JASPER PLACE COMMUNITY HISTORY

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Jasper Place Sports Centre

Jasper Place Recreation Centre under construction, 1963. Courtesy of City of Edmonton Archives, EA-10-1080. Creator: Northern Alberta Pioneers and Old Timers’ Association.

When built Jasper Place Sports Centre hosted large concerts to screaming teen masses.

1963 was a great year for a young rock and roll loving teenager in Edmonton. Besides all the great local bands like the Rebels, Lords, Nomads, and dozens of other bands, Edmonton always has been one of the major Canadian cities for acts from the States. There were teen shows at the Jasper Place Sports Centre, the Jubilee Auditorium, the Edmonton Gardens and Sales Pavillions, the New Polish Hall, and even the MacDonald Hotel. The majority of the shows were presented by CJCA, but CHED also presented shows. Although the sophisticated photo equipment available today did not exist in that era, I had a little pocket camera that took 16mm film and I took photos of a lot of the acts I was fortunate enough to see.  – Bill Borgwardt
Beatles Poster for a live broadcast event, also featuring The Beach Boys and Lesley Gore
Beatles poster for live broadcast event at Jasper Place Sports Centre
Black and White, 1963, Roy Orbison in side profile
Roy Orbison – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Oct 25, 1963 – “Blue Bayou”, “In Dreams”. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and White photo, 1963, of man signing with an acoustic guitar
Bob Luman – Roy Orbison show – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Oct 25, 1963 – “Let’s Think About Living”. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and white photo, 1963, woman in white dress stands at the microphone.
Skeeter Davis – Roy Orbison show – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Oct 25, 1963 – “The End Of The World”. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and White photo. Large band performs, with 3 back up singers and 3 musicians. A crowd listens.
The Chiffons – CJCA Fall Shower of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Sept 26, 1963 – “He’s So Fine”, “One Fine Day”. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and White photo of band playing and the listening crowd.
Dick & Dee Dee – CJCA Fall Shower of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Sept 26, 1963 – “The Mountain’s High”, “Tell Me”. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and White close up shot of singer Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney – CJCA Fall Shower of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Sept 26, 1963 – “Town Without Pity”, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and White photo, 1963, 5 piece band featuring 2 saxophone players, a base player, guitar player and singer.
Gene Pitney and The Champs – CJCA Fall Shower of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Sept 26, 1963 – “If I Didn’t Have A Dime” – Pitney, “Tequila” – The Champs, Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and White, 1960's rock band. Left to right; piano, guitar, guirat and sax. Above is the letters CJCA
Lonnie Mack – CJCA Fall Shower of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Sept 26, 1963 – “Memphis” Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt
Black and White, Bobby Vinton singing and smiling
Bobby Vinton – CJCA Winter Shower Of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Nov 14, 1963 – “Blue Velvet”. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt.
Black and White photo, 6 piece band with 4 audience members in the mezzanine above.
Bobby Vinton and Bobby Comstock – CJCA Winter Shower Of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Nov 14, 1963 – “Rain Rain Go Away” – Vinton. Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt.
Black and White photo of 2 men playing 1960's pop music. The man in the foreground is playing a guitar and singing, the man in the background is playing trombone.
Del Shannon – CJCA Winter Shower Of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Nov 14, 1963 – “Runaway”, “Handyman” Courtesy of Bill Borgwardt.
Black and White image of 1963 girl group. On the left is one girl dancing and singing, in the middle is a man playing guitar and on the right are three women singing.
The Chiffons – CJCA Winter Shower Of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Nov 14, 1963 – “Da Doo Ron Ron”
Black and White image of a 1963 rock band playing and dancing to the music. CJCA is in large letters in the background
The Rivingtons – CJCA Winter Shower Of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Nov 14, 1963 – “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow”
Black and White photo of a 4 piece rock band from 1963. CJCA is in large letters in the back
The Routers – CJCA Winter Shower Of Stars – Jasper Place Sports Centre – Nov 14, 1963 – “Let’s Go”. Photo courtesy of Bill Borgwardt

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In it’s first year of being built, Jasper Place Sports Centre was the premiere concert venue and was the largest venue at the time. It was built in 1963. After 1963, Bill Borgwardt recalls that concerts moved to the Edmonton Gardens.

It continued to be a key place for large teen dances, popular in the 1960’s. It had a capacity of 2000 according to the permit to the Jasper Place Fire Hall dated for 1963. It hosted the Mukluk Mardi Gras dances throughout the 60’s. 

However, it’s main purpose was to provide a modern sports centre for Jasper Place and the greater Edmonton area. It featured an indoor swimming pool and arena. When built it was “the envy of all communities”. It also housed large sports event, such as wrestling matches.

newspaper clipping of large man in wrestling clothes and an advertisement of his match
Courtesy of Edmonton Archives clipping files

The Jasper Place Sports Centre has been renamed as the Johnny Bright Sports Centre and still serves the community, with retaining it’s original characteristics of it’s thin modern concrete, undulating roof.