Global Calgary turns 60: Why Kidstreet was its best show!

Today’s a pretty special day for the folks over at Global Calgary, because today marks their 60th anniversary!

While it’s known as Global today, it wasn’t always that way. When it originally took to the airwaves, it was known as CHCT-TV and it brought with it the city’s very first television broadcast. It’s hard to believe that was only sixty years ago.  For a while, the channel was known at the  “The Rockin’ Deuce”  (I’ll give you a moment to snicker), then a decade later, the call letters changed and the station became CFAC-TV, then  2&7 Television,  Calgary 7 CICT – Independent Calgary Television and then finally Global Television.

And while Global has no doubt helped changed the landscape of news and television in Calgary, it’s most important legacy is no doubt: Kidstreet.

Yes, you had forgotten about it. I know you had, but let’s take the rest of the day to celebrate what was clearly the best Canadian kids game show that’s ever existed.

Here’s a little Canadian TV history lesson for you: Kidstreet was produced by Blair Murdoch at CFAC/CKKX in Calgary and aired on what is now Global between the years of 1986 and 1991, it’s last season was shot in Vancouver. (Thank you for that tidbit, Wikipedia.)

The game was made up of three two-person teams who sat in race cars and answered trivia questions about their own families (think The Newlywed Games, but with more animosity). The winning team would eventually compete to take home the grand prize, which now, looks like a time capsule of amazing 80s nostalgia, like the original Nintendo and a Toys and Wheels gift certificate. Oh man, I do no know the last time I thought about Toys and Wheels. But I’m glad I’m going it now.

I can’t be certain, but I also think Kidstreet invented overhead clapping, presumably saving kids from countless funny bone injuries. It looks delightfully uncomfortable, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Oh man, just sitting here thinking about Kidstreet has me shaking with excitement. As a kid growing up in the maritimes, I wanted to be on that show so bad. I think I knew that you had to be living in Calgary, but like I had any idea where Calgary was. I’m pretty sure I begged my parents every week to be on the show, but since you had to compete with one of your siblings, they likely knew that by the end of the episode, one of us would end up run over by the fake cars.

@mikesbloggity I loved the warm hospitality I experienced every time I arrived in Calgary to tape a season. I have many fond memories!

— Kevin Frank (@KWalterFrank) October 8, 2014

I’ve met some pretty cool people since starting this blog, but none were as cool as the handful of people I’ve met that were actually contestants on the show, and because we live in Calgary, there are a lot of them!  If you were on the show or remember watching it, leave your favourite memories in the comments.

For now, let’s celebrate Global’s 60th anniversary, by cracking open a beer, sitting back and enjoying an episode of Kidstreet!