If I Knew Then What I Know Now (Calgary 1976-1981)

Old footage of Calgary between 1976 and 1981.
Original song by Michael Betzler recorded in 2003 by Trevor Page. Featuring Michael Betzler on vocals/rhythm guitar, Trevor Page on bass/drums/lead guitar solo.

[@krystalharris79]

I lived in Calgary during these years - I moved there during Stampede Week! I never saw any events but partied a bunch! Definitely learned to drink in Calgary! I worked downtown at the Royal Bank and traipsed around all over so I remember going to a lot of these locations! Some folks I met became lifetime friends, have some great memories! Footage like this is a treasure! And I love the song! 🤩👏💯

[@mayloo2137]

God I feel old. I was in high school in the mid-to-late 70s. I still remember all those buildings downtown, and there were still houses in Victoria Park.

[@michaelcaza6766]

Saw my parents in one of the scenes (they were married in 1976), saw my mom’s parents in another scene (I never knew my grandma abs grandpa McKinlay). This was so cool.

[@jimmyblood3416]

I arrived in Calgary in ‘82. Amazing how much it has changed.

[@jmdnelson4891]

This was wayyy before my time. It's such a trip to see how different things were before I even existed. I love this this city. I'm originally from Regina, but Calgary will always be home to me.

[@summersky77]

Wow! This video is a true gem. Calgary has certainly grown-up in the past thirty years. You only get a full appreciation as to how much things have changed when you see stuff like this. Brings back many fond memories. I was a young kid in those days and we had just moved here from Vancouver. Surreal.

[@daphneduggan5635]

I lived there from 1976 to 1980. Many good memories and friends from then. I'm from Victoria, but my years there were special and will cherish those memories forever.

[@summersky77]

@@daphneduggan5635 what was 30 years ago when I made that comment is now 40. Neat to re-watch after all these years. Thanks for commenting. :)

[@jandl5522]

wow. i was born and raised there. What memories this brings back. The old Saan store was one of my first jobs. I kind of wish for the old days.

[@mayloo2137]

What a trip down memory lane! I was in high school in the late 70s. Don't remember much of the downtown from back then. It's still great to see what it looked like then versus now when all you really see are all the really tall office buildings. Btw, today June 30th was the 50th anniversary of the Calgary Tower. Or for us oldtimers who still remember it as the Husky Tower.

[@AbdulAziz4CaNaDa]

Haha I don’t know it was named The Husky Tower 😅

[@bjones1739]

Ahhh, fond memories, The Queens Hotel were a friend and I had our first Beers at the ripe old age of 13.

[@nitinchaudhary7660]

Hello Bill

[@jamesprovost2602]

So cool it seem more bustling than for some reason

[@jamesa.4720]

just LOOK AT ALL THESE VINTAGE CARS WHERE DID THEY ALL GO

[@johnwang9914]

There used to be a junkyard just off Deerfoot trail, it was where Superman III had Superman's battle with himself at. All those vintage cars probably wound up there. There was also a junkyard up on Signal Hill just past the TV antennas over by Coach Hill road though that was a much smaller operation.

[@madorosh]

Man, it's weird to see cars driving up and down 7th Ave in this. Much has changed and much has stayed the same.

[@djkrazay7791]

I remember the SAAN sign on 7th ave.. but what was that store a clothing store like some what like to winners? lol

[@fabuloushorsefromgreencity5640]

It’s so cool seeing what it was like 40 years ago

[@mayloo2137]

@@djkrazay7791 I think it was.

[@keithmills778]

7th Avenue was part of "the circuit". If you had a cool car you'd drive down 7th Ave (past the hookers by the Legion), turn left onto MacLeod, left onto 6th Avenue to 5th Avenue, and then back along 7th. Repeat until bored. And, if you had a really cool car, you'd park in the lot on the NW corner of 6th Ave and 2nd Street, aka "Bullshit Corner."

[@kathleenhuguenin7791]

This Video shows the Downtown at 1st Street and 7 Ave SW prior to development and the Regis Hotel which today is one of the Historical buildings remaining. Cafe of those days was still in business until 2013 . Storefronts could be restored to depict Historiy SAAN store not there now however The Bay is!

