Jasper Place, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Jasper Place is a community in what is now west Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
. At one time, it was an independent municipality
known as the Town
of Jasper Place.
Following the Second World War
, its population swelled rapidly. With virtually no industrial base of its own, an increasing demand for services by the growing population, and the annexation of the land east of the modern 149 Street by the City of Edmonton, the independent existence of the municipality was at risk. Deeply in debt, the town was amalgamated
with Edmonton on August 17, 1964. "With amalgamation, the City of Edmonton assumed Jasper Place's bonded indebtedness of $8.177 million, the town's infrastructure and responsibility for all public services such as sewer, water and transportation."
The town fell within an area bounded by 149 Street on the east, 170 Street on the west, the North Saskatchewan River
on the south, and 118 Avenue on the north. At the time of its amalgamation, it was the largest town in Canada.
The coordinates at top of this Wiki page go to the former administrative municipal centre, marked by the town hall, fire station and Butler Memorial Park at Stony Plain Road
and 157 street.
s.
During the 1930s, the population grew as many Edmontonians moved out to Jasper Place to escape high taxes in the city. Many residents worked in Edmonton, and by the 1940s the trolley
line extended to the modern 149 Street--close enough to Jasper Place to allow returning workers to walk the rest of the way home.
Following the discovery of oil near Leduc
in 1947, the population of Edmonton swelled. Jasper Place absorbed some of the overflow population growth from Edmonton, and in 1948 the community incorporated as the Hamlet
of West Jasper Place.
By the 1950s, the hamlet had grown large enough to become a village
with a population of 9,000 people. Merchants in Jasper Place attempted to attract business from Edmonton shoppers in the 1950s by keeping stores open until 9 P.M. on weeknights--long after stores in Edmonton had closed.
In the early 1960s, to accommodate continuing growth, Jasper Place (now a town) expanded several schools, including Jasper Place Composite High School
, began construction of a sports centre, and commenced planning the original Meadowlark Park Shopping Centre. But projects such as these placed the town deeply in debt and, with the province refusing to grant extra funds, the end was inevitable. In a plebiscite held on October 17, 1962, residents voted in favor of amalgamation with Edmonton. Amalgamation occurred on August 17, 1964. At amalgamation, the population of Jasper Place stood at 38,000 people.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. At one time, it was an independent municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
known as the Town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Jasper Place.
Following the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, its population swelled rapidly. With virtually no industrial base of its own, an increasing demand for services by the growing population, and the annexation of the land east of the modern 149 Street by the City of Edmonton, the independent existence of the municipality was at risk. Deeply in debt, the town was amalgamated
Amalgamation (politics)
A merger or amalgamation in a political or administrative sense is the combination of two or more political or administrative entities such as municipalities , counties, districts, etc. into a single entity. This term is used when the process occurs within a sovereign entity...
with Edmonton on August 17, 1964. "With amalgamation, the City of Edmonton assumed Jasper Place's bonded indebtedness of $8.177 million, the town's infrastructure and responsibility for all public services such as sewer, water and transportation."
The town fell within an area bounded by 149 Street on the east, 170 Street on the west, the North Saskatchewan River
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River....
on the south, and 118 Avenue on the north. At the time of its amalgamation, it was the largest town in Canada.
The coordinates at top of this Wiki page go to the former administrative municipal centre, marked by the town hall, fire station and Butler Memorial Park at Stony Plain Road
Stony Plain Road
Stony Plain Road is a major arterial road in west Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Parkland Highway is an alternative route to the corresponding section of Alberta Highway 16 in Parkland County.-Parkland Highway:...
and 157 street.
History
In the early days, Jasper Place was home to a few hundred homesteaders, who lived a meagre life raising a few animals and tending gardens. Houses lacked the amenities of modern life, including electricity, flush toilets, and running water. Water was trucked out to residents at a cost of $1.25 per 500 gallonGallon
The gallon is a measure of volume. Historically it has had many different definitions, but there are three definitions in current use: the imperial gallon which is used in the United Kingdom and semi-officially within Canada, the United States liquid gallon and the lesser used United States dry...
s.
During the 1930s, the population grew as many Edmontonians moved out to Jasper Place to escape high taxes in the city. Many residents worked in Edmonton, and by the 1940s the trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
line extended to the modern 149 Street--close enough to Jasper Place to allow returning workers to walk the rest of the way home.
Following the discovery of oil near Leduc
Leduc, Alberta
- Demographics :The population of the City of Leduc according to its 2011 municipal census is 24,139, a 3.6% increase over its 2010 municipal census population of 23,293....
in 1947, the population of Edmonton swelled. Jasper Place absorbed some of the overflow population growth from Edmonton, and in 1948 the community incorporated as the Hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of West Jasper Place.
By the 1950s, the hamlet had grown large enough to become a village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
with a population of 9,000 people. Merchants in Jasper Place attempted to attract business from Edmonton shoppers in the 1950s by keeping stores open until 9 P.M. on weeknights--long after stores in Edmonton had closed.
In the early 1960s, to accommodate continuing growth, Jasper Place (now a town) expanded several schools, including Jasper Place Composite High School
Jasper Place Composite High School
Jasper Place High School is located in west end Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and is part of the Edmonton Public School System. It is the aim of the school to provide the widest selection of courses and programs, and thus meet the needs and preferences of the largest high school student body in the...
, began construction of a sports centre, and commenced planning the original Meadowlark Park Shopping Centre. But projects such as these placed the town deeply in debt and, with the province refusing to grant extra funds, the end was inevitable. In a plebiscite held on October 17, 1962, residents voted in favor of amalgamation with Edmonton. Amalgamation occurred on August 17, 1964. At amalgamation, the population of Jasper Place stood at 38,000 people.