Downtown
a world-class concert hall, the Francis Winspear
Centre for music is home to the Edmonton
Symphony Orchestra.
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Edmonton's downtown is a thriving arts, retail, business and government
centre. Explore the vast variety of shops and restaurants. There are over
500 places to shop, 200 restaurants, including popular clubs and pubs, major
hotels and a host of other attractions and services.
Getting around is made easy and comfortable in all weather with the
extensive pedway system (above and below street level covered walkways)
which connects the Þve major shopping centres as well as other key public
buildings. More than 25 "Park in the Heart" lots offer easy
and reasonably priced parking. The Light Rail Transit System and Edmonton
Transit have many routes serving downtown to and from all points of the
city.
Among Edmonton's landmarks are City Hall, featuring an eight-storey glass
pyramid; the majestic blue Manulife Place, Edmonton's tallest structure at
36 storeys; the award-winning Canada Place with its copper-faced facade
housing Canadian government ofÞces; and the historical, elegant Hotel
Macdonald, built in 1915. Terraced on the north bank of the North
Saskatchewan River is the Shaw Conference Centre, which hosts delegates from
across Canada and around the world. Set on the banks of the river, and
surrounded by 57 acres of parkland, is the Alberta Legislature, which was
completed in 1912 on the site of the original Fort Edmonton.
Downtown plays host to The Works: A Visual Arts Celebration, Edmonton
International Street Performers Festival, Jazz City concerts, Edmonton's
Klondike Days, Downtown New Year's Eve Festival and many other major city
events. Sir Winston Churchill Square, in the heart of the Arts District, is
the focal point for many of these festivals and activities.
Arts District
The Street Performers Festival is one of
Edmonton's popular downtown festivals.
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Within steps of your downtown accommodation, in a four block area
surrounding Sir Winston Churchill Square, some of Edmonton's most compelling
concerts, theatre and visual arts can be discovered. Key landmark cultural
institutions, both old and new, are located here, including The Edmonton Art
Gallery, Alberta's longest running cultural institution and largest art
museum. The gallery, located northeast of the square, exhibits some of the
best contemporary and historical art from around the world. It also features
The Gallery Shop with imaginative and artistic gifts, and the Art Rental and
Sales Gallery.
The Citadel Theatre, set on the southeast corner of the square, is
Edmonton's first and largest theatre company and presents a season of dynamic
theatre. From classics to world premieres by the world's great playwrights,
The Citadel is known for big productions with some of the best actors and
directors.
The Francis Winspear Centre for Music, home to the Edmonton Symphony
Orchestra, is located east of the square. This stunning concert hall
features a shoe-box shaped performance chamber reminiscent of 19th Century
concert halls. It ofÞcially opened its doors in September 1997 and has since
shown its tremendous acoustical abilities with concerts from symphonic to
pop and country.
North of the square is Edmonton's City Hall, a distinctive building which
opened in 1992. City Hall displays some outstanding work by Edmonton visual
artists and continually entertains with community and civic events.
Also located within Winston Churchill Square is the Stanley A. Milner Public
Library, one of the country's busiest libraries.
Tickets for most major sporting
and cultural events in the city are available from TicketMaster, located in
The Citadel Theatre, and at Tix on the Square (east of Sir Winston Churchill Square). The latter offers discounts on some same-day performance tickets.
Chinatown
Chinatown is divided into two areas. The "new" Chinatown runs eastward along
102 Avenue to 95 Street and south to Jasper Avenue (the Edmonton Chinatown
Multicultural Centre is located here). Original Chinatown extends north on
97 Street from 105 to 108 Avenue. Here you'll Þnd the Pacific Rim Mall,
restaurants and unique little shops fresh produce.
The impressive Chinatown Gate at 102 Avenue and 97 Street was built as a
symbol of friendship between Edmonton and its sister city, Harbin. Don't
forget to roll the ball in the lion¹s mouth for good luck!
Avenue of Nations
To the west is the area known as the Avenue of Nations, extending along 107
Avenue from 95 Street to 116 Street.
This neighbourhood features a diverse
and dynamic spectrum of shops, services and restaurants representing the
cultures of China, Vietnam, Italy, Ukraine, Poland, Japan and Latin America.
