Fred Payton
Prince Albert Historical Society
News that the CKBI Building is for sale by auction has created considerable interest. For more than 70 years, the people of Prince Albert and area have known that building by that name. For a large portion of that time (at least until the dawn of the computer age), the same people have been entertained from that building, and received a goodly portion of the news, sports, and weather required to be informed.
What has been known as the CKBI Building since June of 1955 started out life as The Agnew Block. The 1909 Henderson’s Directory for Prince Albert listed it for the first time as New Block on the north side of West Tenth Street. Further information about the building or its owner did not appear, although it was noted that in the rear of the building was a laundry operated by Hoo Sam (later to be one of three owners of the Saskatchewan Café, and a convicted murderer who was hanged outside the Provincial Gaol located at Central Avenue and Eighteenth Street).
The next edition of the Directory, in 1911, listed the building as The Agnew Block, occupied by Agnew’s Limited. Agnew’s Limited was owned primarily by Thomas J. Agnew, a businessman who had been mayor of Prince Albert in 1901. He also owned, with other members of his family, Agnew Bros. Hardware Company Limited. Agnew’s Limited was a departmental store selling office hardware, groceries, ladies’ ready-to-wear, gents’ furnishings, boots and shoes, and dry goods. Their advertising included, after dry goods, “etc.”
On the first floor of the building was A.I. Wilkinson’s real estate and insurance agency, as well as a suite in which Hillary Agnew resided. The third floor accommodated the architect, O. Albrechtsen, as well as offices for the Hudson’s Bay & Pacific Railway. By 1919, the building accommodated the departmental store, as well as offices for the Rural Municipality of Russia, and five apartments. In 1923, the R.M. offices, six apartments, and the Elks’ club room were there, as well as the departmental store. The store, and twelve apartments were in the building in 1925, including an office for T.J. Agnew.
By 1926, the family members who had been involved with Agnew’s Departmental Store were ready for retirement and closed out the store. The Agnew Block was put up for sale. Another former mayor of Prince Albert, George W. Baker, was also the owner of a departmental store. Baker’s Limited occupied premises on West 11th Street. However, on March 17th, 1926, an advertisement appeared on page eight of The Daily Herald. In large letters, it read “IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT from Baker’s Limited”. It went on to state that the company had “removed the entire stock of Ladies’ Ready-to-Wear to our New Home in the Agnew Block”. The latest creations in ladies’ spring coats and dresses could be seen there, and all patrons were welcome to visit 10th Street West.
The 1927 Henderson’s Directory listed the building as the Baker Block. George W. Baker was listed as the manager of the department store, and it noted that there were also nineteen apartments in the block. By 1932, the listing also included the name of Edgar Ryan, janitor. Aside from 1934, when the listing indicated that there were only thirteen apartments, the yearly listings in the Directory indicated that there was a minimum of nineteen apartments, with a maximum of twenty-eight apartments in 1941. Beginning in 1936, one of the apartments was listed as the office of George Baker, and in 1943, Louis Bakken was listed as either the building’s caretaker or janitor. In 1953, the listing indicated that there were twenty-six apartments, and for the first time Ole Eggen was listed as the caretaker. In 1955, for the first time, the listing included a basement business, Bill’s Barber Shop, owned by William J. Nelson.
It was in the middle of June, 1955, that The Daily Herald carried a story about CKBI Radio having moved into the building. The following year, in addition to Bill’s Barber Shop, the listing included Mrs. Cora Wright, and listed John Greenlow as the caretaker.
By 1958, William Nelson had added a beauty salon to his barber shop. Mrs. Peggy Nelson ran the beauty salon. Space was set aside for an Alcoholics Anonymous programme, as well as for Miss Ramsey’s Kindergarten (run by Helen Ramsey), and the Prince Albert Gospel Assembly (Doug Whitter, pastor).
Throughout the successive years, other businesses and programmes had space in the CKBI Building. Miss Ramsey’s Kindergarten was succeeded by Isobel Rice’s Kiddie Korner and Tiny Tots Nursery, the Alcoholics Anonymous programme was replaced by the Salvation Army’sBridge programme (run by Rod Wirsta), and Orville Andres’ Person-T(wo)-Person Programmme occupied space. The United Paperworkers International Union (local 1120), and Cathy Anderson’s Prince Albert School of Ballet rented space in the building.
There were numerous individuals who rented the apartments in the building. Many of the employees of the city’s Chinese restaurants lived in the building, and even the occasional staff of the station lived there. One prominent resident, Ted Paine, lived in the building from 1969 to 1975.
Most people will remember the on-air personalities: people such as Merv Samborski, George Prosser, Larry Christie, Norris Bick, and Ross Perry. There were many individuals who worked behind the scenes, including Peggy Ryan in continuity, Jim Forsman, Earl Hunter, and George Slingsby. One of the most important staff members was Tom van Nes, who was the chief engineer. He was responsible for so many of the remote broadcasts in the early years of the radio station, and built and maintained the television station from scratch, including the antennas and towers. Without these people, the on-air personalities would not have been seen and heard.
Some of the radio programmes which were aired on the radio through the years included The Happy Gang, and Art Linklater’s P & K House Party. Local programming included high school football games and, of course, junior hockey games. On television were shows such as Spotlight on Talent, and Tiny Talent, The Four O’Clock Hop, as well as specials such as the Christmas shows. And who can forget collecting potato chip bags so that you could bid for prizes on Kids Bids.
Whatever happens to the CKBI Building as a result of its forthcoming sale, there will be generations of Prince Albert and area residents who will always remember the call letters CKBI, the programmes and individuals who worked at the station, and the contribution which it made to the community.
