An Edmonton Flyers Hockey Game, by Betty Millman

Two children take the streetcar all the way to a hockey game at the Edmonton Gardens.

During World War II, the southside street cars, red, and red and white color coded on the front, came as far east as 91st Street. My brother and I got on the streetcar and paid 5 cents each. We were going to see an Edmonton Flyers hockey game at the Edmonton Gardens. The ride would take an hour and a half.

The streetcar swayed and clanged it way over the Mill Creek Bridge, up Whyte Avenue to 109th Street, and turned north to the High Level Bridge. Here the car slowed and proceeded across the top of the bridge. Sitting by the windows on the outside rail allowed one to see the North Saskatchewan River far below, unobstructed!

When our streetcar swayed its way across the outer rails, I sad on the aisle seat to help weigh it down. On the ___________, the streetcar proceeded to Jasper Avenue and turned east. Eventually, it turned at 82nd Street and headed northward to the Edmonton Gardens.

The Edmonton Flyers were at their zenith. Pug Young, Alex Pringle, Louis Holmes, and Gordon Watt were some of the players. The games were always sold out. We had very little money so we bought tickets in the “gods.”

As the game progressed, we moved to empty seats, closer down. If the ticket holders came, we moved to other empty seats. After the game we walked to the streetcar stop, where we boarded the red and white for the long trip home.