Excerpt from: "Hills of Hope" - Pub. by Carvel Unifarm, 1976
The Village of Wabamun - by Hilda Margerison
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The Bergs had been living in their home at Lakeview, overlooking Moonlight Bay. Mr. Berg was cook at Lakeside Coals at this time. The Bergs had five children: Ethel, Helen Donald, Gladys and Cecil. Ethel and Helen assisted their mother in the restaurant. In later years two tragedies happened to the Bergs. Gladys died of rheumatic fever and in 1930 the cafe and their living quarters were destroyed by fire. Everything was lost. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson purchased the Anderson Building and opened a general store, which they operated for several years. They then sold their property to S. Bamber and
retired to Vancouver. The building became the hardware department of Bamber’s Store. Mr. Batke opened a shoe repair shop north of Bamber’s Store. Business was not brisk in the post-war years. Mr. Batke eventually sold the building to Mr. White. He and his wife and three sons moved to a farm in the Darwell district.
Mr. White opened a butcher shop in the former Batke location.
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and Canadian Northern Railway declared bankruptcy. They were taken over by the Federal government in 1923 and became the Cnadian National Railways. Much of the Canadian Northern line west of Edmonton was torn up and bridges dismantled.
There were Soldier Settlement Board representatives living in the village after World War I. Bill Sheppard was the first representative followed by Mr. Toaley, Sam Lucas and Ernie Roy. These men were war veterans themselves.
The British Dominion Land Settlement Corporation rented part of the former Lakeview Hotel Building for office purposes and accomodation for settlers looking for land. Land sales were not brisk, so their stay was short.
In 1928 the Muttart Lumber Company purchased the Lakeview Hotel building and tore it down. It proved to be a profitable venture for the Muttarts.
Due to conflicts of interest and isunderstandings the Community Club was not
progressing very well. Too much land was used for the tennis court. The older members did not get their bowling green. The taxes were not paid, so the lot on which the Pavilion was situated was taken over by the Village Council. The Canadian National Realties had asked Council to accept a piece of land adjoining the right-of-way and south of First Avenue in exchange for the existing Park, for which they had a buyer. The Council agreed to this proposal. They had the Pavilion moved across the street to the new park,
then proceeded to have the building closed in and a kitchen added, so it could be used all year. The Council then sold the former location to Charles Andrews for a garage business.
The tennis court was kept by the Club and used for many years.
The village schoolhouse was becoming overcrowded so the School Board made
arrangements to rent the hall, during school hours, for school purpose at a rental of five dollars per month. The School District spent a sum of money on the building to make it more suitable for school purposes, also for furnishings and equipment. The amount spent on the building itself was deducted from the rent. In 1932 grades one to four were moved into the hall, with Martha S. Andrews as teacher.
The sad part of the deal with Canadian National Realties was that the villagers lost their excellent sports ground. Another had to be found.
The Palm Barber Shop changed hands many times through the years. Fred Penfold, a war veteran who had brought a bride from France, bought the business from Joe Babiuk. He in turn sold to another veteran, Charles (Mickey) McCusker, who had married in London, England. Before he went overseas he had homesteaded north of Wabamun. His city-born wife found the farm too lonesome. When Bambers resigned from the postal service Charles McCusker was appointed, as veterans were to be given preference in
these appointments. The Post Office was in a rented building. Mr. McCusker moved the Post Office to his own building without permission and so lost it. There being no application from a veteran Mr. H White was appointed. The names of the other barbers were Mr. Pearson, Mr. Manning and A. Mykytiuk who operated the business for many years. He sold it and shortly after it was destroyed by fire. Mr. Ed Klukas bought the land and put up a larger building. He had a barber shop and store combined. He sold to Mr.
Gerhardt, who opened the first supermarket, after renovations.
Mr. H. White also had a store. he eventually retired to Mission city, British Columbia. Walter King bought the store. He later became a mink farmer and sold the store to A. Brereton, a war veteran and winner of a Victoria Cross. He in turn sold to Ivan Avery, another veteran. The Averys exchanged the store for Wickman’s farm at Genesee. George Wickman, another veteran, later opened a store and tea room on the highway, at the Wabamun corner, assisted by daughters Sue and later Dorothy. He sold the Wabamun store to Morley Upcatt from Haddock, north of Peers. After a time the
Upcatts purchased the building, which was the original Wabamun Trading Company. Ivan sold the other building. It became the Lakeshore Inn which also changed hands several times. Finally it was damaged by fire and was torn down.
In 1928 Mr. and Mrs. Knut Skutle bought a home in Wabamun owned by W. Fleming, who formerly had a fox farm here. The Skutles and sons Gordon and Oscar had been living at the Lakeside Coal Mine site where Mr. Skutle was employed. Mr. skutle served on the village council for many terms as councillor and mayor. He took an active part in promoting sports of all kinds. He and his sons gave of their time every winter to the making of a good ice surface on the skating rink.
They attached a loudspeaker to the top of their car and to a gramaphone inside with which they supplied music for the parade and on the sports ground during the annual picnic.
When Wabamun was taken over by the Municipal District of stony Plain No. 84 in 1946 Mr Skutle became municipal policeman, foreman and fire warden, positions he served well for many years. He also acted in the same capacity for the County of Parkland. Mr. Skutle passed away in October, 1975, at the age of eighty-five.
