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Calgary-Edmonton Corridor Trails 1873-now
Long
before Springbrook, Mynarski Park or the British Commonwealth
Air Training Plan, the area was central to major transportation
corridors. First, of course, was the Red Deer River, a few miles
to the west.
Then, during the 1800's and earlier, there were ancient trails
(portions of which became known as the Wolf Trail, Bow
River Trail, Old North Trail, Blackfoot Trail, Fort Benton Trail) that
extended between Fort Benton in Montana to Fort Edmonton to the
north used by aboriginals, fur traders and early settlers.
In
this area, it ran just east of the river to Red Deer Crossing,
one of the better fording points on the river where later Fort Normandeau was built, a ferry service established and a
settlement developed. Around 1873, these ancient trails were
improved and became known as
the Calgary and Edmonton
Trail (C & E Trail), the most dominant north-south route in
Alberta. It became a major stage coach route upon the arrival of
the Canadian Pacific Railway in Calgary in 1883.
In 1890-91 when the Calgary and Edmonton Railway was built, the
railway followed more or less the same general corridor as the C
& E Trail with several adjustments in alignment to accommodate
better grades. From Innisfail north to Red Deer, the railway ran
a few miles east of the Trail.
During the 1890's, an additional road was built to follow the
railroad and the towns the railway built or went through. This
new road eventually became Highway 1 in the 1930's and renamed
Highway 2 when the Trans Canada Highway was being built as an
east-west highway in the 50's. It became Highway 2A when the
four lane Highway 2 was built in the early 1960's. Meanwhile, several portions of the C & E Trail
have been maintained as country roads. Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton is now the
Queen Elizabeth II Highway, part of the Canamex Highway Trade
Corridor.
In the present day, there is much interest in creating walking,
biking or other types of trails in the vicinity using the river,
C & E Trail, and Highway 2A corridors. The Trans Canada Trail
from Red Deer south to Olds and beyond will go through
Springbrook. The portion already built goes through the natural
area south of Springbrook and will be extended along Range Road
281.
Other trails may be developed along the Highway 2A corridor
between the highway and the railway, the Waskasoo Creek corridor, the Red Deer River
corridor, the abandoned Alberta Central Railway corridor and
some country road allowances. Although Alberta Transportation had
generally not been supportive in the past of trails within highway corridors,
times are changing and there is now a new openness to the
concept.
For more on the Calgary-Edmonton Trail, visit
www.forthjunction.com/c-and-e-trail.htm
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