At the dawn of the ICE (District) Age, Edmonton's own Pleistocene Epoch was defined by a downtown core beset by massive parking lots, countless empty buildings, and a tired downtown mall well past its prime. A mere decade ago, before Rogers Place, Stantec Tower, and the JW Marriott Hotel, there existed a dark time when the Oilers were forced to play game after game at the decrepit Northlands Coliseum, and the ICE District Tower B stump was but a twinkle in a developer's eye. Fast-forward to the present, however, and what has become the ICE District exists as a vibrant hive of activity, with locals and tourists bustling to and fro from games to concerts, restaurants to bars, and everything in-between. 

Before the ICE Age, looking east on 104 Ave NW from 104 St NW back in 2009, image via Google Maps

Taking a look back across a decade of change, this week's Throwback Thursday, and this editor's final entry for SkyriseEdmonton, will take a moment to consider the rapid rate of transformation now underway at the heart of the city. Looking east on 104 Ave NW from 104 St NW, pre-ICE Age Edmonton was a dreary sight, the aforementioned mix of parking lots and empty buildings not a great look for the provincial capital. 

Entering the ICE Age, looking east on 104 Ave NW from 104 St NW in 2019, image via Google Maps

Compared to the image above, captured from the same vantage point in 2019, the last decade has been highly transformative. The addition of Rogers Place, Stantec Tower, the JW Marriott, and numerous other recent developments and infill throughout the core having brought new life to downtown Edmonton. 

Have an idea for a future Throwback Thursday? Let us know by leaving a comment below!