Priddis, Alberta

Organizations

Business Directory

The following businesses are located in the Priddis community and surrounding area. If you would like to advertise here and support your local community association, contact us.

Links

Here is a list of helpful links from in and around the Priddis community to the Calgary area and others.

If you’d like an additional link added to this page, contact us.

Weather

The Weather Network (weather for Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club)

Maps of Priddis and Area

Multimap.com
Priddis Land Use Map [.pdf]

Check out these great Community Sites:

Community News at http://www.discoverfoothills.com
Cross Conservation Area at http://www.crossconservation.org
Bragg Creek at http://www.braggcreek.ca
Firebans at http://www.albertafirebans.ca
Kananaskis Country horseback riding/campgrounds info at http://www.trailseeker.ca
M.D. of Foothills No.31 at http://www.mdfoothills.com
Millarville at http://www.millarville-ab.com
Marigold Library at http://www.marigold.ab.ca
Red Deer Lake United Church at http://www.rdlunitedchurch.org
Rothney Astrophysical Observatory at http://www.ucalgary.ca/rao
School Division at http://www.fsd38.ab.ca
Sherrifs/Highway Patrol at http://www.solgen.gov.ab.ca/sheriffs_branch/

Events

Contact

Phone: 931-3282

email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
(enquires only – no solicitors)

Box 77 RR1 Priddis T0L 1W0

Memories from Priddis Founding Families

Historical accounts of life in Priddis, provided to us by those who founded our community, their descendants and friends. The following is the first of what we hope to be an expanding collection of mini-biographies about Priddis founding families.

In Memory of Francis Eunice Jessie Shaw

Francis Eunice Jessie Shaw was born in 1913 when children were to be seen and not heard and a women’s place was in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant, but for Eunice, life took a different path.

Shortly after Eunice was born her father paid ten dollars to the government for a quarter section of land, three and a half miles south of Priddis, Alberta. As the only child of a farm family, Eunice was taught and expected to work on the land just as any boy would have done. Her father was a progressive thinker who taught his daughter that a woman could do anything she aspired to do, even learn to drive a car when she was only thirteen, so her Dad could open the gates and her Dad could drive the Model T through them.

Social life was limited in rural Alberta but Eunice’s parents were well-educated, avid readers and conversationalists. Eunice remembered Sunday teas WI meetings, the discussion over the Person’s Case and her mother’s first opportunity to cast her vote in an election.

Eunice graduated from high school in 1931, attended Mount Royal Junior College for a year, and was in the first graduating university transfer class in 1932. She then went to normal school located at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Art and when she didn’t get a job upon graduation in 1933, went on to Olds College to do a two-in-one course in agricultural homemaking.

Eunice taught in various rural Alberta schools from 1934 until 1940 when she married George Park. Eunice ran her father’s store in Priddis when he retired George worked for the municipality.

Eunice was involved in her community, was a lifetime member of the Anglican Church of Canada, was a life member of the Westoe WI and wrote the story of it’s history for the book, Our Foothills.

Life for Eunice held it’s challenges. as a young girl she fell off her horse on her way to school and broke her leg. Unfortunately, it didn’t heal correctly so she walked with an unusual gait. Eunice had to take a year off teaching in 1937 to nurse her dying mother. Her father lived with her and George for 23 years until his death in 1963 and that was, I understand, a trying situation at times. George, Eunice’s husband was a traditionalist who was not as well educated as Eunice, was not very sociable but was a workaholic. This situation made life lonely and difficult for Eunice at times, but they stayed together, through the thick and thin of it, for fifty-one years, until George died in 1991. After George’s death, Eunice moved to Trinity Lodge in Calgary where she would no longer have to cook and Clean.

Eunice died in September of 2003 without any immediate family to mourn her passing. Because neither George nor Eunice had any siblings and were not blessed with children, Eunice’s death brought an end to that branch of their families. But Eunice will not be forgotten! She was a feisty women who ruffled more than a few feathers along the way, and she was a veritable walking history book. She taught me a lot about the area in which I now live and always made me feel welcome in her home.

She was an independent woman, born before our society appreciated that characteristic in a woman.

Submitted by Carole McKiel-Kittler
Westoe WI, Priddis, Alberta

About Priddis

Nestled in the foothills of the Eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, Priddis boasts topography of rolling hills and spectacular scenery. It is primarily ranch country, but due to its proximity to the city of Calgary, the Priddis area is becoming increasingly popular for commuters to live and enjoy the glorious vistas, quiet lifestyle and friendly and active community atmosphere.

