Alberta man opens free 'Blockbuster' on his front lawn
EDMONTON -
A St. Albert man has opened his own version of the once-popular Blockbuster Video stores on his front lawn - and it’s free.
The homemade wooden box, with the familiar blue and yellow sign, sits on Fairview Boulevard and is packed full of DVDs, Blu-Rays, and even some Xbox games.
The creator of the box declined an interview with CTV News Edmonton Thursday night because it’s “not his style,” to be on the news. But he said he got the idea after he was unable to sell off his stuff in a recent garage sale.
He said the neighbourhood is known for several free book libraries in similar front-yard boxes, so he adapted the idea into something fresh.
Neighbours Maxine Mikkelsen and Lois Croken stopped by Thursday to browse the box.
“I think it’s pretty cool, and the name, to call it Blockbusters adds a nice dimension to it,” Mikkelsen said.
“We definitely used to go to Blockbusters. It’s easier now (to stream movies). But I do miss it, my kids were at that age where it was exciting to go pick out movies.”
“I miss it. It was fun, with the kids,” Croken added. She said she sometimes helps herself to books from front-yard libraries and said she may use the “Blockbuster” too.
At its height of popularity, Blockbuster had more than 9,000 stores worldwide, according to Wikipedia.
The company closed 146 Canadian Blockbusters in 2011, including 6 rental locations in Edmonton, when it went into receivership.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
OPINION
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America announced after 114 years that it will change its name and will become Scouting America in an effort to emphasize inclusion as it works to move past the turmoil of bankruptcy and a flood of sexual abuse claims.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Calgary
-
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
-
Levonte Johnson scores twice as Whitecaps open cup defence with win over Cavalry
Levonte Johnson scored twice to help the Vancouver Whitecaps open defence of their Canadian Championship with a 2-1 win over Cavalry FC in the opening leg of their quarterfinal Tuesday.
-
Wind takes out tree in southwest Calgary, topples it onto Spruce Cliff home
In the southwest Calgary community of Spruce Cliff on Tuesday afternoon, the wind toppled a massive tree onto a house along 37th Street.
Lethbridge
-
Heavy rain, strong winds cause downed trees, power outages across southern Alberta
As of Tuesday afternoon, between 21 and 31 millimetres of rain had fallen in the Lethbridge region since Monday evening.
-
Woman sought by Lethbridge police in gas station assault and robbery
A woman is being sought by Lethbridge police in connection with a robbery at a gas station that turned into an assault.
-
Lethbridge police seek suspects in 'street robbery'
Lethbridge police are looking for two people they believe were involved in the 'street robbery' of a senior last week.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatchewan care home where elderly man was allegedly attacked suspended after inspection
A Saskatchewan care home where an elderly man was allegedly attacked is suspended from taking on hospital patients following a recent inspection of the facility.
-
'Every one of these boxes is full of people': Saskatoon city archive moving to permanent home
It’s a new beginning for some of Saskatoon’s oldest and most significant pieces of history.
-
The lone road into this Sask. village is so bad some locals drive through the ditch
Aaron Fosseneuve says the official name of the road into his home community of Cumberland House is Highway 123, but locals joke it’s not as easy as 1-2-3 — “it’s more like a 4-5-6.”
Regina
-
Albert Street flood alert system causes confusion for commuters
On the same day the City of Regina activated its new flood warning system for the Albert Street underpass – drivers were faced with confusion when the system activated despite no flooding.
-
'They deserve a home': Regina Humane Society struggles to keep up with dog intake
The Regina Humane Society (RHS) is facing difficulties as the number of dogs in their care continue to increase.
-
Entertainment, mini donut eating contest and more coming to 2024 Queen City Ex
The countdown is now on for one Regina’s longest running events, the Queen City Ex (QCX).
Vancouver
-
Vancouver police budget increased by nearly half a million dollars for beach booze pilot
The Vancouver Police Department has added another $450,000 to its financials, growing the department’s budget for this year to over $415 million.
-
B.C. court approves sale of Squamish-area ski resort development, despite government objections
Plans for a massive ski resort near Squamish, B.C., that have been in the works for more than two decades got a lifeline in the province's Supreme Court last week.
-
Canucks playoff viewing parties popping up throughout Metro Vancouver
On Wednesday morning – less than 12 hours before the Canucks face off against the Oilers – Vancouver's mayor will make an announcement about viewing parties in the city.
Vancouver Island
-
Ottawa approves B.C.'s request to recriminalize drug use in public spaces
The federal government approved B.C.'s request Tuesday to recriminalize the use of drugs in public spaces such as hospitals and parks.
-
Grieving B.C. family seeks apology over paranormal TV show as network removes broadcast
The family of a teenage girl who died in Victoria says it’s traumatized by an episode of a TV show about the paranormal – and its complaints have now led to it being removed from APTN and APTNlumi.ca.
-
Military judge orders suspended jail sentence, $3K fine for B.C. sailor who stole from shipmates
A former Canadian navy sailor was handed a $3,000 fine and a suspended jail sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from his shipmates aboard a Pacific fleet frigate.
