Clarke Stadium 4.28

Clarke Stadium is a multipurpose facility located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The stadium was originally used for Canadian football. Over the years different sports have participated at the site. Presently, it is the home of the FC Edmonton soccer team of the North American Soccer League, the Edmonton Huskies and the Edmonton Wildcats of the Canadian Junior Football League.HistoryThe stadium was originally built in 1938 and named for then-Mayor Joseph Clarke. It was built on land deeded to the City for the purpose of constructing public sports fields by Prime Minister Mackenzie King (a personal friend of Clarke). The original Clarke Stadium accommodated approximately 20,000 fans in the spartan conditions consistent with its era. The seating area consisted of two grandstands on opposing sidelines (there were no "endzone" stands originally, but these were added in later years). The stadium hosted the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League from 1949 - 1978, following which the team moved to Commonwealth Stadium, which had been built adjacent to Clarke Stadium in preparation for the 1978 Commonwealth Games. It was used for local and minor league sporting events after the departure of the Eskimos.