My Cowtown

This is how Calgary, Alberta may, indeed, have looked at various times during the month of May in the 2000^th year of the Common Era.

Calgary's skyline from Scotman's Hill. The hill was appearently named after the stereotypically cheap Scots who, instead of paying the admission to get into Stampede Park to watch the horseraces, would watch for free from this cliff above the Elbow River. In the foreground is Stampede Park and the Saddledome (formerly the Candian Airlines Saddledome and the Olympic Saddledome). In the background is Downtown (presently sprouting cranes and buildings like a suburban lawn sprouts dandelions). The phallic symbol in the centre of the photograph is the Calgary Tower (formerly the Husky Tower).

The Elbow River passes under the former Canadian National Railway bridge (now part of the city's pathway system although it still retains its rails) in Lindsay Park. Above is the Catholic mission in what was once the Town of Rouleauville (annexed by Calgary in 1906).

The C-Train (Light Rail Transit) has just pulled out of Erlton-Stampede station and is proceding south into the Cemetery Hills tunnel (yes, it is on the wrong track, the southbound track was being serviced). In the background are Union Cemetery, Macleod Trail, and the Shaw Cable TV receiver station. The Cemetery Hills actually contain five separate graveyards (Burnsland, Union, Chinese, Jewish, and St. Mary's), the Monastery of the Sacred Blood, as well as neighbourhoods for the non-dead. Macleod Trail was once Calgary's "main drag" and is named after Col. Macleod, who named the city in 1884.

The Bow River winds past the slopes at Sunalta, just west of Crowchild Trail. The river flows out of the Rocky Mountains 120 km to the west and meanders through Calgary exiting at the far south end of the city. In the centre of the main channel, a man is standing on a sandbar flyfishing.


Fish Creek flows out of the Tsu'u Tina (Sarcee) Reserve and cuts through the south part of Calgary before emptying into the Bow River. Within the city limits it is a provincial park. The picture at right was taken in mid-May. The picture at left was taken in late may. Note the storms rolling over the Rocky Mountains.

Crowds jam 4^th Street S.W. between 17^th and 25^th Avenue for the annual Lilac Festival (May 28). I didn't see too many lilacs, but the restaurants on 4^th all had booths up and down the street, jazz musicians were playing at every intersection, and the beer garden was catered by the local brewpub...so who cares about lilacs?

My Cowtown - May 2000

Home|Photopage|My Cowtown Index