Highlights include the Lunar New Year Festival, an annual celebration in the oriental tradition.
Old Strathcona
Trendy and unusual gifts can be found
in Old Strathcona shops.
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Historic buildings combine with youthful exuberance to make Old Strathcona
one of the city's most popular neighbourhoods. Buildings in this area date
back to 1891, the year the Þrst Edmonton-to-Calgary railroad arrived.
Today, the authentically 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
many entertaining events.
University of Alberta
Alberta's first premier, A.C. Rutherford, was instrumental in establishing
the University of Alberta back in 1908. Today the U of A has a student,
faculty and staff population of over 40,000 people and has established an
international reputation in fields such as diabetes and viral research,
plant biotechnology, chemistry, cosmology and English Literature.
There are over 90 buildings on the beautiful 93-year-old, 88-hectare campus.
Among the landmarks are the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, ofÞcially
opened in 1957 as a gift from the Province of Alberta to commemorate
Alberta's 50th anniversary. The fan-shaped facility is home of Alberta
Ballet and Edmonton Opera as well as professional theatre companies.
The nearby Universiade Pavilion (locally known as the Butterdome due to its
distinctive yellow colour) was built as a sports venue for the 1983 World
University Games.
The University of Alberta opened in 1908.
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The $650 million Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre has some of the
most technically-advanced medical and research facilities in the world.
The year 1995 marked the opening of the new teaching and performance venue,
The Timms Centre for the Arts, home to the Studio Theatre Company of
graduating Department of Drama students.
Another landmark is the Housing Union Building, or HUB Mall. Built in 1972,
its unique design, incorporating housing and retail space, received
worldwide attention. It continues to be a popular gathering place for
students, staff and visitors.
Open for tours is Rutherford House, the restored home of Alberta¹s Þrst
premier.
River Valley
Edmonton's River Valley Parks
are a wonderful place to visit.
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You don't have to leave the city or even travel out of downtown to get back
to nature. One of Edmonton's greatest attractions is the North Saskatchewan
River Valley. Winding through the centre 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 Canada, encompassing over
7,400 hectares of breathtaking sites, golf courses, nature trails,
attractions, and 97 kilometres of multi-use trails for cycling, jogging or a
leisurely stroll.
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city with a walk through this area lush
with natural beauty. In winter, enjoy cross country or downhill skiing,
snowshoeing or tobogganing.
You don't have to leave the city to get back to nature. Many
scenic walking tours are available from downtown.
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On a hot summer day, the river valley is the
perfect site for a hike, bike, run or picnic.
The headquarters for river valley fun and adventure is the River Valley
Centre. The Centre's friendly staff will be pleased to provide you with a
selection of maps, brochures and many suggestions for your excursion into
Edmonton's ribbon of green. Call (780) 496-7275.
More wonderful ways to tour the river valley include jet-boating or canoeing on the North Saskatchewan River.
124 Street / High Street
The Historic Gibbard Block, located on 112 Street,
is home to LaBohéme restaurant,
antique and curio shops.
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Major attractions west of the city centre include the Provincial Museum of
Alberta, Edmonton Space & Science Centre and world famous West Edmonton
Mall.
Old Glenora, the area surrounding the Provincial Museum, is one of the
city's oldest, most sought-after residential areas. Elegant early-1900s
brick mansions and huge two-storeys line Wellington, Tweedsmuir and St.
George's Crescents and Connaught Drive. These gracious homes, many with
river valley views, sell from $250,000 to over $1 million.
Edmonton's historic 124 Street Area encompasses ten blocks from
110 Avenue south to Jasper Avenue and the High Street Mall development, a
block west at 102 Avenue and 125 Street. This area, formerly known as Edward
Street, was once the city's preeminent shopping destination. Today, many of
the buildings have been restored and the area is now home to the largest
concentration of art galleries in the city. On a cultural note, area venues
The High Street shopping area in central Edmonton
houses many unique shops.
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host both Jazz City International Music Festival and Pick of the Fringe
events. The area galleries have formed the Gallery Walk Association and
present special events to introduce their exhibitions.
© 2001 Copyright Tanner Young Marketing Ltd. This article can not be reproduced in whole or in part without the expressed written permission.