[@rickmcl2756]

I see the Calgarian Hotel in a couple of shots from 7th ave. SE Some friends and I went here for the free live bands and cheap beer when we were young and broke. The band played behind some metal fencing...like chicken wire....hard rock...cold beer...no cover charge.

[@havok9001]

if i had to back in time i want to visit Calgary & Edmonton around the 1960 to 1980 just to see what it like then

[@jackzorro767]

I was living in Calgary for two years !! Beautiful city!!

[@michaelcaza-schonberger9282]

Pretty cool seeing 7th ave with no C-train line. I was born here in 87, all I’ve known was the train line down 7th.

[@chinookskier]

I was here in 1981, so I'm part of this Movie. Excellent tune, really nice flowing video well done. Calgary has the most sunny days in the Country along with the heavenly Chinooks,has the highest wages (Except Toronto Corporate Lawyers, etc) byy far, has the lowest income taxes, no pst and is less than an hour away from the mountains with a nice big airport to fly away when you need some traval.

[@paulbizard3493]

Grew up in Calgaty from 1968 to 1978. Wow. Beautiful city. Thanks for the video.

[@deifor]

I love Calgary

[@markshanehayden4648]

I saw the Gulf refinery where my dad worked during the time this was filmed. I remember mum taking us to meet dad there after work a few times, vaguely remember the neighbourhood! Nice memories...

[@ketoking9435]

I went to Calgary from England in 79,,A great holiday,went in the Calgary Tower,,Heritage park,,,,,A holiday of a lifetime for a school kid,,great vid,Thanx,

[@amina2569]

Ahhhhh i came to calgary in 1997 and was already different.if u see calgary now u wont recognize.in downtown most old building are demolished and replaced..some places i recognized in the video ;) good old days

[@seanmackenzie8726]

Beautiful Vintage, i Love This.!!!

[@BadDrafter]

Wow! I was born in 1981 in Calgary. This is the world I was born into!

[@blkirishbeauty]

This is the Calgary I grew up in and miss.

[@nileist6666]

I am born and raised and still live here in calgary...i remember almost all the sites except the queens tavern...I am so happy you found and edited all these locations.... The good days of cow Town...when 15$ gets you 2-3 grams of hash at the old center street LRT station..thankx for stimulating all my grade 6-10 school memories

[@BlackieNuff]

Amazing. Such a nice little trip back in time. I have lived in Calgary all my life (save being born in Manitoba), and seeing everything as it was in them old days sure unleashes the memories... I was but a wee tyke in the early 70s, so most memories are hazy and fragmented at best. 1981 marks the year of my 10th birthday, so, yeah - wow... what a great flashback. Thanks for sharing this! I would love to see more...

[@NatalieMorrissey]

Cool video, thanks for sharing! It's interesting to see what has changed in Calgary over the years. I live near the clip that shows the big Gulf oil containers (9th ave and 22nd street SE), which are no longer there and is just an empty field now. I knew that something used to be in the field and that it was once an industrial site, but I didn't know what it actually was or looked like. Now it's just a large field adjacent to the bird sanctuary, homes, a school, and also a rail yard.

[@DMacstudios]

You can still see some of the classic blue transit buses around town. And the sun still got to downtown.... Memories!

[@John.Mini-Clubman]

Memories become vivid, seeing this video! Like others, at night on the weekend, I'd cruise around downtown & the 'Hot-Lot.' Either w/friends or solo, I'd drive my dad's gold `66 Le mans [rare car there]-albeit a couple years earlier, in `73 - `75. .. . .. Where's that car today?

[@BLUESTONE1979]

So much has changed.. in such a short amount of time... downtown core looks similar but so many many changes... 7th ave with cars and busses not just c-train and busses..it looked so much cleaner

[@kathleenhuguenin7791]

Calgary was a very Country music, Rodeo, and farmer oriented. Being called Cowtown more than once and sporting safe boardwalks to clean feet on. Remembering is oldtimers favorite as was the Cafe and its breakfasts and Burgers. They were delicious and cheap.

[@mikejohnson6762]

Born in this magnificent city in 73!

