvis” (peanut butter, banana, bacon) at “Boogies” is the best milkshake ever! All the hail the King! Paired with a heart attack burger, it’s pure bliss.
There’s some old arcade games here. No time for pinball this day, sadly…
Back to the hike loop around Boogies and hit 8th Ave NE. Soon on, in the community of Renfrew now, come to Stanley Jones School, an imposing century old structure made of sandstone and one of many in town built to a similar design. Across the street, Stanley Jones Grocery is equally as old. Lotto stop! Afraid we came up empty though. BIGDoer rules for inner-city hiking…see a corner store (independent, not a chain) and one must stop and buy a couple scratchies. We do. And one day it’ll make us rich!
Take the time to head south a block or so to view the…deep breath…”Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church”. Now there’s a title! It’s from the 1950s and follows the Orthodox (sometimes called Byzantine) style of architecture. Those domes are a sure fire spotting feature.
Head north on 6th Street, cross 16th Avenue again. Left on 17th Avenue, soft right on 5th Street, left on 18th Avenue and finally right on 4th Street. Pass by Mount View Elementary (Winston Heights/Mountview Community). Interestingly this building was used for “Civil Defence” exercises in the 1950s. It’s hinted the building has a bunker in the basement, but requests to check this out have gone unanswered. Oddly, we didn’t take a photo of the place. Silly us!
Right on 25th Avenue a charming tree lined street. Lots like it around. Back on 6th Street again, turn left. That’s Winston Golf Course on your right. Off in the east one can see super-busy Deerfoot Trail down there in the Nose Creek Valley. Even from this distance, one can hear the traffic. Drop down and soon on enter an industrial area. Left at 25th Avenue and right on Edmonton Trail, the adventure near an end.
Before that, a quick stop at a corner store to gamble some more. It’s a rule you know! One day, damn, we’re going to win…I can sense it! Alas, this scratchy ticket was a dud. Had we won, of course, we’d have shared it with you all. Cross our hearts…
If you wish more information about this trail, by all means contact us!
Date of adventure: November, 2017. Location: Calgary, AB. Distance: 14km loop. Height gain maximum: 40m-ish. Height gain cumulative: 60m-ish. NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate.
That coffee sign! I’d love to see it lit up. Been thinking it’s time we stopped in the Dear Head. Just by name alone, it’s a cool place. Thanks Jenn for being a serial commenter – we appreciate it and there’s a beer in it for you next time we meet.
Beer Parlour Project Friday🍺: The Thorsby Hotel, built in 1929 & a photo by the manager's 7 years old daughter. More below 👇
Agreema politely asked if she could shoot a few photos & we obliged. A dark environment like this is very unforgiving & the camera she used quite temperamental, so she did an amazing job. We're out of work as photographers! Great food at this place, BTW!
Beer Parlour Project Friday🍺: The Tofield Hotel, built in 1912 & patron Lana, shot on Rob's vintage view camera. More below 👇
She's a sweetie & met her late husband at the hotel. The building from the alley side hasn't changed much since being built but the front brickwork is now covered by siding.
Crossley slides (unrestored), an unnamed fellow snacking on Sun-Maid Raisins - mountains of BC - 1950s. More below 👇
The distinctive red box is instantly recognizable! The location is listed as the Whitewater Valley & we think it's in the Sandon area close to Retallack. Perhaps some of our friends out that way can confirm. Sandon B.C., would Hal know? Crossley frequented Sandon so the location makes sense. Note the (mine?) road cutting across the slope in back. The slide is dated 1955 in the catalogue but 1956 on the frame.
Shout out to: Jason Sailer. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
An old section of Highway #6 (BC) in the 1970s & 2021 - it's the second most shared post in our entire history! More below 👇
The original photo shows the road about the time it was decommissioned. This was always a troublesome section & so it got replaced by a new route further up the hill. While it hasn’t seen a car in eons, it remains overall in reasonable shape, save for some rockfall in places like this. These came down about ten years ago.
Happy Holidays from Off the Beaten Path w' Chris & Connie. Thanks for your continued support & encouragement. More 👇
🎄 🎄 🎄
CPKC's Holiday Train from a few nights ago. Rather than fight the crowds to see it, we wanted something a little more intimate. A bit of hike, but we brought mulled wine to help us keep warm while waiting. It's not a great shot & originally we had no intent to share it here, but what the heck.
Trainspotting is like fishing. It's not about the catch but rather getting out. If a train comes by, great, but if not, we had each other & a chance to get away from the day's problems. That's a BIG win in our books...even if we did freeze our bottoms off. _______
Out exploring with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Great day out with my best friend!
Connie, you’re so kind.
Great trek though town! I stopped for that coffee sign at Christmas. The Deer Head is always interesting!
That coffee sign! I’d love to see it lit up. Been thinking it’s time we stopped in the Dear Head. Just by name alone, it’s a cool place. Thanks Jenn for being a serial commenter – we appreciate it and there’s a beer in it for you next time we meet.