Calgary Then & Now: Ogden Bus Loop

It’s estimated close to forty years separates the two photos seen in this comparison post. It’s a strange subject we’ve picked, an obscure little corner of our city, but we like out of the way places. Anyway, it looked like it had the potential for some silly fun, so for that reason alone we’re in. It’s time for a Calgary (Transit) Then & Now and today we’re looking at the Ogden Bus Loop there in the southeast

First off, a big thank you goes out to the Motor Bus Society for allowing use of the old photo. It comes from the Gerry (or Gerald) Squier Bus Photo Collection and may be the first of many CTS T&Ns to come with his name attached. They said have at it and use any you like from the group sent to us as fodder (and there’s a lot). We might have to travel too as we see other Western Canadian cities were included in the group of images sent. Edmonton…lock up your silverwear. We’re coming!

The Ogden Bus Loop was traditionally used by and most often associated with the number #24 route from downtown. It’s here where the “Ogden Bus” reversed and headed back to the city core. Now it continues further south and no longer pays this (once) turn around point a visit and hasn’t for years. Neither does any other route, and different ones have used it over time, but with changes to roads in the area it was taken out of service recently. Back in the original photo, this was the very edge of town, but today, it’s deep in the city. There’s one constant in Calgary and that’s growth.

The old photo shows Calgary Transit #766 at the Ogden Loop. A GMC New Look from 1974, a photo from our friend and bus nut Peter McLaughlin shows it in retirement by 1992. They got almost two decades out of it, so that’s not bad I suppose. Known affectionately as a “Fishbowl” (all that glass) the model was popular with transit systems all over North America in the 1960s-1980s period (with some even lasting in the 2010s). They were made in both the US (1959-1977) and Canada (1961-1986) with this one, naturally, a home-grown product. CTS had hundreds of them.

Want to know more about this iconic transit bus? Off course you do and maybe it’s because you rode in one, but no matter the reason, go here: (deep rabbit hole warning): GMC Fishbowls @ BIGDoer.com.

It doesn’t look like anyone’s on the #24 back then, but by the time it got to the loop, there were few riders to be had anyway. With a few scattered industries, the occasional house here and there and a small trailer park, not many folks would need to go to the end of the line. All the houses are gone now but the trailers are still there, incidentally. Old aerial photos at the City of Calgary from the 1970s-1980s period show just how “out there” the loop was at the time. You had Ogden, Glenmore Trail and then nothing.

The original photo did not come with a date but with a bit of detective work, we can make a reasonable estimation. Here’s what we know…

The bus loop, put in around 1977-1978-ish, took on its current three-lane two-island form in the early 1980s (exact year unconfirmed). Before that it appeared single lane and may have been unpaved.

Next it’s the licence plate and the yellow style seen dates back to 1975-1984 period. All things considered then, the first few years of the 1980s seems a good bet.

The ad on the side of the bus could not be accurately dated so did not help in any way. But it’s super interesting. Advertising Barney’s Kentucky Fried Chicken there’s a tag line that reads: “DinnerInABucketInAMinute”. Barney’s held all the KFC franchises in the Calgary area starting in the 1950s and did so until about 1987. It wasn’t the Colonel’s Chicken if you were a Calgarian back then, it was Barney’s.

At various times the loop functioned in a clockwise fashion and other times counter-clockwise, but when and why does not make mention.

Fast forward to 2020 and we’ve paid the Ogden Bus Loop a visit as you can see. It’s all quiet present day with no buses having used it for a while. It’s pretty intact, however, and little changed over the years as you can see. That traffic cone makes for an interesting coincidence.

The blue roof building seen in the now photo also appears in the first image, but was smaller then and mostly blocked from view by the bus. How about those old school big-rigs in back? Glenmore Trail marks a big change in the background. It used to be out of view, but for a few years now runs atop a big embankment (you can’t miss it) taking it over the busy Canadian Pacific Railway mainline. The train is just a couple blocks away and with each passing freight came big traffic snarls on that busy roadway. Those who work in Foothills Industrial are no doubt thankful for this new flyover.

This change to Glenmore has the roads around the loop mostly dead-ending and was responsible for the traffic pattern changes mentioned. It cut off or cut in half a number of well used roads and the loop therefor made rather pointless. The need had passed.

Most of the poles seem the same and overall change here has been pretty minimal. It’s an off the radar kind of place, so I guess it’s no surprise.

The mighty BIGDoer-mobile does a reasonable job of filling in for the transit bus in our now photo. It’s a GM product after all, although I don’t think it’s seats quite as many people. It’s usually seen photo-bombing our work (no matter where we park it somehow makes it into a picture), but here we put it to work. In spirit it’s usually a Jeep, but today it’s channeling a CTS Fishbowl.

Even though the city is all around present day, there’s still spotty development near the Ogden Bus Loop. Further south it’s strip mall after strip mall, each looking much like the other and vast tracts of housing but here, there’s many empty lots. To the north, it’s the well established neighbourhood of Ogden going back to the 1910s and forever tied to the railway. Look up Ogden Shops to know what we mean.

The loop still had a passenger shelter when we visited in 2020 but we suspect it might be gone soon. Ditto for the entire loop. The future Green Line LRT, it’s said, will pass close by on its way south and plans show a station (called South Hill) might be put very close to this spot. Or even on top. Construction will start soon according to the CTS.

Turn around points like this often have a facilities for the driver and here it’s a little bunker looking place seen in the photos. It’s quite substantial in construction…you might say it looks almost explosion proof. Just what do these CTS drivers eat (wink-wink)? We told you those gas station enchiladas would come back to haunt you!

Wasn’t that fun? Stay tuned for more like this down the road and other new content being posted regularly.

To know more about the group that supplied the old photo, go here (new tab): Motor Bus Society.

They’re saying…

“The subject matter is always interesting and Chris & Connie do an amazing job on studying their subject matter.” Rik Barry.

Some (oldie) transit Then & Nows…
Calgary Transit then and now – 17th Ave SW.
Calgary Transit then and now – #7 South Calgary run.
Edmonton Transit then and now – 115th Ave.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: May, 2020.
Location: Calgary, AB.
Article references and thanks: Motor Bus Society (Gerry Squier Collection), Calgary Transit, City of Calgary, BusDrawings.com plus vintage phone books at the Calgary Public Library and the Medicine Hat and District Genealogical Society.

Calgary’s Ogden Bus Loop many decades apart (org: Motor Bus Society).

Some loops had facilities for drivers.

Buses no longer stop here and haven’t for a couple years.

An overall view.