Downtown

One of the really magnificent things about Edmonton is the massive River Valley Park that runs all the way through the city from southwesterly to northeasterly... this huge park reserve is about 17 times larger than Central Park in New York City!

As Edmonton is a northerly city, the winters got developers building shopping malls throughout the suberbs in about 1955... by the time the nineties rolled around and scads of these malls were going, Downtown Edmonton had lost its "hustle and bustle" and as the saying goes, "You could shoot a cannon and not hit a soul".

Then, spearheaded by our then Mayor "Booster" Bill Smith, a $4,500.00 grant was offered to developers of new or converted residential units... man that got old Jasper Avenue hopping again and I cheerfully report that the "hustle and bustle" is BAAAAAAACK! And it is back with a vengence... new condos (high rise and low rise), old office buildings and warehouses converted to trendy lofts, a huge development on the west side of Downtown called Railtown®, a massive new residence at Grant MacEwan College (and the College itself), and lots of new restaurants, clubs, cafes and bars.

The bulk of our hotels are Downtown too with the whole enchilada from the chic boutique National Bank Inn to the classic Victorian Fairmont MacDonald to multi suite hotels and the posh Westin and others. All have amazing dining facilities and impressive lounges for an after work libation.

Our rapid transit is all underground as it cuts right through Downtown with its bright and shiny stations and able to whisk you to the incredible University of Alberta to the south or out to an Oilers' or Eskimos' game to the northeast... and all the really big stars perform at Rexall Centre.

All of the wonderful stores are serviced by Pedways that keep you out of the weather too... you can leave you car in one of the many parkades, walk to the finest shopping anywhere, go see a show or have a drink and back to your car without ever having to go outside... this is particularly nice of course in the winter.

So if your lifestyle is toward the cosmopolitan, you may want to give Downtown Edmonton a real good look!... but I warn you, you're quite liable to love it!

At over $5.00 a gallon for gas... you're really going to love it!... Leave the car in your secure parking space and walk minutes to everything you can probably imagine!