Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

LETHBRIDGE STREETCAR RAIL TRACK SECTION

Date Range From

1912

Date Range To

1947

Materials

STEEL

No. Pieces

1

Height

17.5

Length

61.5

Width

14.2

Description

HEAVY RUST AND DIRT COVERS ENTIRE TRACK SECTION EXCEPT CUT EDGES. TRACES OF ORANGE SPRAY PAINT MARKS EDGES. SMALL STONES ARE EMBEDDED IN RUST AND DIRT IN THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE TRACK.

Subjects

RAIL TRANSPORTATION-ACCESSORY

Historical Association

TRANSPORTATION

History

ON JULY 29, 2020, A RECONSTRUCTION OF 3 AVENUE SOUTH FROM 4 STREET SOUTH TO 8 STREET SOUTH BEGAN IN DOWNTOWN LETHBRIDGE. THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY LETHBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WITH A BUDGET OF OVER $10 MILLION. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONSTRUCTION WAS TO INCREASE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC VIA LARGER SIDEWALKS, WHILE MAINTAINING ANGLED PARKING AND TRAFFIC FLOW VIA THREE LANES. CITY PROJECT MANAGER, CRYSTAL SCHEIT, CONTACTED THE GALT MUSEUM PRIOR TO THE RECONSTRUCTION TO OFFER A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY AND PIECE OF RAIL FROM THE OLD STREETCAR RAIL TRACK THAT RAN UNDER 3 AVENUE SOUTH. WHILE THE ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS TO HAVE THE RAIL TIES INTACT WITH THE RAIL, SCHEIT EXPLAINED: “IT IS IMPOSSIBLE…TO HAVE THE RAIL TIES BROUGHT OVER WITH THE RAIL AND HAVE EVERYTHING INTACT.” THIS WAS DUE TO ALL PARTS OF THE RAIL BEING CEMENTED AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO EXCAVATE WHILE: “MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE TRACK AND THE TIES,” AS COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN RESPONDED. THE SEPTEMBER 8, 1947, EDITION OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD OUTLINED THE PROGRESS OF REMOVING STREETCARS, STATING: “IN 1939 CITY FATHERS DECIDED TO SCRAP THE TROLLEY SYSTEM AND REPLACE IT WITH BUSES, AND ON DECEMBER 16 OF THAT YEAR THE RECONVERSION PROGRAM WAS STARTED.” FIRST, THE 9TH AVE SOUTH AND 20 STREET SOUTH LINES WERE TORN UP, WITH THE NORTH LETHBRIDGE LINE CONTINUING TO OPERATE UNTIL THE POPULATION GREW AND BUSES REPLACED THE STREETCARS. THE PUBLIC REALM AND TRANSPORTATION STUDY (PRATS) (2012), EXPLAINED: “3 AVENUE S, IS A DYNAMIC MIX OF HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURAL STYLES THAT SHOULD PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK FOR A VIBRANT STREETSCAPE TREATMENT.” PRIOR TO EXCAVATION IN 2020, THE NOVEMBER 9, 2002 EDITION OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD FEATURES GLEN CAMPBELL, WHO WAS A BUILDING RESTORATION CONTRACTOR. HE WAS: “…SURPRISED WHEN CONTRACTORS EXCAVATED A LINE TO THE MAINS LONG 3 AVENUE SOUTH DISCOVERED STREETCAR TRACKS ARE STILL BURIED BENEATH THE ASPHALT, FIVE DECADES AFTER BUSES TOOK OVER.” CAMPBELL CONTINUES: “WE HAD TO TAKE A CUTTING TORCH AND REMOVE A SECTION [TO ALLOW THE UTILITIES CONNECTION].” FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING IMAGES, EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, AND HERALD ARTICLES REFERENCED, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE P2021004001.

Catalogue Number

P20210004001

Acquisition Date

2021-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail