About Edmonton
Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, is well known for its scenic river valley and numerous art and music festivals. It is also home to the world's largest shopping and entertainment centre, West Edmonton Mall. The Muttart Conservatory is noted for its architecture, as is the remarkable Alberta Legislature Building. Fort Edmonton Park is reputed to be Canada's largest living history museum.
Symphony, dance, visual arts, theatre, and opera - Edmonton boasts one of the richest and most dynamic arts communities of any city in the country.
Sports fans will be thrilled with the variety and calibre of Edmonton’s teams. From the Edmonton Eskimos (CFL football) and the Edmonton Oilers (NHL hockey), the action never stops.
Whether your dining taste is fine cuisine or comfort food, Edmonton has a tremendous selection of restaurants to serve you in all areas of the city: cafés and bistros, family diners, steak houses (serving famous Alberta beef), as well as a wide range of international eateries and theme restaurants.
The Edmonton region offers great shopping, including unique local shops and well-known retailers. Most international visitors benefit from favourable exchange rates and the fact that Alberta has no provincial sales tax. You’ll enjoy the cityscape and the beautiful natural areas around the river valley and on the outskirts of the city. Edmonton’s charm lies in its balance of sophisticated and exciting events, engaging attractions and friendly ease. Enjoy!
About Edmonton Neighbourhoods
Downtown
Edmonton’s downtown core is a prosperous retail, arts, business and government hub, boasting over 500 places to shop, 200 restaurants, which include nightclubs, pubs, major hotels and a multitude of other attractions and services.
In downtown Edmonton, you will find many city landmarks, including City Hall, comprised of an eight-storey glass pyramid; the award-winning Canada Place with its copper-coloured facade housing Canadian government offices; the awe-inspiring blue Manulife Place, Edmonton’s tallest building at 36 stories; and the historic Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, originally constructed in 1915.
On the north bank of the North Saskatchewan River you will find the Shaw Conference Centre, and on the banks of the river, surrounded by over 57 lush acres of parkland, is the Alberta Legislature. This building was completed the same year Edmonton merged with Strathcona (1912) and is situated on the site of the original Fort Edmonton.
Chinatown
One of Edmonton’s many sister cities is Harbin, China, and the city pays homage with it’s own unique Chinatown. Running eastward along 102 Avenue to 95 Street and south to Jasper Avenue (the Edmonton Chinatown Multicultural Centre is located here) is the “new” Chinatown. The original Chinatown extends north on 97 Street from 105 to 107A Avenue. Here you’ll discover the Pacific Rim Mall, restaurants and little shops.
You are welcomed into Chinatown with an official Gate at 102 Avenue and 97 Street. The gate was built as a symbol of friendship between Edmonton and Harbin. It is said that rolling the ball in the lion’s mouth will bring you good luck
Arts District
One of the most memorable sights in the Arts District is the Citadel Theatre, Edmonton’s first and largest theatre company. It’s known for it’s big productions, featuring some of the world’s best actors and directors.
Also in the Arts District is The Edmonton Art Gallery, Alberta’s longest running cultural institution and largest art museum. The Gallery exhibits some of the best contemporary and historical art from around the world.
Traveling north in the district, you can find yourself at Edmonton’s City Hall. The building displays some outstanding work by local artists and continually entertains with community and civic events.
Avenue of Nations
To the northwest of downtown is the area known as the Avenue of Nations, extending along 107 Avenue from 95 Street to 116 Street.
This diverse neighbourhood features various shops, services and restaurants representing many cultures from far off worlds, as the name implies. In the Avenue of Nations, you can experience traditions from China, Vietnam, Italy, Ukraine, Poland, Japan and Latin America.
Old Strathcona
One of the city’s most popular neighbourhoods, Old Strathcona combines historic buildings with today’s modern conveniences. Some buildings in the area can be traced back as far as the late 1800’s.
Today, the restored buildings along and around Whyte Avenue (82 Avenue) house an array of attractions, shops and restaurants. Close to the University of Alberta, this district caters to a young crowd with fashion-forward shops, new and used bookstores, and craft and gift shops displaying the works of local and international artists and artisans.
