Edmonton surrounding areas

By: Jan Melnyk

 

St. Albert

• Web: stalbert.ca
   
• Phone: 780-459-1500
   
• POPULATION: 58,000
   
• LOCATION: Ten kilometers northwest of downtown Edmonton
   
• A mid-sized city with a distinctive Francophone heritage, offering an attractive urban setting along the meandering Sturgeon River. Attractions include an abundance of riverside parkland, a popular farmers’ market, museums, and a number of annual festivals.

Fort Saskatchewan

• Web: fortsask.ca
   
• Phone: 780-992-6200
   
• POPULATION: 16,793
   
• LOCATION: Twenty-five kilometers northeast of downtown Edmonton on Highway 15
   
• A fast-growing industrial town northeast of Edmonton, with much of industry related to oil sands. But don’t let this description put you off - there is plenty of riverside parkland, the downtown is currently undergoing a rejuvenation program, and Elk Island National Park is just a short drive away.

Gibbons

• Web: gibbons.ca
   
• Phone: 780-923-3331
   
• POPULATION: 2,848
   
• LOCATION: Forty kilometers north of downtown Edmonton on Highway 28.
   
• Rural Gibbons lies north of Fort Saskatchewan beside the main route between Edmonton and Fort McMurray. Many residents commute to Fort Saskatchewan or to the nearby upgrader project currently under construction. Golfers know Gibbons for Goose Hummock Golf Resort, but the town also has a friendly downtown core, parkland, and a number of community services.

Morinville

• Web: morinville.ca
   
• Phone: 780-939-4361
   
• POPULATION: 7,228
   
• LOCATION: Twenty kilometers north of Edmonton on Highway 2
   
• Morinville is a practical alternative for those working in Edmonton but looking for a more relaxed pace of life. The town boasts French-Canadian and German ethnic roots that go back over a century, and retains a strong multicultural atmosphere.

Strathcona County

• Web: strathcona.ab.ca
   
• Phone: 780-464-8111
   
• POPULATION: 85,521
   
• LOCATION: About five kilometers east of Edmonton city limits, via Wye Road or Baseline Road.
   
• East of Edmonton, this municipal district includes urban centre Sherwood Park and the hamlets of Antler Lake, Ardrossan, Collingwood Cove, Half Moon Lake, Hastings Lake, Josephburg and North and South Cooking Lakes. While Canada’s largest oil-refining complex and North America’s third-largest petrochemical facility are found here, the municipality also boasts over 800 farms. Plans for a new community centre and hospital are under way.

Spruce Grove

• Web: sprucegrove.org
   
• Phone: 780-962-2611
   
• POPULATION: 21,000
   
• LOCATION: Thirteen kilometers west of downtown Edmonton
   
• This fast-growing city offers affordable housing for young families, with lakes and cabins for summer recreation in surrounding Parkland County. A large tract of land has recently been annexed for new residential development. Commuters can zip into Edmonton via Stony Plain Road.

Stony Plain

• Web: stonyplain.com
   
• Phone: 780-963-2151
   
• POPULATION: 12,363
   
• LOCATION: Seventeen kilometers west of downtown Edmonton
   
• Along the main highway west to Jasper National Park, Stony Plain, called Dog Rump Creek in the 1880’s, retains its western flavour. Celebrating its storied history with a series of 21 murals on its downtown buildings, the town doesn’t have big city aspirations.

City of Leduc

• Web: leduc.ca
   
• Phone: 780-980-7177
   
• POPULATION: 18,000
   
• LOCATION: Thirty kilometers south of downtown Edmonton, proximate to Nisku Industrial Park, and Edmonton International Airport
   
• A city since 1983, Leduc’s prosperity dates to 1947 when Canada’s largest oil strike was made. It’s within easy driving distance of Calgary or the Rocky Mountains. A new recreation centre and historic park are currently under construction. Telford Lake is a popular year-round recreation area.

Beaumont

• Web: town.beaumont.ab.ca
   
• Phone: 780-929-8782
   
• POPULATION: 10,820
   
• LOCATION: Twenty kilometers southeast of downtown Edmonton. The international airport is eight kilometers to the southwest.
   
• Settled by the French in the 1890’s, Beaumont grew around the St. Vital Church, built on a hill with sweeping views. Many Beaumont residents commute to Edmonton, but the town itself has extensive green space, golf courses, and a waterpark. There are many signs of the town’s early heritage, including the fact French immersion is offered in all five Beaumont schools.

Devon

• Web: town.devon.ab.ca
   
• Phone: 780-987-8300
   
• POPULATION: 6,361
   
• LOCATION: Twenty-seven kilometers southwest of downtown Edmonton, 10 minutes to Edmonton International Airport and Nisku Industrial Park.
   
• Located on a scenic bend of the North Saskatchewan River, residential Devon lies along a major city bypass. Along the river valley, residents and visitors enjoy long stretches of parkland, golfing, and impressive botanical gardens. 
   

*All above information taken from "Welcome to the Neighborhood", With Permission, Moving to Alberta Magazine, 2008 All rights reserved.

The communities surrounding Edmonton are also wonderful places to live. If you’re interested in looking at real estate or would like more information about areas such as St. Albert or Sherwood Park, for example, I will be more than happy to assist you.