It is a photo exhibit 49 years in the making. When the Enjoy Centre opened its doors last week, it also marked the unveiling of a gallery of photographs, artifacts and stories from the past.
“On that very first day in 1952 when Ted picked up a handful of soil from his and Lois’ land on the banks of the Sturgeon River, a part of St. Albert’s history was born.”
That’s how The Memory Project opens up, inviting visitors to peruse the decades of Hole’s Greenhouses & Gardens. Even though it resides mostly on the walls, it has quickly become the centre of attention for many people. Even on a quiet Monday when only 20 cars are in the parking lot, there are at least 10 people in this area.
One of the people who makes a regular habit of looking through the pictures is co-owner Jim Hole.
“Every day when I’m out there, you get people coming through who are teary-eyed from having gone through because they remember the red barn. It’s a very powerful component of the Enjoy Centre,” he began. “Every day I take just a moment to at least wander through a part of that and reminisce a bit. I just shake my head and wonder how we’ve come from that to this. It seems strange at times.”
If the business weren’t such an integral long-term component of the city’s socioeconomic fabric, this would seem like a walk-through family photo album, complete with commentary. The old horse-drawn plow has seen better days but the plaque that accompanies it explains that Ted only used it once: to dig a 61-metre trench to install power and water lines for a new irrigation system for the vegetable garden.
The numerous pictures and stories make up the bulk of the exhibit itself both in volume and in emotional impact. It’s fascinating to see the formative years of the farm and read what it was like to begin such an agricultural adventure. There is also a historical map of the original farmsteads in 1878. The Holes’ farm was originally a part of the land owned by William Cust.
Jim added that the continuity of history was always taken into consideration when the new centre was being planned.
“It’s a very important piece of our new facility. It brings back a lot of great memories of the time that Mum and Dad started right here in St. Albert.”
Members of the community have the opportunity to add their own stories in the memory book. Hole said the book is filling up so fast, he might have to stock up just to keep on top of demand.
“It’s great just to ensure that that never gets lost. We would certainly never want to forget that.”
The Enjoy Centre is located at 101 Riel Dr.