[@RodneyGuitarsplat]

Thanks Michael Betzler

[@altagal5032]

Great video .... brought back a lot of memories. Just wish it was longer!

[@mikemiller8975]

Love this song good video had too add my playlist Calgary totally different now

[@cmoudyrybicka]

I never understood what is so great about multiculturalism. When I came to Canada I wanted to be a Canadian. Not what I was I came from. If want to be what I came from why should I come here to be a Canadian at the first place? Anyway, I loved everything what I sew and experienced when I came to Canada 1981. I love that simple straight forward approach to life and its problems. I love kindness of Calgarians who gave you a helping hand when needed or they let you be when you want to be by yourself. Nobody meddled in others people business. That's what I am missing now.

[@Blendeture]

Vlad Rybicka : Different cultures co-existing peacefully in society is a great thing. Russians, Australians, Europeans, Asians, Africans, Latinos, Androids, Klingons, Romulans, Vulcans, Ferengi, Bajorans, Cardassians, etc.

[@JesusFriedChrist]

@@BlendetureNot all cultures are equal.

[@stephenfox966]

Remember the cars with those vinyl seats and cracked plastic dashboards,no seat belts and huge engines?

[@dublin1948]

What a great video! Brings back lots of memories.

[@skafreak]

love how that old corner store in inglewood is the exact same.

[@Blendeture]

Sorry for my late reply, but are you referring to the corner store at 3:01 ? Because that is at the SE corner of 1 Ave & 7a St NE in Bridgeland. I really should add the locations to timestamps soon. Back in the old days of KZbin in 2012, I had them in the old annotations which no longer exist.

[@RatedCfm-cz8ff]

I was seven years old in 1981, I definitely remember a lot of those scenes, and vehicles.

[@spencermatthews5942]

When times were simpler and care free!!

[@harbanskaur8146]

Thanks for this Awesome video

[@troyw1843]

VERY COOL VIDEO!!! Thanks for sharing

[@noracrawlor]

My city of Calgary!👌

[@billdozer72]

Ah I remember it well. I grew up in Calgary, 76-81 was in my teenage years. I left in 81, haven't been back since, but I often think about those good ol' days.

[@johnbrown-ze7se]

Don James where do u live now

[@whoyatoya]

Don James Raised in Bridgeland 1971 to 1992....

[@johnschober5240]

Born n raised and still in Calgary,meet my wife here also born n raised in Calgary not to many of us originals around.

[@loaf_of_beans1619]

I’m still living there, all these people saying the country is bad are morons

[@jenseninterceptors]

@@loaf_of_beans1619 i think youre the moron ranger of mirth

[@loaf_of_beans1619]

You are only proving my point

[@TheSpaceman332211]

I lived there for 2 years 2013 - 2015 just on a working holiday visa. Im from Western Europe (Ireland). I was shocked at how much of the population were foreigners. But still a great little city with good people and unmatched scenery. Coming home from work every night and seeing the rookies in the background cheered me the fuck up after a long day. I miss Calgary, i wished i stayed.

[@arima4391]

Damn this was calgary years ago it look so cool and i recognize some of the places

[@thecinnamontoegraphers5528]

That was just delightful to watch!

[@scarletgerl]

Wow, I sure remember these places - what a great city Calgary was in those years! Love the song too....thanks for posting this!!

[@djkrazay7791]

wow that's an adventure back to my teenage years lol .. thanks!

[@colleenmcwhan2909]

WOW! What a neat video. was way before me, But looks neat. I like that song playing with video. Sounds like a Busker. Love the guitar.

[@numero480]

Wow that is old. Great video

[@MasterFeja]

Man I wish I was living Calgary at this time.

[@daphneduggan5635]

You would have loved it!

[@Armlesscrayon]

Haha, when McNight blvd was consider really far out of town when you never got lost because you could always see the Calgary tower from any point in the city and people were nice!

[@normanwells2755]

1:21 apparently was during one of the beer strikes and a shipment arrived.

[@John.Mini-Clubman]

I too lived in Calgary (Hillhurst & Parkdale) from`72-`80 and also attended 'Queen-E,' SAIT and worked at Brentwood CO-OP, etcetera. Though originally from England, I grew-up on a coastal town in southern California. Yet, despite the 'change' from sand to snow and southern Cal's year- 'round warmth, to that of 'winter's wonderland,' my memories of Calgary are warm and regardless of the weather, they'll always provide lasting comfort.

