Calling all elders, we need your stories. That’s the call from the city’s Cultural Services Department in regards to a new effort to preserve St. Albert’s history and fond memories.
“We’re looking for stories more than historical significance,” explained Tamsin Brooks, the community cultural co-ordinator, referring to the project that is called A Storied Past: Recollections of St. Albert. It is meant to start as a compilation of personal stories, memories or details of a dozen historic locations.
“We’re looking for humourous anecdotes and something that happened that was quirky. I’m sure that there were lots of things that happened at the Edmonton Canoe Club that are interesting, right?”
A Storied Past started out of the city’s interest to collect the stories from our elders in the community. It will focus on historically significant locations with the hopes of educating and entertaining the public.
“A Storied Past will encourage the preservation of St. Albert’s unique heritage and uncover unknown stories and facts that will help past, current and future residents learn more about the community they live in,” Mayor Nolan Crouse wrote in a prepared press release.
Along with the aforementioned canoe club, the locations of interest include The Brickyard, the Interurban Railway, the Lorne Akins Farm and Ranch, North West Mounted Police and Log Cabin, Mission District, St. Albert United Church, Ducky Dome, Community Hall and Post Office, the Sir Winston Churchill Marker, Old Town Hall, and Centennial Library.
Those last three will probably be conglomerated once the project reaches fruition. Brooks indicated that they are separate spots for the time being for the sole purpose of spreading a wider net for stories to be fished out.
“We’re sure that the stories from the Centennial Library are going to be different from Churchill and the Old Town Hall.”
The end point of the story collection will likely be to create signage or some kind of display at each of those sites.
“We don’t quite know what that looks like yet.”
People are asked to submit their stories by April 29. The project is expected to materialize next year. More can be learned about each of the locations by visiting the city’s website at www.stalbert.ca. Submissions can also be made online as well.
Submissions for stories can include St. Albert’s history, forgotten or unknown events in the community and old photos of the locations. The stories must relate to the chosen locations, be as historically accurate as possible and a maximum of 500 words.
