- Profile
- Images
Location: Bonnie Doon, Alberta, Canada
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Alberta Canada
Contents |
96th Street Northwest, Bonnie Doon, "Dawson Huts", Alberta One Place Study
Name
The Dawson Huts in Bonnie Doon were created by moving empty army barracks in Dawson Creek to Edmonton.
Geography
- Continent: North America
- Country: Canada
- State/Province:Alberta
- County:
- GPS Coordinates: 53.530484, -113.475246
- Elevation: 663.8 m or 2177.9 feet
The Dawson Huts were located on the present day site of École Maurice-Lavallée and the associated sports fields. The site is bounded on the west by Mill Creek Ravine, the east by 95 St., the south by 88 Ave and the north by 92 Ave. 96th Street basically bisects the Dawson Huts site.
History
Military barracks sitting empty in Dawson Creek, BC after WWII were moved to Bonnie Doon in 1945/46 to house returned soldiers and their families. They were taken apart in Dawson Creek, stacked on trains and hauled to Edmonton's south side station. The were trucked to present-day site of École Maurice-Lavallée, then empty fields, and erected on concrete foundations without basements.
Only families with children and a yearly income less than $3500 were admitted. Monthly rents were $25 for one bedroom suites, $28 for two bedroom and $33 for three bedrooms.
In 1949, responsibility for emergency housing passed from the federal government to the City of Edmonton. The City managed the Dawson Huts into the 1960s, when they were dismantled. A decade later, the french-language, Catholic École J.H. Picard opened on the site, later to become École Maurice-Lavallée.
Population
The sixty Dawson Huts provided accommodation for 261 families.
Sources
- The History of Bonnie Doon. An excerpt from Volunteers by V. Bowler and M. Wanchuk. Lone Pine Publishing, 1986. pp. 144-146. No longer in print. Bonnie Doon Community League Official Website.
- Bonnie Doon in the 1950s – Community Map. Website: Citymuseumedmonton.ca. Author Bonnie Doon Community League | June 29, 2021.
- Memories of Bonnie Doon. Our Stories, Our History. Written and compiled by Tom Monto., edited by Astrid Blodgett. Published by Bonnie Doon Community League. Edmonton, Alberta. 2019. 242 pages.
- Login to edit this profile and add images.
- Private Messages: Contact the Profile Managers privately: Stuart McCormick and One Place Studies Project WikiTree. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
- Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)