1930s Severe housing shortage in the City of Calgary

-          Housing shortage due to post WW2 housing needs.

-          Zoning bylaws concentrated on multiple dwelling districts and as a result development did not expand to the periphery (Parkdale).

-          During this time period, however, the motorized vehicle began to grow in popularity and the City of Calgary improved road systems.  This set the stage for expansion to the outskirts of the City.

An aerial photograph of Parkdale, October 5th, 1957

1948-1955 Community of Parkdale became fully developed

-          Calgarians began to express a clear preference for single-family dwellings, which forced developers to acquire land further away from the downtown core in communities such as Parkdale.

-          To prevent land from being held by land-value speculators, the City of Calgary implemented an anti-speculation policy on sales of city-owned land parcels.

-          Under the policy, purchasers lost title to the land and 1/3 of the purchase price to the city if they failed to build on the land within a year.

-          Impact: communities were developed in a very short period of time; the community of Parkdale was fully developed in 7 years.

1950 The last Bowness streetcar ran in April

-          The streetcar tracks were removed for 3rd avenue.

1955 Community Association building proposed

-          Building cost: $6,500.

-          Site included 1/5 blocks and included playing fields and supervised recreation.

-          Located on the parking lot of today's Community Association site.

-          The original building lasted 30 years.

HOME	1900-1929	1960-1999