SCTV Polynesiantown and the Strathcona CPR Station

10122 81 Avenue

In 1908, the CPR constructed a train station in the area to welcome and support arriving travellers: The Strathcona CPR Station. The Edwardian-era station became known as the “End of Steel,” it was the furthest North the rail lines could extend without building a bridge over the North Saskatchewan River. The station provides a visible reminder of the strides in early local development and offers a glimpse into the first sights of Ritchie newcomers in the early 1900s. Though today condos block the view of the station from this vantage point, it is visible in the iconic shot from SCTV’s Polynesiantown episode. Second City Television (SCTV) was a Canadian sketch comedy program active from 1976-1984 that featured Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, John Candy, and others. The show was shot and produced in Edmonton between 1980 and 1981 by CITV. SCTV was the first Canadian television program to air on American television.