Stan Waters Avenue was dedicated to Lieutenant-General Stanley Charles Waters by the Canada Lands Company on January 18, 2006, as part of their redevelopment of Edmonton’s former Canadian Forces Base (Griesbach Barracks).
Lieutenant-General Waters began his military career as one of Canada’s first paratroopers and retired 34 years later as Commander of the Canadian Forces Mobile Command. Waters first enlisted in 1941 as a trooper with the 14th Army Tank Battalion, and immediately departed for Europe. He returned the following year for officer training and volunteered for the 2nd Canadian Parachute Battalion shortly after receiving his commission. From 1942 to 1944, Waters’ unit formed part of the 1st Special Service Force, a joint Canada-United States commando unit that became known as the Devil’s Brigade. Waters fought in Italy, where he won the United States Silver Star for his efforts at the Battle of Anzio and in southern France.
When the 1st Special Service Force was disbanded, Major Waters transferred to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion as a company commander. He participated in the Battalion’s six-week, 500-kilometre dash across Germany that ended at the strategic Baltic Sea port of Wismar just hours ahead of the Russian army. In his postwar career, Waters served at many postings in Canada and abroad until his retirement in 1975. He then returned to Calgary, where he had commanded the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade from 1966 to 1968.
Waters joined a successful oil development firm, held a number of corporate executive positions, and served as president of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce before retiring from business in 1989. That year, Waters won a special election held to choose Alberta’s nominee for a vacant Senate seat. On his appointment in 1990, Waters became the first Canadian Senator to have been elected by his constituents. Waters died in office in 1991.