West Hillhurst (1907 - )
West Hillhurst, annexed in 1907, began as the Riley farm. It was owned by a prominent pioneer family, and sections of it have been known as Westmount, Happyland and Grand Trunk. The first roads were paved in 1910, and a streetcar line was installed in 1913. As did so much of Calgary, it grew slowly between the two great wars, with expansion occurring when Victory homes were built for soldiers returning from World War II. A major change to the community happened in the 1960s when the bridge across the Bow River was built and Crowchild Trail from 24 Street NW was created. The new expressway split the community, and the split remains with the community extending to 28 Street NW where it meets the Parkdale community. West Hillhurst has a community centre, outdoor rinks, churches and retail shops, and remains a stable, low-density community of single-family homes.
To learn more:
- Harvest of Memories: Grand Trunk, West Hillhurst, Calgary. 1987. Calgary: West Hillhurst Go-Getters.
- Federation of Calgary Communities. “West Hillhurst.”
- West Hillhurst Community Association.
- Calgary Public Library. Harvest of Memories Grand Trunk-West Hillhurst-Calgary.