The Battle of Olds is being recreated again.
The event, a dispute between Olds citizens and Canadian Pacific Railway officials and involving local police, occurred in 1907. In 2005, local storyteller Mary Hays was commissioned to create a script about it, which became a play.
Now the play will be staged again -- in late February/early March at the TransCanada Theatre by the Olds High School Drama Club, under the guidance of drama teacher Rhonda West. Hays will be a consultant on the project.
The Olds Historical Society, Uptowne Olds and the Town of Olds will all be involved in making the play happen.
The first day, Feb. 27 (a Friday) will be a dress rehearsal. The play will be open to the public Saturday, Feb. 28 and on Sunday, March 1, when it will likely be a matinee.
Heritage advisor Michelle Jorgensen talked about those plans during a Sept. 10 meeting of the Uptowne Olds Committee (UOC) in town hall chambers. Jorgensen is also a member of the UOC.
The incident occurred on June 3, 1907, as the CPR tried for a third time to get rid of the crossing, which it had earlier allowed, then decided it didn't want.
During an interview with the Albertan, Jorgensen quoted from a postcard obtained from the Mountain View Museum and Archives.
“The much-needed crossing had been authorized by the CPR and constructed by the Town of Olds, using Town funds.
“Fifty workmen, several CPR detectives, and CPR Superintendent Niblock, along with 12 armed mounted police, confronted Mayor Billy Dean and more than 400 people, some rumoured to be armed.
“The Battle of Olds ended after the arrest of several of its citizens, including most of the town council, and when Cst. Duffus of the Mounted Police read the Riot Act, threatening to give the order to shoot.”
(This police officer is referred to elsewhere as Insp. Duffus).
“We're hoping also to co-ordinate with the Olds Historical Society to transform the lobby into period time with some educational collection exhibits in the lobby,” Jorgensen said.
“There are all sorts of curriculum connections associated with this of course.”
Jorgensen urged any UOC members who may also be Heritage Society members to dress up in period costume – if they can obtain such costumes – and interpret the exhibits for visitors before they see the play.
“We'll talk more about that, but I think it could be a really fabulous opportunity for community education, awareness, inspiring people about our local history,” Jorgensen said. “Hey, like I say, you can't make this stuff up, so it's going to be awesome.”
Jorgensen says although a goal of Uptowne Olds is to encourage more people to shop in member stores and businesses, its goal is also to help create a vibrant community.
“It is an economic development tool, for sure. But it's also about bringing the community together, providing opportunities for members in the community to participate in community events,” Jorgensen says.
“Your historic main street is the heart of your community, so it's just as much for those businesses on Main Street as it is for the greater community.”