[@mayloo2137]

I lived in Brentwood for many years. I did a lot of my grocery shopping at both the Co-op and Safeway. Safeway recently moved out. There is another grocery chain moving in.

[@John.Mini-Clubman]

@@mayloo2137; Thanx for the update. Kinda ironic, how reflecting on time, people & things we knew in the past 'seem' simpler to understand 'now' at the present time.. Though, I suppose what's 'now' will be better understood when one reflects back on such current things some yrs' in the future.

[@gylbertpenguin]

So many Jimmy buses. 7th Avenue with traffic and no C-Train tracks. Cop cars that are a quick touch-up job away from a Dukes of Hazzard episode. Even a little snippet of the back end of a very old CCF-Brill bus, which was probably only a few years away from the scrap heap This video is something special

[@killsalltires156]

great footage!

[@marylamanna3325]

Did residency from 1980-1983 at Foothills Hospital….really miss Calgary.

[@MarkOmega.]

I recognized so many of our old buildings! Whatever happened to our great city??

[@ctrcx]

1 year before my mom was born, brought me there as a baby about 24 years later!! so cool

[@ChescoYT]

amazing! Would have been great if you had a 2nd half showing the great calgary today!

[@johnschober5240]

Lol The line ups at the ALCB before a strike,or the long weekend.

[@Landrew0]

Awesome stuff.

[@harles5000]

Hey Dennis Wilson the hotel was the Stampeder and I remember Slam Dancing with the Natives to the Ramones, the days of Punk.

[@ej1mshan]

Great music on the video, great video. Love Calgary, in Edmonton now. I was in Calgary 1976-7 when I bought the Sex Pistols & The Clash. I'm trying to remember the name of the Hotel I stayed in a couple of times. It was near the Cecile and had a pitched roof. Anyone remember what the name of the hotel was?

[@Randomadventureswithpaul]

I just realised this post was put up in 2012 and even now 10 years later the skyline is still radically changing with every year that goes by.

[@daviddirom7429]

I was with the British Army at BATUS (CFB Suffield) for winter of 80-81, worst part of the tour was that the brewers were on strike. CFB Suffield was serving Miller’s and Olympia from the states. Wasn’t Canadian brewers finest hour lol. Moved to Alberta the fall of 1982 lived in Calgary off and on between 1982-1997. I moved to Medicine Hat after getting posted to CFB Suffield in 1997-2009 (retired).

[@ogopaulo]

It was all so analogue. Not a single cellphone. Miss it.

[@krystalharris79]

Everyone had to memorize phone numbers back then! It was a great workout for our brains! LOL

[@johndesjarlais1763]

The city was good and small back then!

[@rafalkot2809]

calgary has come a long way since then.

[@paullippert1509]

Terrific video

[@dr.knuckles4075]

Great Memories.. I can Remember the , "Queens" Both my MA & PA worked there. We used to go there for the Stampede Parade & Unfortunately, as a kid, Play with the Expensive Balloons 🎈 in the Men's bathroom. (Lol.)

[@TheSylv11]

Graduated from Crescent Heights HS in 1979. This was cool.

[@whoyatoya]

Sylvia M do you know Guy Bronson, Pat Barwis, Randy Davis or the pool hall on Center Street...

[@khajiit8628]

I’m heading there next year lol

[@jenseninterceptors]

My son graduated from there two years ago 👍

[@mayloo2137]

I graduated from Sir Winston Churchill in 1979.

[@brigittemitschke7878]

at 3.01 - on 1st Avenue NE and 7A Street NE (Bridgeland). You can see the General Hospital in the background.

[@bijoubird8837]

+Blendeture Were the Downtown West End houses still there? Maybe 6th av & 11 st SW? I cannot find any photos to confirm / rule out this area.

[@deadat45]

If only we knew how much the rent would eventually be.... (o.0)

[@patrickc9670]

I recall those busses, that style was incredible

[@gooseyfur2.027]

I moved here in early 1978. There were classic street people. Does anyone remember the the guy who walked the streets yahooing? Or the old lady with an orange jumpsuit held together with duct tape?

