Edmonton memories: Great characters I remember, by Kathleen Bailey

Kathleen Bailey recalls her life in Edmonton from 1920 to 2004. She describes some interesting sporting and community moments and several famous figures including John Ducey, J. Percy Page, Wayne Gretzky, the Pope, and Will Rogers. After Kathleen complete

I grew up in an apartment on 104th Avenue and 93rd Street in the Boyle Street area of Edmonton, which was a respectable area in those days with some of the top businessmen in Edmonton living there. In later years, the area became very run down and developed a bad reputation. Our apartment was in a complex of three buildings with four apartments in each. Our second floor apartment was next door to the owner, A.R. Lawrence, Pop Lawrence as he was affectionately called. He was born in the States, but came to Edmonton in 1908. He became manager of the Bijou Theatre, Edmonton's first movie theatre, located on 100th Street. It was billed as the "most northerly on the continent." He worked there until 1912, when he built a new Bijou Theatre on 101 Street where the Rialto Theatre later stood. He sold it in 1914, and then took a position with the city's electric light and power department.


Pop Lawrence was a keen sports fan. He helped build the Boyle Street Baseball Field between 95th and 96th Streets along 104th Avenue. He managed the Eskimos Girls' Athletic Club and was also involved with basketball, baseball, and track and field. His girls' basketball team won the provincial championship in 1933; his baseball club won the provincial championship in 1934, and his track and field squad went all the way in 1939. He was honoured by the city by being named to the city hall, Hall of Fame, and received many awards in recognition of his recreational activities. He died in 1963 at the age of ninety-four.


John Ducey played baseball at Boyle Street Park and later became a referee. He was well known at the new park built in the river valley. Originally, that field was named John Ducey Park in his honor, but in later years the name was changed to Telus Field. They honored John Ducey by placing a bust of him and a plaque at the entrance to the park. John and his wife Grace were good friends of mine.


I went to Sacred Heart School on 96th Street and 108th Avenue, which was across the street from Sacred Heart Church where my family attended. When I finished Grade 8 at Sacred Heart School, I received the highest marks in the departmental exams for the city, so I won the Governor General's Medal. Governor General Lord Bessborough was coming to Edmonton in September, so the School Board arranged for him to present the medal to me personally on September 19, 1932 on the steps of Convocation Hall at the University of Alberta. A picture of the presentation was taken and well-known Edmonton author Tony Cashman used the picture in his Edmonton Catholic Schools book. The Catholic School Board used the photo on the invitations sent out for a gathering to honour its teachers of long service.


I attended St. Mary's High School just south of Jasper on 103rd Street, a school that was for girls only. Boys went to St. Joseph's High on 109th Street, which still exists in the same location.


When in high school, I went skating every Saturday evening at a large rink on Jasper Avenue between 111th and 112th Streets. There was a live band playing for our enjoyment as we skated to the tunes. I learned to swim at the Southside Park. To get there I took the streetcar, which ran on the top of the High Level Bridge, then along Whyte Avenue. I'd get off at 104th Street and walk north to the steps, which took me down to the pool in the river valley.


My husband and I raised our family in the west end. We attended St. Joseph's Cathedral on Jasper Avenue and 113th Street. The basement of a planned large cathedral was built, but money ran out so we used the basement structure for many years. Finally, in the early 1960s the building was completed to make the beautiful structure it is now. I was president of the cathedral's Catholic Women's League at the time of construction and was very involved. I was also on the executive of the Home and School Association at the school my children attended and was also on the Council for the Edmonton Home and School Association.


When the Pope came to Edmonton in 1984, I attended the mass he said at the Namao Airbase. It was a wonderful experience with thousands gathered to witness it. In remembrance of his visit to Edmonton, the Pope made our cathedral a basilica so, since then it has been called St. Joseph's Basilica.


With thousands of others, I was present on the street in front of St. Joseph's Basilica on July 16, 1988, to watch popular Wayne Gretzky and his bride Janet emerge from the church after their wedding. Only guests with invitations were allowed inside the church. The crowd on the street greeted them with loud cheers.


Many years ago the famous pilot, Wiley Post, who had set the record of the fastest globe-circling trip ever made by man was on a flight to the north and stopped at the Edmonton city airport to refuel. He had the well-known actor Will Rogers with him. I was at the airport to see them during their short stop. A few days later, their plane crashed near Point Barrow, Alaska and both men were killed.


I was a big fan of the Edmonton Grad Basketball Team that became famous under super coach J. Percy Page. They won 516 of the 640 games they played. I had a special interest in the Grads because my sister-in-law, Marguerite Bailey, played for them for several years. Pat and Clare Hollingsworth now live in the Churchill where I live. Pat was the daughter of Percy Page and her husband Clare was the coach of the Edmonton Gradettes.


I received the Citizen's Participation Diaidend of $17.50 for the calendar year of 1958, which was a benefit accruing from the development of oil and gas resources in Alberta. I should add that 4 of my 5 children received degrees from the University of Alberta. My eldest, Tom, went through military college at Royal Roads, Victoria and Kingston, Ontario and became an R.C.A.F. pilot.