Feature Article

PARKVALE

Written By: Michael Dawe
Published By: Red Deer Express
Article Used with permission. © Copyright Michael Dawe, 2005
2005-05-08

1905 was a wonderful year for Red Deer. The community enjoyed an incredible boom with an enormous surge in population and prosperity. The number of homestead entries in the district jumped 161% from the previous year. In May 1905, the Red Deer Land Titles Office recorded the highest number of new homestead claims in all of Canada.

The population of the Town also soared, from just a few hundred to almost 1500. During the spring of 1905, it was reported that there was not a single vacant house in the whole town. For many, it became a question of either building immediately or moving on.

The local real estate firm of Michener and Carscallen, half owned by the Town’s mayor, Edward Michener, reported sales of dozens of residential lots and almost 2000 acres of farmland in a little over a month. With this level of activity, it is not surprising that the company decided to proceed with two new subdivisions just beyond the eastern town limits " Grandview Park on the brow of the East Hill and Parkvale Estates in the southeastern corner of the valley.

There had already been some development on the southeast side of Red Deer. In 1902, the Agricultural Society purchased a parcel of land for a fairgrounds. With the Fair and Red Deer growing and prospering, two more acres were purchased on the northside of the fairgrounds and a race track, new exhibits building and grandstand were built. The whole site was renamed Alexandra Park in honour of King Edward VII’s queen and consort.

Moreover, Michener Carscallen acquired much of the land north of the fairgrounds for future residential development in 1904.

However, most of the proposed Parkvale subdivision was separated from the Town by a long stretch of swamp and a fairly deep coulee. Consequently, Michener Carscallen had to convince Town Council to extend Ross and Mann (49th) Streets eastwards by building up the grade through the swamp and by building a small bridge on Mann Street across the coulee.

Michener Carscallen also decided on another project to help make their Parkvale subdivision more desirable. They built a dam across Waskasoo Creek to create a small lake. This made Parkvale Red Deer’s first "lake community".

The first three blocks of Parkvale Estates went on the market in April 1905. Lots were priced between $50 and $75 dollars each, with a one-third down payment and the balance payable in two installments in 3 and 6 months. The Company described the subdivision as "high and level as a lawn", with Waskasoo Creek and "the majestic pines (sic) of Grandview fringing the eastern boundary".

Given the continuing boom in the community, sales of lots were very brisk. Some houses were constructed over the summer of 1905. The development was so popular that a southwards extension was made to the subdivision in 1907. Only the artificial lake did not work out. The summertime flows in Waskasoo Creek were quite low and the lake got a bad odour in warm weather. Consequently, the dam was removed and the lake drained.

Between 1910 and 1913, there was a lot of construction in Parkvale. Also, when the Canadian Northern Western Railroad was built along the west side of Parkvale, a large railway workers camp was set up next to the subdivision.

The economic crash of 1913 and the subsequent outbreak of the First World War in 1914 brought an end to much of the growth in Parkvale and to Red Deer as a whole. During the War, the fairgrounds were used as a large military training camp. In 1918, just before the end of the War, Katherine Stinson made the first airplane landing in front of the grandstand at the Fair. Her take-off caused quite a bit of further excitement as the plane had a lot of difficulty clearing the electrical lines and the trees.

The 1920’s and 30’s were quiet years as there was very little growth in the community. However, during the Second World War and during the boom that followed, there was a tremendous housing shortage in Red Deer. People were sometimes forced to live in tiny suites in existing houses, garages and sheds.

During the 1940’s and 1950’s, many of the remaining vacant lots in Parkvale were filled with new houses. Another big change came in 1960-1961, when Red Deer experienced its first railway relocation project. The old C.N.R. line was removed and replaced by the long park corridor now known as Recreation Park. In 1982, the fairgrounds were relocated to a site south of the City. Consequently, there was a considerable amount of new residential development in south Parkvale.

On Saturday, May 14th, the Parkvale Community Association will be launching its centennial celebrations with a program at the Pioneer Lodge at 3 p.m. followed by a potluck supper at 5 p.m.