Sip an espresso in one of the outdoor cafés, browse through the selection of delicacies and crafts at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, or enjoy local talent in the many live theatres and music venues. Old Strathcona is a community that loves to play and takes pride in inviting everyone to participate. The Silly Summer Parade on July 1, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Fringe Theatre Festival in August are among the many entertaining events held here.
River Valley
One of Edmonton’s greatest attractions is the North Saskatchewan River valley. Winding through the center of the city, this lush park system provides a natural corridor for all-season recreation and relaxation.
This is the longest expanse of urban parkland in North America, with over 7,400 hectares of breathtaking sites, golf courses, nature trails, attractions, and 97 kilometers of multi-use trails for cycling, jogging or a leisurely stroll. Wide pathways ensure easy and uninhibited access to all users.
Kingsway
Kingsway runs from southeast to northwest, between 101 Street and 118 Avenue. Named Kingsway in honour of the visit by King George VI to Edmonton in 1939, it was originally intended to be the city’s main thoroughfare.
Kingsway is home to Edmonton’s largest hospital (Royal Alexandra) and second-largest shopping mall (Kingsway Garden Mall), as well as the City Centre Airport, the VIA Rail Station and the Ramada Hotel and Conference Centre.
History of Edmonton -- A Look To The Past
Edmonton, the second largest, and capital city of Alberta, is well known for the scenic river valley and an abundant array of music and art festivals – it has actually been branded as “Canada's Festival City.” Famous for it’s professional sports teams, Edmonton is also nicknamed the "Gateway to the Canadian North."
Home to the world’s largest shopping centre, West Edmonton Mall, the city possesses historical culture to be proud of, most notably Fort Edmonton Park, which is presumed to be Canada’s largest living history museum. Featuring costumed interpreters, a replicated fort dating back to 1846 and recreated historical streets, Fort Edmonton Park takes you back to the pioneering days of long ago.
Although it did not become an official town until 1892, Edmonton was founded in 1795 with the construction of Fort Edmonton. A Hudson’s Bay Company Trading Post – known as “Edmonton House” -- was established, and subsequently Edmonton became a local economic center. It was a major station for fur traders and Plains Indians before pioneers began heading further north.
Local real estate became quite popular around Fort Edmonton, and it quickly developed into a central point for settlers who began establishing homes in the surrounding area in the 1870’s -- even back in the pioneering days, land was affordable and highly sought-after. The first recorded population for Edmonton was a mere 700 locals – a far cry from today’s approximate 1,000,000!
During the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897-98, thousands of hopeful prospectors boosted the economy as they stopped for supplies in Edmonton, with many of the travelers staying permanently. In just a little over a decade following the original township declaration, Edmonton was home to approximately 9,000 residents.
In 1905, the same year that Alberta officially became a province, Edmonton (which was situated on the northern shore of the North Saskatchewan River) was incorporated as a city and declared the provincial capital. Shortly thereafter, in 1912, Edmonton merged with Strathcona, bringing the population to over 40,000 residents.
Finding Your Way Around The City
The majority of streets and avenues in Edmonton are designated by number rather than name, making it easy to locate addresses.
In 1914 Edmonton adopted a new numbered street and avenue system, which with a few small modifications is still in use. The center of the city, Jasper Avenue and 101 Street, was set as the starting point. Jasper Avenue was one of the few streets that was not given a number, but the other avenues were numbered as if Jasper Avenue had been 101 Avenue.
Avenues run east and west; Streets run north and south. Avenue numbers increase to the north; street numbers increase to the west. When a street lies between two numbered streets, letters are used, for example, 107A Avenue lies between 107 Avenue and 108 Avenue.
Houses with odd numbers are on the east side of a street or the south side of an avenue. Dropping the last two digits of a house number tells you what two streets or avenues the house lies between, for example 8023 135A Avenue is between 80 Street and 81 Street, and 10004 104 Avenue is between 100 Street and 101 Street.
