13C. A Growing Downtown

A Growing Downtown

The view from this spot has changed dramatically in the last 150 years. After Father Lacombe built the first bridge in 1862, homes and businesses slowly began to line the road on the south side of the river leading to Fort Edmonton. There was another early commercial centre to the west of the Mission, along St. Vital and Mission Avenues, but St. Albert’s downtown gradually took hold and Main Street was established. In the 1880s the settlement grew to 1,000 people, although that number dropped in the first half of the 20th century. This important thoroughfare offered shops, hotels, recreation and other services for the community. Later renamed Piron and then Perron Street, the road remained the town’s central corridor until St. Albert Trail (Hwy 2) was developed.

Un centre-ville en épanouissement

Depuis 150 ans, le centre-ville a connu plusieurs changements importants. Suivant la construction du premier pont en 1862 par le Père Lacombe, des maisons et des commerces ont lentement été érigés le long de la route sur le côté sud de la rivière en direction du Fort Edmonton. Un autre centre commercial se trouvait à l’ouest de la Mission, le long des avenues St-Vital et Mission. Cependant, le centre-ville de St-Albert a pris de l’ampleur constituant la rue Main Street. En 1880, 1,000 personnes habitaient St-Albert. Cependant, au début du 20e siècle, il y a eu un décroissement de la population. Sur cette route importante, nous pouvions y retrouver des magasins, des hôtels, des endroits de divertissements et plusieurs autres services pour la communauté. Au fil des années, la rue a été nommée Piron et ensuite Perron. Elle était la route principale jusqu’à la construction du St-Albert Trail (Hwy 2).

êhatimihcêtihk mêkwâhôtenâw

mêtoni êkwa anohc misipîtosinâkwan iyikohk wiya pehcinâway mitâtahtomitanaw mîna niyânomitanaw askiya. mwêstas Father Lacombe kîhosihtâw nistam âsokan êkospî 1862, wîkowina êkwa atâwewikamikwa kîtipiskotastêwa sisonê mêskanaw âpihtâkîsikanohk ohci sîpiy kâhitamohk isi Fort Edmonton. kotak mîna kîhitakon nistam ispî ôcênâs pahkisimôtâhk ohci ayamihewînînâhk, sisonê St. Vital êkwa Mission Avenues, mâka St. Albert mêkwâhôtenâw piyisk kîhosihtâwak Main Street. êkospî êkwa 1880s mâmawîkiwin kîhayâwak kihcimitâtahtomitanaw ayisiyiniwak, mâka astamihk nawâc iyikohk kîhayâwak nistam kihcimitâtahtomitanaw kêkâ-mitâtahtomitanaw askiya. êwako ita kâsâpwamok mêskanaw ayâwa atawêw’kamikwa, kapêsiwikamikwa, mêtawêwikamikwa, êkwa kotaka kîkwaya anita mâmawayâwin. mwêstas kîhâhcihisiyihkâtêw isi Piron êkota ohci Perron Street, mêskanaw kîhitakon mêkwâhôtenaw isko êhitakohk St. Albert mêskanâs (Hwy 2) kîhosihcikâtêw.