Old Calgary stuff you miss...(The Nostalgia thread)

[ricosuave]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

https://maps.calgary.ca/Crowchild/

Thank you for this. I've just spent 2 hours scrolling through looking at stuff!

Love it!

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Shazam

CSB: There used to be a sub shop near the arcade on 7th Ave. Just getting there was an experience. People would whisper "hash" to you as you walked by. So one day we were having lunch at the sub shop and the cops arrested some people in the upstairs area of the restaurant. We were eating at the counter by the window when a cop slammed some guy's face into the glass right in front of us.

Good times.

You'd get the same offers in the Southern Fun arcade. Mega sketchy place. But I enjoyed going down there and playing some pin and having my lunch at that diner.
It wasn't THAT dangerous but for a teen it felt like living on the edge.

Another great downtown spot was the old Video & Sound on centre. It had the biggest selection for years - and was the go to place for any niche movie that you couldn't get elsewhere.

[snootchiebootchies]

Originally Posted by Shazam

I remember that there used to be a theatre in Chinatown. Or was there? Am I imagining things?

I swear that I saw a movie there once.

I don't recall a theatre ever in Chinatown (besides Eau Claire) but I remember vaguely attending some kind of film screening on the second floor of Bowside Manor (128 2nd Ave SW) when I was a kid. I'm not sure if this was a regular occurrence though.

In the early 80s when the Chinese population in Calgary was really starting to explode, I remember both the Tivoli theatre on 4th St SW and the Plaza theatre in Kensington would screen films from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

[Jiri Hrdina]

THe Tivoli also showed naughty films. And I think there was another one downtown. I remwmber being puzzled as to why my parents would not let us go to the Cinderella/Snow White double feature

[tete]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Funny how this thread has split into two discussions -- historic photos and peeler clubs. Never change CP



Cool. Would you be able to explain a bit about what that involves? Just curious...

I have a master's degree in history, specializing in archival studies, (MA). Some universities offer a Library and Info Science master's program or something similar, my school just had it as an offshoot of the history department. I did course work, an internship, then a thesis. My work has been both on the reference (helping the public with research) and collections (acquiring, appraising, describing material) sides. I've worked with 300 year old documents in a temperature controlled vault, sifted through garbage bags in a basement, and helped people with research anywhere from genealogy to LSD treatments in Saskatchewan. I haven't worked in the field directly for 9 years now - I ended up in records management, but I'd go back to the field if I could, I really enjoy it.

Sorry for the hijack, feel free to PM me if you have any other questions!

[JD]

Old Calgary things that I miss?

These guys....

[Radio]

Originally Posted by snootchiebootchies

I don't recall a theatre ever in Chinatown (besides Eau Claire) but I remember vaguely attending some kind of film screening on the second floor of Bowside Manor (128 2nd Ave SW) when I was a kid. I'm not sure if this was a regular occurrence though.

In the early 80s when the Chinese population in Calgary was really starting to explode, I remember both the Tivoli theatre on 4th St SW and the Plaza theatre in Kensington would screen films from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

There was a small theatre in China town, we used to go there and watch kung fu movies every so often.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Shazam

The Bay basement (and, IIRC, the cafeteria on one of the higher floors).

There's another thing I miss. I remember eating in the Bay basement fish fry/deli or the upper floor restaurant as a kid.

Now it's all scrapped.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

There's another thing I miss. I remember eating in the Bay basement fish fry/deli or the upper floor restaurant as a kid.

Ikea seems to be the only department store that still has a cafeteria. Even Co-ops used to have them back in the day. Not exactly fine dining, but they were cheap, and they had real milkshakes served with the tin.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Ikea seems to be the only department store that still has a cafeteria. Even Co-ops used to have them back in the day. Not exactly fine dining, but they were cheap, and they had real milkshakes served with the tin.

The Zellers cafe was top drawer.

[Erick Estrada]

My aunt used to be an accountant for the Bay downtown. I can fondly remember my mom always taking us to visit her for lunch at the cafeteria and ship after. Not sure why I fondly remember it because I imagine the food was nothing special but just one of those childhood memories of simpler times I guess.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Wild GM

The Zellers cafe was top drawer.

I saw a dude projectile vomit in the Chinook one, hot dog everywhere.


No good.

[Chingyul]

Originally Posted by snootchiebootchies

I don't recall a theatre ever in Chinatown (besides Eau Claire) but I remember vaguely attending some kind of film screening on the second floor of Bowside Manor (128 2nd Ave SW) when I was a kid. I'm not sure if this was a regular occurrence though.

In the early 80s when the Chinese population in Calgary was really starting to explode, I remember both the Tivoli theatre on 4th St SW and the Plaza theatre in Kensington would screen films from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

There use to be a cheap theater in Fifth Ave Place.

[CliffFletcher]

The theatre even long-time Calgarians often forget about is the one that was in Altadore where Casablanca Video ended up. Ugly box of a place. The Odeon?

[DuffMan]

Cool photos

and on the strippers note, there are 2 notable eras. pre Winter Olympics, lots of strip bars, that were a lot of fun to go to.
Post Winter Olympics, stripper culture has gone downhill ever since, strippers are now meh.
Maybe it has something to do with the internet too.

[Muta]

Here's an old one of the Saddledome getting built:

Spoiler!

[snootchiebootchies]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The theatre even long-time Calgarians often forget about is the one that was in Altadore where Casablanca Video ended up. Ugly box of a place. The Odeon?

I went to school a few blocks from The Odeon in the early 80s. Never went inside though.

Found a picture of the theatre on the internet, when it was called The Marda.

[dirk diggler]

the only movie i remember seeing at the Marda Loop theatre was Party Animal, a mid 80's "gem". Horrible show but as a young guy, we thought it would be classic like Porky's.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The theatre even long-time Calgarians often forget about is the one that was in Altadore where Casablanca Video ended up. Ugly box of a place. The Odeon?

Then there's the one that was on Hertiage drive called Studio 82. It was later turned into a bikini bar in 1986 where i'd go with my store manager from Safeway for liquid lunches.

[PostandIn]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The theatre even long-time Calgarians often forget about is the one that was in Altadore where Casablanca Video ended up. Ugly box of a place. The Odeon?

Yep, the Odeon. Saw Jaws in original release there. Earthquake (in ‘sensurround’ - these big ass sub-woofers in huge cabinets they put on the floor in front of the screen. Rumbled the hell out of the place during the earthquake and aftershock sequences). Towering Inferno and all those Terrance Hill / Bud Spencer movies (My Name is Trinity).