In the 1980s as the city grew, it began to run out of street numbers in the east and avenue numbers in the south. Therefore, in 1982 a quadrant system was adopted. Quadrant Avenue (1 Avenue; not yet built) and Meridian Street (1 Street) divide the city into four quadrants: northeast, northwest, southwest and, most recently, southeast. The vast majority of the city falls within the northwest quadrant.
All Edmonton streets now officially have their quadrant included at the end of their names, but it is usual to omit "northwest," especially when there is no possibility of confusion with a street in another quadrant. However, the city's emergency services have begun to encourage residents to get into the habit of using quadrants in all addresses.
By Air
A large majority of Edmonton’s air travelers are served by Edmonton International Airport, Canada’s fifth busiest in terms of passengers – in 2004 alone, 4.1 million passengers used the airport. It is strategically and conveniently located less than 30 kilometers from downtown Edmonton, adjacent to the highway linking Edmonton and Calgary, near the Yellowhead TransCanada Highway which connects Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver; and near Via Rail's Transcontinental "Canadian" route, which allows several international, national and regional airlines to service the airport.
Originally constructed in 1960, the airport has undergone a C$350 million renovation and expansion programme from 1996-2004 which included the construction of a new terminal, a multi-level parking facility, central hall, commuter facility and a doubling of the aircraft apron. Future plans include the development of an in-terminal hotel, expansion of the parking facility and renovation of the original terminal.
By Train
VIA Rail’s internationally known transcontinental train, The Canadian, operates six times per week (three trips each way) through Edmonton. Rail passengers can travel east on VIA to Saskatoon, Winnipeg or Toronto or head west to Jasper, Kamloops and Vancouver.
By Car
Edmonton is on the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, which is reputedly the most reliable and quickest route across Western Canada. The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Although part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, the highway should not be confused with the more southerly originally designated Trans-Canada Highway. In the 1980s the green and white Trans-Canada logo began to be used to designate the roadway. The main Yellowhead Highway is designated as Highway 16 for its entire length.
By Bus
Greyhound Bus Lines (1-800-661-8747) provides excellent service to Edmonton from anywhere in North America. Service to and from Calgary, Red Deer and Fort McMurray is also available from Red Arrow (1-800-232-1958). There are several transportation and tour companies, which offer local excursions.
Did You Know??
Here are a few interesting facts about the Greater Edmonton Area …
· The Edmonton population exceeded 947,000 in 2004
· Average Household Income is $61,819 -- 5.9% greater than the Canadian Average
· Average Individual Income is $30,468 -- 2.3% greater than the Canadian Average
· An estimated 46% of Greater Edmonton Residents have earned a post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate, making Edmonton the most educated city in North America
· 1795 saw the first house built in Edmonton
· 1885 brought the first phone service in Edmonton
· Edmonton has more urban parkland than any other North American Parkland - 43 sq miles!
· Edmonton has 60,000+ elm trees, the largest concentration of disease-free elm trees in the world
· Edmonton's latitude is 53º 32' and its longitude is W: 113º 29'
· Edmonton is North America's largest city above 50º latitude
· At 670 km², Edmonton is one of the largest cities in North America, by area — larger in area than Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit
· Edmonton has the one of the lowest population densities in North America — about 67 times less than New York
· The Edmonton Journal, established in 1903, received the Pulitzer Prize in 1938 for vigorously defending the freedom of the press - the first time this honour was awarded outside the United States
· Except for Canada's sub-Arctic northern territories, Alberta is North America's only rat free area
· Edmonton has 41 off-leash parks to walk with your dog
· Edmonton has 225 kilometres of designated bikeways
· Edmonton's 7,400-hectare River Valley park system is the longest urban park in North America. It is 21.7 times larger than New York City's 341-hectare Central Park
· Edmonton was hit by a deadly tornado in 1987, which ranked as an F4 on the Fujita scale and killed 27 people
· Edmonton is an official sister city of several cities worldwide, including Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China; Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Hull, Quebec.
- NUMBER1EXPERTS™ 
