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Historic Beltline Walking Tour
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This was the site of the first Junior Red Cross Children's Hospital, which was also the first Children's Hospital in Alberta. It opened in 1922 and was paid for by the Junior Red Cross Sick Children's Fund. With 22 beds, it was built to provide free hospital and medical care for those who could not afford private care. Remember, this was 40 years before public healthcare was introduced into Canada. In the early years, hands-on care was provided by volunteer members of the Children's Hospital Aid Society, a group of women who supplied linens, towels, pyjamas, and other necessary items. They also cooked, baked, sewed, and knitted to raise money for raffles. In 1942, the society raffled off a house selling over 80,000 tickets at $0.50 each. It was Calgary's first home lottery and raised nearly $20,000 for the hospital. The legacy of the hospital continues today at the Alberta Children's Hospital, the 750,000 square foot building located on the University of Calgary's West Campus.

Junior Red Cross Children's Hospital, ca. 2013

Junior Red Cross Children's Hospital, ca. 2013

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Image Sources(Click to expand)

Century Homes Calgary 2013, J. Collinson, Calgary Public Library