The Grande Prairie Immigration Hall was turned into a makeshift hospital during the Spanish Flu. (Photo 1925 c., courtesy of the South Peace Regional Archives)

By Emily Keller

spanish flu

Local historian sees parallels between current COVID-19 situation and past pandemics

Mar 26, 2020 | 5:30 AM

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, some may be reminded of health crises and pandemics from the past.

Alyssa Currie, Executive Director of the South Peace Regional Archives, says a lot parallels can be drawn from the current situation to the Spanish Flu epidemic that struck Alberta and the Peace Region in 1918.

“One of the first things that was implemented in Grande Prairie was a cancelling of all public gatherings, so you see that today in the social distancing measures that are being similarly implemented. They also implemented mandatory face masks for those that did have to go out in public.”

Currie says the Spanish Flu was mostly brought over by settlers and returning soldiers from World War I. According to the archives, by the fall of 1918 when the Flu came to the Peace Region via the railway, around 1,000 cases were already reported in Edmonton.

She says during that time, many community members and organizations volunteered their help and created temporary solutions.

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“The Board of Health took over the Grande Prairie Immigration Hall and it was turned into a makeshift hospital,”

During this time, the local undertaker, J.B. Oliver, was serving overseas, and the man in his place had fallen ill.

“Our community actually wrote to the Canadian Military requesting that J.B. Oliver be returned to us to take care of our community, and unfortunately that was denied,” said Currie. “So local hotel owner and race car driver, Frank Donald, stepped in and acted as the undertaker for our community.”

Currie says during Donald’s time as the temporary undertaker, the Bear Creek Cemetery was established.

Bear Creek Cemetery (Spanish Flu Cemetery), 1982, located in the sandy dunes north of the creek (photo courtesy of the South Peace Regional Archives)

She says there are no exact numbers for fatalities from the Spanish Flu in the Peace during that time, but she estimates there were around three-dozen.

“You see reported throughout the newspaper both a number of obituaries and unfortunately, sad stories of people being ill, but you also see letters of thanks from the families for the people that were taking care of those community members, and for all of the community members that really stepped up and did their part in the time of need for the community.”

Currie says that the coverage of the Flu mirrors the current novel coronavirus outbreak occurring now. More archived information on the history of the Peace Region can be accessed through the South Peace Regional Archive’s website. Currently, the reading room for the Archive’s is closed to the public until further notice.