Mrs. Skutle still resides here. Gordon is chief engineer at radio station CJCA. He married the former Dorie Andrews, they have four children and two grandchildren. Oscar has his own accounting firm and is a very talented amateur photographer. He married a nurse, Ina Brennan, they have two daughters.
Mr Otis Sprague brought the mink Farming industry to Wabamun. He first rented property in the summer village of Lakeview, later purchased “Block A” in Wabamun and moved his mink to that location. He specialized in selling breeding stock. Eventually there were over twenty people engaged in mink farming. Now there are only one or two, due to lower prices for pelts and increases in costs of feed and labor.
In January, 1936 a tragedy in the form of a diphtheria epidemic struck the village. Six cases developed and three cases proved fatal, two men in one family and a little girl from a farm who was attending school and boarding with friends there. Dr Walton of Stony Plain was in attendance. Due to a previous experience with this dreaded disease he set very strict rules for the mayor, S. Bamber, and council members to follow. A nurse was sent by the Department of Health.
Mr. Bamber set aside a part of his store as an innoculation centre.
The men who attended to the burial of the two men were dressed in coveralls made of sacking. These were later put on a brush pile at the cemetery and burned.
Dr. Walton ordered that no one else attend the funeral but the Anglican priest Reverend F. Franklin, went and conducted a graveside service. Thanks to all those in charge who did such a thorough job there were no more cases. The sympathy of the whole community was extended to the bereaved families.
In 1939 there was great excitement as their Majesties, the King and Queen, were coming to tour Canada coast to coast. When word came that all school children were to be taken in by special train and alloted seats in the bleachers erected on Kingsway Avenue, the children could hardly wait for the day to arrive. Many of them had never ridden on a train and they had never expected to see their King and Queen.
Thanks to the bleachers everyone had a perfect view of the whole procession. The Queen was beautiful, the King handsome and the weather lovely.
The Wabamun Boy Scouts were assigned duties, as were all Boy Scouts. What a day to remember and cherish!
By the fall of that year the world was again at war - something we had been told could never happen again, countries overrun and devastated. Our boys began enlisting and going off to so many different places in the world. The bombing of Britain was blared over the radio until sometimes it seemed there would be nothing left standing. No matter how black the news there was always comfort in that calm voice saying "This is London calling" with Big Ben tolling in the background. The wonderful speeches of Sir Winston
Churchill, urging all to keep up their spirits was a tonic in itself. At long last it was over and the job of putting the world back together again began.
In 1945, prior to the village becoming a hamlet and part of the Municipal District of Stony Plain the Community Club was revived under the leadership of Terry Lang-Hodge, Walter King and Harry Roxburgh. The main purpose of this move was to preserve the hall, sports ground and skating rink. This was done on the advice of the councillor of this district, Roy Lent. He advised that ther Municipality would not have time to look after these properties and that some local body must make arrangements with the Municipality to do so. Thus the Community Club became very active again and continues so today under the title of Wabamun and District Community Association.
In 1947 Mr. W. Foster started the first strip mining project under the name of Lothian Collieries. The Lakeside Coals started strip mining in 1948.
In the early fifties Calgary Power started the ground work for their Wabamun plant and in 1954 the first of their thermal units. Fibreboard Limited started production in 1958. Alberta Southern Coals took over the Lakeside Coals operation in 1957. OK Construction started operating in the early 1950’s.
To accomodate the increase in population a new school was built in 1955. A Home and School Association was formed in 1948. It was a very active group who rendered invaluable service to school and teachers.
Mrs Warren, the president, a diabetic and blind, was determined that Wabamun should have a public library. To raise funds a large auction sale was organized which proved very successful.
The public was asked for donations of books - 924 were received at this time. The Home and School Association had been given the use of the old school building and it was here that the library was set up. The Board consisted of the following: Mrs. Warren, Frank Wright, chairman, Ken Finlayson, treasurer, Lorne Underschulyz, secretary, Mrs. Hawkins, custodian, Mrs. Neilson, Mrs. Vivyurka and Miss H. Margerison. The Wabamun Community Library was opened to the public on September 12, 1960. Mrs. Warren passed away in 1962 and the Library Board had a plaque engraved and hung in the Library in her honor.
In 1962 the building of a new community hall was undertaken. When completed it was named the Jubilee Hall, in honor of Wabamun’s fiftieth birthday. It is one of the finest halls in the countryside. Great credit is due to the Community Association, the business men and women, women’s organizations and others who worked and gave of their time and money to help complete this worthwhile project. Since then additions have been made to the Hall.
In 1959, due to increased business the Telephone Office was changed from day service to continuous service. Three ladies were trained to fill the positions of afternnon operator: Vera Roberts as night operator, Beth Orchard as relief operator and Edna Ward. Later Gwen McKone became night operator. Lilian Ward was also trained for relief duty. Then in 1964 due to automation the telephone office was phased out.
An excellent arena under construction was in use by 1972.
A cement pad was laid in 1974 so the Arena can now be used year round.
International Brick and Tile Limited has been in operation for about three years. At present they are engaged in making crock pots for an eastern firm out of waste materials such as fly ash. The majority of employees are women.
Some of the benefits derived from becoming part of the municipality and now county, include: a Fire Hall, fire engine, siren, and other equipment, a police station, jail cells, police chief and three constables. The hamlet has also received a water and sewer system, natural gas, street lighting and cement sidewalks.
The firemen are all volunteers and have a very good record.
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