[@MrJett1971]

How about Five Star Annie or Stinky Pete?

[@daphneduggan5635]

I remember both of them! We lived for awhile on 17th near 1st S.W. I think she was in our back yard one day, rummaging. The Yahoo guy was often on the bus.

[@oic1968]

Child hood remembered, thanks

[@Kineticwizzy]

Weird to see my hometown like this I wasnt around them and calgary has always been a big city to me

[@bijoubird8837]

0:30 - 0:37 appears to be the corner of 22 St & 9 Av SE. The camera points west along 9th, then pans south to the refinery. This refinery was adjacent to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, and is now a park (Inglewood Wildlands).

[@angelsworking]

OMG I just realized the doorway where the old man was sitting was my favorite seat on the strip LOL

[@minimoni247]

wicked cool!!

[@frostbittenwinds9703]

I went for Calgary for winter break, and I live in Texas. No amount of 14 degree winters could prepare me for negative temperatures

[@terryollenberger442]

memories of the beer strikes !! line up at Brewers Agents !

[@terryollenberger442]

3.15 old General Hospital

[@mrwebber35]

... so there was two little old houses 40 years ago on the south east corner of the central street bridge... interesting. I believe the Petro Canada building was just on the drawing board at that time. When it was being built in 78 or so, my friend and I would go down on the bus get into the building construction area. There was no security at all. There is no real threat from people and no need for high-security back in those days.

[@hdadam203]

Old is gold.

[@bananaxtree]

I would be interested in seeing this with optional captions pointing out the different landmarks etc. Kind of like pop-up video.

[@ylambo1]

Very cool, Nice to see people driving on 7th. I would hate to see how many times i cruzed 6th and 7th. The place to be in 76 and 77.

[@michealbrisbois3411]

I swear the city still used those old buses back in 2013 for my highschool

[@Blendeture]

Micheal Brisbois : A General Motors T6H-5307N perhaps. CPTDB Wiki mentions bus 874, saying it was in service from 1977-2013. That might be your bus.

[@JTLosttt]

We still have some of the same busses on the roads lol

[@stevorobo692]

Yea, anc they can go up hills worth shit.

[@bulafritz]

You forgot the Cecil in your shots of seedy, depressing dumps!

[@KB-gb3xb]

Just as well it was left out, it was indeed a shithole

[@joesalmon4291]

Very interesting. Would love to see video of the stampede grounds and the zoo. The Alberta Brewers Agents building at 1:33 was on the corner of 30th street NE and Centre Ave East. The shot is facing North then pans west to Centre Ave. The building is still there I think.

[@tiagosina3158]

That’s my uncle Brian Johnson at 0:19 before he accepted a job offer in Australia/UK.

[@gailpaton1680]

My Mom was a waitress at the Modern Cafe when I was a young girl. I have very fond memories of meeting her there after school and the owner, Hendry would always give me a plate of french fries or a bowl of stewed figs and a fresh donut with a pat of butter. Mom was a waitress there for several years .

[@howardandkimfaber4984]

Was your mom named Mary?

[@howardandkimfaber4984]

Modern cafe was the best

[@seydacosar1102]

Calgary 🇨🇦❤️

[@jenseninterceptors]

Calgary when life was better and simpler and less crowded...

[@gamingpalace2]

Calgary ain't that crowded anyways. Remember this is a CITY not a town.

[@jasangela]

People would say hello on the street back then too .. it still had a town feel to it.

[@kalencrowe103]

@@jasangela I still find people say hello... Or do you mean in a super busy location where you'd be saying hello over and over? Anyway, throw a hey at someone today, you'll probably find they say hi back.

[@GsunnyGGamer]

Calgarys never been crowded, way too sprawled out. In fact the 70's were probably more crowded before the suburban crap took over.

[@frankp6790]

With real Canadians

[@DarcyCardinal]

I didn't grow up in Calgary, or was even around during those years (was born in 85) but it sure looks like it was more affordable, less busy and friendlier in those days. That part in Inglewood on 9 ave looks interesting, that area was turned into a park.