Posts from April 2014

All three of these stunning communities overlook the North Saskatchewan River Valley, providing easy access to walking and biking trails. Additionally, limited vehicular access lends to an ambiance of peaceful seclusion.

Though still considered a mature Edmonton neighborhood, the community of Patricia Heights is comparatively young, having not officially joined the city until 1964. Bordered on the north by Whitemud Drive, and on the east by 156 Street, the rest of Patricia Height’s boundaries are formed naturally by the curvature of the Patricia Ravine.

Patricia Heights Walking Trail Access

Named in honour of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, the prominent area flourished in the late 1960’s, with it’s residential building projects entirely completed just a decade later. A mix of owner occupied and rental properties, approximately half the area is comprised of single-detached homes while the other half is made up of low and medium rise apartment buildings.

Families are attracted to the quiet, tight-knit community, with only two interchanges on 156 Street and on 159 Street to access Patricia Heights.

Adjoining the Eastern border of Patrica Heights, lies Rio Terrace, spanning from 156 Street to 149 Street, and Whitemud Drive down to the river valley. It shares many walking trails and green space features with Patricia Heights, as well as the same two access roads.

Construction on Rio Terrace started just a decade earlier in the 1950’s, and the entirety of neighborhood dwellings are single-family homes, approximately 20 percent of them rental properties. In 2010 the community underwent a major municipal revitalization. Renewals included roadway reclamation, streetlight upgrades, and sidewalk, curb, and gutter reconstruction.

The most notable feature of Rio Terrace is it’s active community league and strong volunteer program. The Rio Terrace Moravian Church is heavily involved, hosting a performance series of musical artists. A strong soccer program attracts young families, while the “Rio Gardens! Community Garden” program facilitates a sustainable food initiative; an incredibly important community value.

Rio Gardens sustainable food initiative.

Rounding out these river valley communities is the affluent area of Oleskiw. Bordered on the west side by 170 street, Oleskiw is pocketed in the river valley on all other sides.

Though development on the area began in the 1970’s, it wasn’t officially declared complete until 2000, making the properties an eclectic mix of many decades of architectural tastes. With 90 percent of properties single-family dwellings, a few row houses round out the area, which is an entirely owner occupied neighborhood.

Highlights of this private, yet trendy area include the Edmonton Country Club and Golf Course, Sorrentinos, Starbucks, and the Marketplace at Callingwood, which includes the city’s largest Sunday farmer’s market.

Homes in Oleskiw. Image Credit: yegishome.ca

A notable geographic feature is the Oleskiw Treestand, a deciduous habitat for urban wildlife. Home to many birds and mammals, the treestand is included on many nature walks, and has been a protected area since 1978.

View available properties in: Patricia Heights, Rio Terrace, and Oleskiw.

Bigger and better was the theme for Re/Max Western Canada in 2013. The results have been tallied and Re/Max Agents had an incredible year, from growth and productivity, to welcoming newcomers to the industry, to opening up offices all across Western Canada.

Diversity, ecology, proximity, family: these are the values cited by the extensive Grovenor community website . An unexpectedly old neighborhood, considering its relative distance from the city’s core, the original dwellings bordering the ravine were built around 1907. The community borders 149 Street to 142 Street on the east and west, and 107 Avenue south to the Mackinnon Ravine.

In the area’s extensive history it has changed names (formerly Westgrove) and spurred on by the railways passing through was almost completely industrial up until the 1940’s. Then a transformation began, completed in 1980, to an entirely residential community save a few bordering shops on it’s main thoroughfares.

Grovenor School

A tight knit community known for it’s elaborate Halloween houses, success in the sport of shinny, and it’s focus on family values, the community emphasizes the desirability of the area for raising children, noting it’s elementary school, historic church, and community league programs.

Bordering Grovenor to the east is the historic community of Glenora, which naturally falls just south of the community of North Glenora. Glenora extends from 142 Street to Groat Road and the River Vallery, and north until 107 Avenue. North Glenora resides on 107 Avenue to 111 Avenue and 142 Street to Groat Road.

It may not be surprising to learn that the area of Glenora was part of an 1860’s river lot owned by Malcolm Groat, namesake to much of the area’s landmarks and of course Groat Road, which at the time demarcated the outer city limits.

Glenora Bed & Breakfast. Image Credit: Darren Kirby

This sprawling riverside area is notable for the Royal Alberta Musuem and it’s surrounding parkland, as well as Alberta Government House and the local hidden gem, Glenora Bed and Breakfast. Glenora is also home to 4 schools; 2 public, 1 Catholic, and 1 private. The area is considered relatively affluent, according to recent census statistics, with 4 out of every 5 homes being owner occupied.

North Glenora is geographically one of the smaller residential areas in the city, occupying less than 87 hectares, and also made up part of the original parcel of land owned by Malcolm Groat. The residential boom of North Glenora occurred in the years following World War II when just over 86% of it’s residences were constructed. Before this time, much of the area was undeveloped land, trees, and dirt trails, save for a few residences.

Noted for it’s beautifully maintained, tree-lined streets, the area is especially picturesque in the autumn months. It’s residences surround the sprawling North Glenora Park, where recreation is facilitated year-round, with amenities that include a skating rink, spray park, soccer field, basketball court, and renovated community league hall.

Just outlaying Edmonton’s original core, is the area of Westmount. It’s 1910 boundary establishment makes this neighborhood one of the city’s oldest and most established. A strong history of growth and development contributes to the cultural richness of the area and it’s vibrant community spirit.

Westmount Homes. Photo Credit: Avenue Magazine

Westmount has some of the most desirable real estate in the city, with an abundance of appealing character homes. Over 25% of it’s residences were constructed prior to the end of World War II. The strong sense of historical pride in this area can be seen in these immaculately maintained, period houses.

Bordered by thoroughfares of 111 avenue, Stony Plain Road, Groat Road and 121 Street, this neighborhood has all the charm of downtown living without, well, actually living downtown. It’s cornerstone is the bustling 124 Street, dotted with cafes, boutiques, art galleries, and the newly popular 124 Street farmer’s market (open Thursdays in the spring and summer).

Reflecting the liveliness of Westmount is the younger community of Meadowlark Park. Though it wasn’t established as a community until much later, it has certainly made up for lost time in it’s short but interesting history. Now this neighborhood, with an increasingly youthful demographic, is notable for it’s young families and abundance of children being raised in the area.

The Edmonton neighborhood originally belonged of the town of Jasper Place, and at the time lay far outside the city limits. However, as Edmonton continued it’s rapid expansion, many smaller towns became absorbed into the metropolis. In 1964 Jasper Place became one o f these annexed locations, including of course, it’s small area of Meadowlark.

Located in the west end of the city, the community spans from 156 Street and 87 Avenue to 163 Street and 95 Avenue, just a stones throw from West Edmonton Mall, the Valley Zoo, and the vast network of the river valley trail system, ideal for it’s young families and those with on-the-go lifestyles.

Jasper Place Library

Meadowlark is known for strong involvement in it’s community league, including year round fundraising, fitness programs, and children’s recreation programs. The flagships of Meadowlark Shopping Centre and the beautifully renovated Jasper Place Library branch showcase the recent economic growth of the area.