James Street community marks 50 years

Fifty years of the tightly-knit 900 block James Street neighbourhood were observed at the Prairie Oasis on June 9. It was pretty much just like the annual block party — pancake breakfast, lunch, happy hour, supper and dancing. “We’d always have a pancake breakfast, a barbecue and a street dance,” said Vivian Wilson, who has lived on the block for 50 years, longest of all the residents. The block became a tightly-knit community when neighbours welcomed new residents as they moved in, said Wilson. “Fifty years ago there were three basements dug on the block. One was ours. In ’62-63 there were three homes. The rest was all pasture behind. There were a few farms, cattle and chickens. “As everybody moved in we welcomed them. We had baby showers. All the women always had birthday parties. Everybody looked after everybody.” She said there were 50 children on the block at one time. “They’d ride their bikes, wagons on the street. They all got along. If they had a little fight they’d go home for a while and come back and play.” She can’t remember when the block party tradition began but it evolved into other events. “On New Year’s Eve we used to go to Vanier to dance. Then we’d come home.” One of the residents walked up and down the street with a cow bell making sure nobody fell asleep before the New Year’s Day Breakfast. Breakfast was at a different home every year. When Paul Yee from the Modern Cafe moved onto the block he served breakfast for them on New Year’s Day in the cafe. One of the residents, an Air Force officer, came from Germany with a rumtoft recipe. They drank the concoction after breakfast at a different home every New Year’s Day for years. “It was fruit with rum added over the year,” recalls Wilson. “I didn’t have much. I tasted the fruit and that was enough. It was a good thing we could all walk home.” Over the years the children grew up and few were left on the block. “Now we’re getting more kids and that’s nice,” she said. Ron Campbell, and his wife Donna, one of the four longest residents on the block, have never lived anywhere else in Moose Jaw, except for boarding a while. “It’s been nice to be here,” he said. Lawrence Gelleta another 49-year resident with his wife Marie, said the block has been a great place to live. “It was a great place to raise kids.” His son Paul returned from Calgary to visit with old friends. “It was fun growing up here,” he said. Lawrence describes Wilson as the official mayor of James Street. “She gets elected by acclamation every year.” Laughter filled the party room. After a catered supper, they read messages from those unable to attend, danced and sang a special song; It’s a Small World After All. The song was adapted from their 25th anniversary when they had the whole block cordoned off for a party. About 45 residents and former residents came for the party. Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net