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Old Canadian National rail yard

Buildings and structures demolished in 1996Buildings and structures in EdmontonCanadian National Railway facilitiesDemolished buildings and structures in AlbertaFormer buildings and structures in Canada
History of EdmontonRail infrastructure in AlbertaRail yards in CanadaRedevelopment projects in Canada

The Old Canadian National rail yard in Edmonton was once the centre of economic activity in that city. Its redevelopment has fundamentally altered the appearance of the city. The former yard occupied a long, narrow strip from 103 Avenue to 105 Avenue north to south and from 101 Street to 116 Street east and west.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Old Canadian National rail yard (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Old Canadian National rail yard
Trans Canada Trail, Edmonton Central Core

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N 53.5475 ° E -113.50833333333 °
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MacEwan University City Centre Campus

Trans Canada Trail
T5H 2Z4 Edmonton, Central Core
Alberta, Canada
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Rathole (Edmonton)

The Rathole, officially the 109 Street subway, was a two-lane tunnel constructed in 1927 on 109 Street in the northwest corner of Downtown, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It traversed north-south under the former Canadian National (CN) railyards between 104 Avenue and 105 Avenue, . It was 168 metres in length, 3.3 metres in height, and constructed to accommodate automobile, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.The City of Edmonton proposed the construction of a tunnel/underpass in 1926 to burrow under a span of 22 railway tracks in the old CN railyards. A call for tenders was put out in the following year, 1927, with seven parties bidding for the contract. Jamies Construction Co. Ltd. received the contract from city engineer A. W. Haddow to construct the tunnel.The 109 Street subway was officially opened by then Mayor Ambrose Bury on October 19, 1928. An Edmonton alderman later coined the name “rathole” for the tunnel.In 1957, a transportation study recommended the construction of a parallel subway to improve the traffic flow. However, in lieu of this recommendation, in 1960 the city constructed an overpass over the CN rail tracks further to the east along 105 Street.The tunnel was susceptible to seasonal flooding, and proved hazardous because of its low clearance and visibility upon entrance and exit. There were also safety issues concerning pedestrian usage of the tunnel.The tunnel remained opened for 73 years, during which, as many as 27,000 cars passed through daily.With the railway yard now removed, the city tendered the project for the demolition of the tunnel and conversion of the area into a divided arterial road in 2000. Standard General Inc. was awarded prime contractor for the project.The project began in April 2000, at which time, there were concerns of inconvenience during the scheduled four months for the project. City transportation engineers managed to complete the project three weeks ahead of schedule without compromising safety, environmental, and budgetary concerns. This was accomplished by beginning demolition of the tunnel from the north end instead of taking the entire tunnel out at once. Concrete removed from the tunnel was recycled and used in the fill.On July 4, 2000, 109 Street reopened as a six-lane divided arterial road running between 104 Avenue and 105 Avenue.In 2002, the project was awarded the American Public Works Association Project of the Year Award, the first time the award was won by a Canadian firm of consulting engineers.

Boyle Street Education Centre

Boyle Street Education Centre (BSEC) is a non-profit public charter high school in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The Boyle Street Education Centre opened as a charter school in September 1996. The Education Centre grew out of six years of Boyle Street Co-op experience providing an alternative education program. The students range in age from fourteen to nineteen years and have a history of not succeeding in mainstream education programs. Many of the students at the school have experienced trauma through their early years and this has affected their success in school. The Boyle Street Education Centre offer programs that engage high risk and out-of-school youth in the learning process and provide each student an opportunity for the successful attainment of the learning expectations as established by Alberta Learning. Continuous enrollment has been identified by students trying to return to school as an important feature of the Education Centre. The teacher/student ratio is low, and students work on independent program plans appropriate to their abilities and interests. The Education Centre offers the following services: Breakfast and lunch program prepared by Work Experience Students Earned transportation to and from school for students in need No school fees or school supply expenses School Liaison/Counselor for one-on-one intervention and outreach Registered Apprenticeship Program and Work Experience Low student/teacher ratio Guest speakers and field trips A variety of CTS and option classes are available Career and Post Secondary counseling First Nation's cultural programming including Sweats, Drumming, Girls'/Boys' Talking Circle, and other cultural activities Advocating on behalf of students with numerous social service agencies, including Learner Benefits, Children and Family Services, and Probation Officers/Fine Options Whole school approach to education including numerous support services are available for studentsThe philosophy of the school focuses on ensuring that socially, economically and otherwise disadvantaged students have the opportunity for full and equal participation in the life of Alberta. The Centre believes that the provision of a holistic education program within the context of a multi-disciplinary community model and a supportive environment will maximize opportunities for students and that such education must be student-centered and student-driven.