


Seven members of the Edmonton Grads girls basketball team first played the game in Parkdale's third floor gymnasium before moving on to McDougall Commercial High School.Edgar (Spike) Millen, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who was killed in 1932 by Albert Johnson-the Mad Trapper of Rat Creek-studied at Parkdale from 1913-1920.The building is currently leased to Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society and is being used as their main office. The subject received much controversy from concerned parents and people who live close by. Parkdale School was closed on June 19, 2010. The mythological Phoenix was chosen as the school mascot because it symbolizes their principle, rising from the ashes, and Parkdale School rose from ashes too.

Parkdale School was scheduled to open on April 13, 1913, but was delayed a month due to a fire which cost more than $20,000. The fourth floor gymnasium was converted into classrooms and a library. In 1957 a $805,000 gymnasium was built on the east side of the building. In 1919, to ease overcrowding at other area schools, four classrooms were added to the third floor. The three-storey building constructed of brick and Bedford trim features a crenulated roof line, Tudor arches, buttressing, a crest inscribed with the construction date, and traditional separate entrances for boys and girls. Its Collegiate Gothic style is considered an uninspired version of the Gothic Revival design and was common for educational buildings built in Canada from 1900 to 1925. Optional Cree language and Cree culture courses were offered to its grade 7-9 students. Aboriginal awareness and culture were integrated into classroom learning. Roughly 60% of Parkdale students were of aboriginal heritage, and the school's programs and methods often reflected this. The intent of the modified school year was to keep students engaged and able to retain knowledge easier after breaks. Instead of the customary two month summer holiday that is enjoyed by other Edmonton students, Parkdale’s summer holiday was condensed to five weeks in July. Students attended classes the same number of days as other schools, but breaks were spread differently throughout the year. Parkdale was one of seven schools belonging to the Edmonton Public Schools City Centre Education Project.ĭuring its final years of operation, Parkdale was one of five Edmonton Public Schools that operated on a modified school calendar. Built in 1912, it is one of Edmonton's oldest schools. Parkdale School was a city centre K-9 public school located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