The Priddis name was based on mail delivery to and from the home of Charles Priddis. It used to be that the mail was left on his table within his home and each one sorted out his own. When a regular post office and mail service was requested, the authorities used the name Priddis as the mail was going to the Priddis shack and he was to be postmaster.

Charles Priddis was well educated and dedicated to children, he aided in the development of the Priddis School by donating land for the building and loaning his home for the first classes until the school was ready for use. He also donated pieces of land for the Priddis Farmers and Ranchers Hall and St. James United Church.

Many events have taken place over the years in Priddis and surrounding communities, and in 1914 most often they were based on sports events, such as polo and racing, hunting, and fishing, tennis, hockey and curling, cricket and football. The early settlers traveled great distances often by horseback and therefore a sports event could last more than the time it takes to play, even more than the time it takes to visit and picnic, it could very well last for days. Today the Priddis Community Hall is busier than ever with the hall in use EVERYDAY!

The Priddis Community Hall is situated in the hamlet of Priddis and is, at over 100 years old, the oldest Hall in Alberta. It is as charming as it is well appointed with a commercial kitchen and hardwood floors. The Hall has a picturesque setting on the Priddis Creek with lovely grounds and ample parking. The Priddis Post Office is also located on the Community grounds situated in the old school house built in the early 1900’s.

To find Priddis, head west on Highway 22X (Marquis of Lorne Trail/Spruce Meadows Trail) from Macleod Trail South for 14 kms. There you will find the Priddis General Store and the Priddis View & Brew for excellent homemade food and specialty coffees.

Priddis Community Association

2011-2012 Priddis Community Board Members

• President: Silvano (Sal) Giacchetta
• Past President: Robert Foley
• Vice President: Barclay Hunter
• Secretary: Carmen Urquart
• Treasurer: Nicole Darling
• Special Events Coordinator: Sue Warren
• Memberships: Debbie Brown / Angela Williams
• Maintenance: Shawn Berg / Kate Tilley
• M.D. of Foothills Rep: Suzanne Oel
• Pelp Rep.: Angie Dawson – 403-803-7614
• Hall Rentals: Irene Smith – 403- 931- 2517 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
• Members at Large:
  • Hunter Fitzgerald
  • Dale Wozniak
• Newsletter – Priddis Post: Sue Warren – 931 6701 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
• Priddis Continuing Education: vacant
• Website.Trish Clark – .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The board meets the first Thursday (excluding July and August) of every month at 7 p.m. at the Priddis Hall. Everyone is welcome; your input and interest is very much appreciated!

Hall Rentals

The Priddis Comunity Hall Is nestled in the heart of the Hamlet of Priddis next to beautiful Fish Creek. It can accommodate up to 175 people. Facilities include two halls which can be separated by folding doors. One hall is approx. 25’ x 49’ and other is approx. 32’6” by 48’ with full commercial kitchen.

Our community hall has been recently been renovated (2012) with new commercial kitchen appliances, floor and counter-top. The interior has been painted (exterior scheduled for spring 2012) and the bathrooms received new counter-tops.

An outdoor community skating rink and playground are located on the premises. The historical St. James Anglican Church is situated across the road from the Hall.

Making our community HEART SAFE — By March 2007 the hall is equipped with a public access AED (Automated external defibrillator) that could potentially save the life of an individual working within our facility, a patron visiting our facility, or a member of our community. AED’s are valuable in the field of emergency cardiac care. It is our goal to provide CPR/Defibrillator training to as many community members as possible in order to strengthen the chain of survival.

Rental Rates for Priddis Community Hall

Weekend Rates:

• $200.00 for PCA members (must be a member for 2 consecutive years.)
• $350.00 for M.D. of Foothills Resident
• $550.00 for all others

Additional Rates:

Hourly Rate:

• PCA members only $25.00/ hour for a maximum of three hours (Mon – Thurs only).
• Friday set up fee – $50.00 from Noon on with a Saturday booking or free if booked two weeks prior to the event.
• $300 Corporate 1/2 Day Rate (a.m. OR p.m.)

To enquire about renting Priddis Hall, call Irene Smith at (403) 931-2517 between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Saturday or by email to: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Welcome

Nestled in the foothills of the Eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, Priddis boasts topography of rolling hills and spectacular scenery. It is primarily ranch country, but due to its proximity to the city of Calgary, the Priddis area is becoming increasingly popular for commuters to live and enjoy the glorious vistas, quiet lifestyle and a friendly and active community atmosphere.