I Heart Edmonton

The Oilers By Emil Tiedemann Peter Pocklington was intent on bringing a National Hockey League franchise to Edmonton, no matter the cost. When the NHL refused to merge with the struggling WHL back in the mid-’70s, Regina-born Pocklington went to work, putting together a behind-the-scenes team that would allow him to realize his dream for his adopted hometown.  In 1978, Pocklington hired Larry Gordon as general manager, and then brought on Alberta’s own Glen Sather (as vice president and coach), who had actually played on the Edmonton Oilers WHL team for the 1976-77 season, before leading the team to a championship the following year as their coach.  Gretzky and Messier were the cream of the crop during the Oilers' 'Dynasty Days.' In November of 1978, Pocklington paid $850,000 to sign on 17-year-old Brantford, Ontario phenom Wayne Gretzky (an Oiler from 1979-88) (as well as forward Peter Driscoll and goaltender Eddie Mio ), who had just inked a deal with th...

Brewery District & Oliver By Emil Tiedemann The historic Molson Brewery in the Oliver area, just blocks away from Ice District, closed its doors for good in August 2007, following an ongoing worker’s strike. It was the end of an era of Edmonton’s long brewing history, dating back even before the Molson building went up in 1913.  Former Strathcona Mayor William Henry Sheppard , also a local businessman and hotelier, bought the land in Groat Estates that would eventually house the Molson Brewery. It was designed to model castles from Sheppard’s homeland Germany, and cost $250,000 to build. It was sold off to Lethbridge’s Fritz Sick in 1927, and was then acquired by Molson in ‘58.    The old Molson building is a signature of the Oliver neighbourhood. A few years later, in 1961, they added a decorative building in the design of a fur trade fort and called it the Molson House, used as a hospitality lounge to entertain customers (as well as the place Peter Po...