Feature Article
PIONEER BENDS HISTORIC RACIAL RULES
Written By: Krista Goheen
Published By: Calgary Real Estate News
Article Used with permission of the Calgary Real Estate Board. © Copyright Calgary Real Estate News, 2007
2006-06-20
; "Pioneer bends historic racial rules")
In 1949, the same year Jackie Robinson was blazing the trail for all future African American athletes, REALTOR Wayne Stephenson had the distinction of doing his part to end racial discrimination, being the only white player on the St. Louis Black Cardinals. An honour that along with his great skill would precipitate him being inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.
All of this, and baseball wasn’t even his sport. He went on to play semi-pro hockey across the country, ending up in Olds, Alberta, where he played for six years.
“I wasn’t getting into the NHL,” he said. “So I was really interested in getting other full-time work.”
He was on track to be a butcher, and during the off-season worked framing to make ends meet. It was when he was framing for a builder in 1955 that he was offered the chance to sell the homes instead of building them.
“A builder I was working with at the time approached me one day,” Stephenson said. “and he said, ‘What are your plans for the spring"’ and I said, ‘nothing too great.’ So he said, ‘Have you ever thought of selling houses'”
Stephenson formed his own real estate company in 1963, and continues to puts in six and a half day weeks.
But things have changed a lot since he started working in Calgary.
“Back then a house would go for $13,500,” he said. “Some houses would be $10 per square foot.”
The layout has changed considerably as well, with the communities of Charleswood, Highwood and Southwood being the newer developments in town.
“Calgary was really easy-going back then,” he said. “Now there is a whirlwind rush.”
Stephenson always had diverse interests, so when the opportunity came to begin designing and developing subdivisions, he jumped at it.
“In the old days you could design a subdivision on a post card and deal with one person in the planning department,” he said. “But the conditions for approval have become very complex. There are more environmental concerns, and things of that nature.”
“You definitely need professional help.”
His pride and joy is the development of the Bearspaw Golf and Country Club, which along with a partner, he saw built and sold from the ground up. He still lives on the course, and is a two-time president of the Bearspaw Lions Club. That, coupled with his honourary life-time membership at the golf club, gives him no reason to move.
With 50 years of experience in the industry, Stephenson is still going strong, and never gets bored.
“There is a little bit of everything in real estate,” he said. “There are always people to meet, problems to solve and products to find.”
“I enjoyed the camaraderie,” he said. “I enjoy going to the seminars and conventions. The things you learn and the people you meet are invaluable. I highly recommend them.”
Stephenson was the president of the Calgary Real Estate Board in 1980, and became the president of the Alberta Real Estate Association in 1984, where he got to see all aspects of the business, including the more unpleasant aspects, such as disciplinary hearings and the problems created by agents who can’t keep a level head.
“The toughest part of the job is not burning bridges,” he said. “Particularly with buyers. There was an old saying, ‘buyers are liars’, because people would say things like, ‘I will only buy in the NW,’ and then two months later you would find them in Midnapore.”
“My advice is to play it cool, because what goes around comes around.”
Stephenson is never afraid of working hard, as he sees it as the only way to get ahead in the real estate business.
“We are fortunate to live in Alberta,” he said. “There is a lot of work, so get at it while you still can, and enjoy doing what you’re doing.”
Good advice from a man with half a century of experience, and enough love for the industry to still be going strong.
This article was written for Calgary Real Estate News, a division of the Calgary Real Estate Board, for the series “Legends of Real Estate” showcasing important members of the Calgary Real Estate Board. Please visit the Calgary Real Estate Board online.This article is part of the collection of the Calgary Real Estate News. Please visit them online.