PHOTO COURTESY THE ESPLANADE
Uniformed drivers in front of local Greyhound bus, 1940s.
On May 13, Greyhound Canada permanently closed its intercity bus operations. Facing difficult times, Greyhound had already discontinued its Western Canada operations in 2018. But with the coronavirus pandemic, ridership dropped about 95%, making it financially impossible to continue.
Central Canadian Greyhound Lines Limited began operations in Medicine Hat in December 1933 under the management of James Briggs. Greyhound rented an office in the Huckvale Building (today the Assiniboia Inn) which included a lunch counter. Running the Greyhound terminal was a Briggs’ family affair. James’ wife Christina supervised the lunch counter, daughter Ruby served as waitress and son Arthur worked the lunch counter and became a ticket agent. Because there was no actual bus garage at that time, passengers were picked up and dropped off on the nearby street.
Excavation began for the construction of the first local Greyhound depot/garage in August 1937. The 84-year-old building, located at 570 Third Street SE, is made of local hollow clay tile and stucco. It was built by local contractor Joseph Phillippe Choiniere. Initially a carpenter, Choiniere was the Superintendent of the Gas City Brick Co. before becoming a general contractor.
The new bus depot opened in December 1937. Under Brigg’s management, the terminal was headquarters for eight Greyhound drivers. In addition to the bus trade, the terminal restaurant could serve 32 diners in both booths and at a counter with pneumatic stools. The bus station was separated from the restaurant by a partition running from front to rear. A cigar and tobacco booth plus an ice cream cooler were included in a back bar. The waiting room and ticket office overlapped the rear garage which held three buses.
The terminal was reported by the News as “the most up-to-date home of its kind for Greyhound Lines in Alberta.” The architectural style of the building is Art Moderne, popular from around 1930-1940. Characteristic of the style, our former bus depot has a low flat roof with no eave, smooth walls which were originally white, and a round overhang which gives the sensation of a swelling curve. Because the Art Moderne style conveys a sense of motion, Greyhound chose this design for its terminals in both Canada and the United State during this time.
This style of architecture which often features a ship-like porthole window, was also popular with residential houses. Medicine Hat is fortunate to have a few 1940s Art Moderne houses sprinkled in the Flats area, notably on Maple Ave., Second Street SE and Ninth Street SE, and one on Aberdeen Street.
In January 1974, Greyhound Bus Lines closed the depot and opened a larger terminal valued at $400,000 on 2nd Street, behind the original depot.
After over 90 years, the Greyhound buses which were a lifeline for those Canadians living in rural areas and in small communities like Medicine Hat have departed for the last time.
Sally Sehn is a past Member of the Heritage Resources Committee of the City of Medicine Hat.
