Growing Up Edmontonian
User Story
By Donna Hamilton
We were raised in the low rentals of Delton, a poorer, rougher part of Edmonton for most of our childhood. I have a vague recollection of our arrival from Winnipeg. Dad was in the Air Force and had been transferred to Edmonton. I was 3.
I attended Mee-Yah-Noh Elementary school. Everyone laughs when they hear that name. They do not believe it exists. Those who have attended know of the wrought iron buffalo in the courtyard that stood as the school mascot. In the 1970s, everyone walked to school. The only time anyone got a ride to school was when it was -100 out (at least that's what it felt like). There was no talk of wind chill back then. They didn't have "one safety belt per person" rules and so one of the mothers would, invariably, cram all the children she could into her little car and drive us to school on those days. One mile was a long, long walk when it was cold out.
Edmonton was a pretty safe place to grow up. Oh don’t get me wrong, there was still peer pressure and bullies to deal with, but in retrospect, a child did not have to worry about being kidnapped and having all kinds of horror inflicted upon his body. You could walk to school by yourself. The only fear was that of your teachers should you tarry too long picking flowers on the way to school; well that and the person whose flowers you were picking.
We could freely walk, meet, and play war. There were disorganised games of soccer baseball, football, tag, Mother-May-I, and red-light green-light. There were train tracks to explore, bridges to cross, and rocks to throw.
As with all children, the older I got, the more aware I became of events outside of my bubble. I was 15 when they put in the LRT and the Commonwealth Games came to Edmonton. I cheered as Diane Jones-Konihowski overtook Sue Mapstone to win the Pentathlon. The LRT opened a whole new world of exploration. Bussing and participating in activities by myself. That summer was so enchanting and magical, one could not hide the excitement of that first train ride, the Klondike parade, the noises and smells of Klondike Days, the Queen's procession, the games. There was so much to see and do. In winter there was sledding down hills, skating in Churchill Square or the Legislative grounds.
An active night life has been traded for an active evening life as I stroll the river valley and remark upon the beauty. I listen disconnectedly as an acquaintance bemoans how "ugly" and "dirty" Edmonton is. Every city has its ugliness, its litter, its homeless, its traffic congestion. I choose to see the good such as Churchill Square at lunch time with its sunners and buskers, the hustle and bustle of activity as summer begins and we prepare for yet another festival or parade. I choose to see the beauty in the lights displayed at Christmas. I’ve lived in Saskatoon and I've lived in London. Not much for comparison I know, but I'll take Edmonton any day. You can't beat that western hospitality and openness that the City of Edmonton offers.