Toronto
-
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
-
Laws must be 'drastically changed' to prevent more deaths on the road: GTA ghost bike creator
West Toronto resident Geoff Bercarich longs to see the day when he will no longer need to prepare “ghost bike” installations for cyclists killed on streets in southwestern Ontario.
-
Security guard shot, critically injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Montreal
-
'Deeply disturbing' that Legault asked police to dismantle McGill encampment: opposition parties
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is facing criticism from opposition parties for asking police to dismantle the pro-Palestinian encampment on the McGill University campus.
-
Longtime weather specialist Lori Graham announces she's leaving CTV Montreal
CTV News Montreal's ray of sunshine — Lori Graham — is leaving the station after more than 25 years. The longtime weather specialist announced on Tuesday that she is saying goodbye to her CTV family to spend more time giving back to the community, specifically, her faith community on the South Shore.
-
Montreal Canadiens to get fifth overall pick in NHL draft
The Montreal Canadiens retained the fifth pick in the upcoming NHL lottery draft on Tuesday night.
Atlantic
-
Halifax Regional Police officer charged with assault against female he knows: SiRT
Nova Scotia's police watchdog says a Halifax Regional Police officer has been charged with assault.
-
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
-
Crown, defence present closing arguments for N.L. lawyer accused of sexual assault
The trial of a Newfoundland lawyer accused of sexual assault ended Tuesday with his defence team alleging the complainant lied under oath, while the prosecution said her memory lapses were understandable.
Winnipeg
-
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
-
'They've been increasing': Manitoba seeing an increase in number of ticks
This year's tick season is trending upward in Manitoba according to data and experts.
-
Taking a look at the Manitobans still in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
There are three Manitobans left, all playing for eastern teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs – two with the Carolina Hurricanes and one with the Boston Bruins.
Ottawa
-
NEW THIS MORNINGNEW THIS MORNING Federal public service unions to announce next steps in fight against office mandates
Federal public service unions will be speaking out today to announce the next steps they'll be taking as they challenge the federal government's in-office mandate.
-
City of Ottawa will fly Israeli flag at City Hall on May 14 but won't hold flag raising ceremony
The flag of Israel will fly at Ottawa City Hall on May 14 to mark the country's Independence Day, but the City of Ottawa says it will not hold the customary flag-raising ceremony due to concerns about public safety.
-
Rain, colder-than-normal temperatures for Ottawa on Wednesday
Environment Canada's forecast calls for showers throughout the day, with colder-than-normal temperatures for the first full week of May.-8-24
Northern Ontario
-
Security guard shot, critically injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
-
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
-
Man taken to Timmins hospital with gunshot wound after shooting on Sixth Avenue
People in Timmins are waking up to a heavy police presence and road closures in the area of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street on Tuesday morning.
Barrie
-
OPP investigating fatal crash involving a pedestrian
Around 9:50 p.m. Grey Bruce OPP, Grey County paramedics and the Intertownship Fire Department responded to the crash on Highway 21.
-
Man arrested for breaking into Barrie senior's home in east end, police say
A 42-year-old man accused of breaking into a senior's home in the early morning hours on Tuesday faces charges.
-
Casino Rama sets the stage for rock nostalgia with new concerts
Casino Rama Resort is amping up its 2024 entertainment lineup with three new rock performances, promising fans a nostalgic journey.
Kitchener
-
$9M in drugs seized by WRPS, two Kitchener residents charged
Two Kitchener residents are facing charges in what police are calling one of the largest drug seizures in the Waterloo Regional Police Services’ history.
-
OPP investigating alleged sexual assault at Fergus retailer
Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police say a woman was sexually assaulted by an unknown man at a Fergus retailer last week.
-
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.
London
-
Another arrest for London police officer currently suspended without pay
A London police officer was arrested while off duty on Tuesday, in relation to a criminal harassment investigation into repeated communication with a victim over email and phone.
-
OPP investigating fatal crash involving a pedestrian
Around 9:50 p.m. Grey Bruce OPP, Grey County paramedics and the Intertownship Fire Department responded to the crash on Highway 21.
-
'I’d give them a one-way ticket out of here!' Sarnia councillor reacts in wake of police investigation at homeless encampment
The City of Sarnia will not clear out a homeless encampment in a city park anytime soon. The decision comes after a heated debate and multiple legal opinions — it also came just an hour before a serious stabbing occurred.
Windsor
-
Driver impaired by fentanyl sent to prison for 'devastating' death of Lakeshore woman
Trevor Hosie, 36, told the court he didn’t know the marijuana he consumed on May 6, 2023 was laced with a potent opioid. 'Sadly, this tragedy is the predictable outcome of the series of decisions made by Mr. Hosie on May 6, 2023,' Justice Christopher Uwagboe wrote in his sentence decision.
-
Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Windsor, Ont.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the Windsor region early Tuesday evening.
-
'Shine a light on a dark situation': Lakeshore, Ont. woman plans run to raise funds for ovarian cancer
An ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment can bring darkness frustration and uncertainty. But a Lakeshore mother of two who is now cancer-free is planning to mark the milestone by trying to help others.
