History
The Calgary General Hospital and Bridgeland Businesses
In 1910 Bridgeland became home to the third edition of the Calgary General Hospital. Serving a city of 40,000, CGH was comprised of 160 beds and quite modern for the day, with elevators, telephones and patient call bells as well as running water. The surrounding community was sparsely populated, predominantly with immigrants from a number of European countries especially Germans from Russia, Ukrainians and Italians. Patients and visitors arrived at the hospital via the new streetcar that crossed over the upgraded Langevin Bridge or by horse and carriage. In those early years there were only a few doctor’s offices and the Jeffreys Drugstore, located in buildings such as the Armour & Reliance on 4th Street in Riverside.
Hospital Expansion
As Calgary’s population grew, so did the hospital, with a small addition in 1944 and then a large expansion of 582 beds and a 10 storey School of Nursing residence in the 1950’s. Many of the newly arrived post war immigrants who had settled in Bridgeland found employment at the hospital. Lukes’ Drugstore opened on 4th Street at 1st Ave and Bridgeland Pharmacy was closer to the hospital at 829 1st Avenue. The community was a bustling place!
The coming decades saw ongoing growth in Calgary and major change in the hospital and community. Outpatient programs opened and several new hospital buildings were added in the 70’s, bringing even more staff, patients and visitors to the community every day.Bridgeland experienced significant impact in the early 1980’s when all the small businesses (hardware store, Co-op, sausage and barber shop, etc.) on the south side of 1st Avenue between 7A and 9A Streets were removed. Along with all the homes between 1st Ave and Centre Avenue this major change was made to clear the way for a new parking lot. This must have been a big relief to some locals who had seen their streets filled with parked cars, but our population decreased and the remaining local businesses were negatively affected.
Improvement Projects
Soon after, two large 3 storey professional buildings were constructed – at the corner of 1st & 7th Street and 1st & 9th Street (still here today). They were soon filled with doctor’s offices, lab/ X-ray and other health services. While some local businesses benefitted from the extra traffic, others did not, so there was considerable optimism in the early 90’s when plans were being proposed to revitalize the district. Before improvement projects could be started, the newly formed Calgary Regional Health Authority decided to completely close the hospital. All hospital and health services ended in 1997 and the next months were spent preparing the entire campus for the implosion that took place on October 4, 1998.
Needless to say, the loss of the hospital left a gaping hole in the community and this once vibrant area went into quite a slump from 1997 till almost 2005. Numerous businesses left the community and the streets were deserted.
The Bridges
Fortunately the city proceeded with a new development, called “The Bridges” on former hospital land. Phase one of the “exciting urban village” was completed by 2006, filling the area along 1st Avenue where the hospital parking lot had been. Phases 2 and 3 of the project have taken longer than expected but by 2023 multi-family housing developments filled all but one land parcel. Bridgeland is buzzing with people and activity once again. To the east of the Bridges project along Centre Avenue, we see the construction of a new health facility, known as the Complex Continuing Care Centre. When it opens in the future, the transition of Bridgeland will be complete and hopefully our people and our businesses will continue to thrive!
Future Projects
A new plaza is being planned as an enhancement to Murdoch Park to commemorate ‘the General’. For information about the Calgary General Hospital Commemoration Project check out the QR code. All donations (tax-deductible) are graciously accepted. Also, see the poster for the dates of our Info sessions about the history of the hospital and the Commemoration project. You’re invited to be a part of this worthwhile project.
Deb Lee, BRCA Heritage and CGH Commemoration Project Committee (email – heritage@brcacalgary.org)
