Quote:
Originally Posted by jsbertram
Stampede in the 70's wanted to expand the fairgrounds from 17th Ave to the railway tracks. I heard that someone back then decided the parade should start in the fairgrounds, loop through downtown (west to Mewata & back), and return to the fairgrounds. It would encourage the parade viewers to 'join the parade to the fairgrounds' and boost the opening day head-count.
Except they still didn't know how to get across the CPR tracks to get from from 9th Ave to 17th Ave.
Not a Minor Detail.
City thought this was a great excuse for 'Urban Renewal'
Stampede bought up some homes in the area (using numbered companies &tc to disguise who was behind the purchases), and rented out the houses like a slum-lord.
They got the rest of the properties cheap because anyone owning there didn't want to stay in an 'east end slum' after Stampede became land owners.
Quel Suprise?!?
The old houses that were rented out to disreputable people were being damaged, and with minimal upkeep were 'beyond repair' in a few years - gotta knock them over now.
The only problem is by the 80's when they had most of the property that used to be Victoria Park, there were a few recessions and they didn't have much cash to build anything other than the Saddledome and then - much later the BMO Centre / Casino.
So for decades there have been parking lots where a vibrant community used to be.
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Thanks for the history lesson, that was very interesting, yet sad. I'm 25 years old and as far back as I can remember Victoria park and East village were always run down. Although I remember a few more houses being in Victoria Park when I was a kid.
Did the Stampede also buy any properties west of Macleod and East of 2nd St SW? Because within those 4 blocks there is still a ton of surface parking lots.