Edmonton

Introduction

Edmonton Skyline

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Sitting right in the centre of Alberta, Edmonton is the second biggest city and the capital of the province. It has about 750,000 inhabitants living in the city itself, 875,000 in the urban area and over 1 million in the total metropolitan area. Founded on the banks of the North Saskatchewan river by the Hudson's Bay Company in the days of the exploration of the Canadian West, Edmonton has grown into an important political, educational and cultural centre of western Canada.

Neighbourhoods

Downtown

Downtown Edmonton is bounded by 97 street on the east, 109 street on the west, and between 97 and 104 ave.

The cultural centre of downtown is Churchill square, at 102 Avenue and 100 Street. The Square underwent major transformation in 2004 and is now designed to cater to the many festivals it hosts each year such as the Edmonton International Street Performer's Festival and Taste of Edmonton. During the summer, Churchill Square is full nearly every weekend for one of the many summer festivals. The Square contains many pieces of public art as well as areas for lounging, performing, eating, shopping, and people watching.

Just off of Churchill square to the east is the world-class performance hall Francis Winspear Centre for Music, and the Citadel theatre. The Winspear is home of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Davis Symphony Organ. This organ is world renown with many of the world's top organists coming just to play it. The Citadel is one of the largest theatre spaces in Canada and also houses an atrium with tropical plants. Just north of Churchill Square is Edmonton city hall, and a wading pool, popular on hot summer days, which doubles as a skating rink in the winter. At City Hall is a restaurant called Kids in the Hall Bistro. It is a place where troubled teens are given a job and are taught basic work and life skills.

Much of the downtown is connected through underground pedways which culminate at City Centre Mall. With over 170 shops and services, this mall becomes packed at lunch time.

Warehouse District

The west end of downtown, is the Warehouse District was previously used almost exclusively as warehouse space. In recent years, however, the warehouse district has seen a rebirth as many old warehouses have been renovated for residential or commercial uses. The main street of the warehouse district is the 104 street promenade, where high rises tower above popular restaurants and stores. 104 street is also the setting of the City Market where residents can by fresh produce and crafts every Saturday from mid May until October. There are also a few amazing restaurants such as the Blue Plate Diner and Tzin that offer unique meals with fresh ingredients.

Oliver

Just west of downtown is Oliver. Oliver is one of Edmonton's old neighborhoods, however throughout the years it has undergone a lot of development. Although there are only few buildings that demonstrate the history of this neighborhood, it is a dynamic neighborhood anchored by a large number of residential high rises overlooking the river valley, with some popular restaurants and bars.

Old Strathcona

Originally a separate city located from across the river from Edmonton, Strathcona was incorporated into the city of Edmonton in 1912. The neighborhood of Old Strathcona centres along trendy Whyte Avenue (82nd avenue) and extends from between about 99th street on the east to about 109st on the West where it meets Garneau. Probably one of the most alternative areas of the city, Whyte Avenue attracts all sorts of people, and is popular for its clothing stores, bars, clubs, shops, and restaurants. Old Strathcona is also home to a vibrant art scene , just off whyte ave is the Old Strathcona Theatre District which is home to popular locations such as the Varscona Theatre and the Transalta arts barns. Old Strathcona is also home of Edmonton International Fringe Festival.

Garneau

Located just between Old Strathcona and the University of Alberta, Garneau is one of Edmonton's oldest neighborhoods. Made up of high rise apartment buildings, walk-ups and some restaurants, Garneau is a popular location for a large amount of the University of Alberta's student population.

Sights and Activities

• Fort Edmonton Park
• West Edmonton Mall
• Royal Alberta Museum
• Telus World of Science
• Art Gallery of Alberta
• Muttart Conservatory

Events and Festivals

Edmonton is known as Canada's Festival city. During the summer the city hosts a number of world class festivals. Some of the highlights are:

• Edmonton International Fringe Festival - Edmonton’s world-renowned theatre festival, the oldest and largest in North America and the second-largest in the world.
• Edmonton International Street Performers Festival - Top performers from around the world come to downtown Edmonton to impress and entertain.
• Capital Ex - Formerly "Klondike Days" Capital Ex features many live entertainment and cultural events, as well as midway and exhibitions.
• Edmonton Heritage Festival - A proud demonstration of Canadian multiculturalism, over 60 pavilions representing different world cultures provide food, artwork, and cultural demonstrations.
• Taste of Edmonton - Usually run at the same time as Capital Ex, a large group of Edmonton Restaurants set up downtown and give people a chance to sample some their fare.
• Festival of Trees - A collection of Christmas activities, markets and exhibitions set around a collection of unique and elaborately decorated Christmas trees.
• Edmonton International Jazz Festival
• Edmonton Folk Music Festival - World class folk fest featuring a large variety of artists and types of music.
• Cariwest - Edmonton's Caribbean Arts Festival including a colourful parade downtown and exciting entertainment.

Weather

Edmonton's climate is one of extremes, with hot summers and very cold winters. The warmest months are July and August, where the average daily high averages around 22 °C to 23 °C with the temperature sometimes reaching well over 30 °C. December and January are the coldest months, where the average high is between -8 °C and -5 °C, but temperatures can plummit below -40 °C on some winter nights.

Most visitors to the city try to come in the summer and avoid the bitter Canadian winter. It is important to remember that in Edmonton, except for on exceptionally hot and humid days, the temperature does drop significantly at night. A day that is scorching the afternoon will likely require at least a light sweater in the late evening.

Edmonton is the most northern major city in North America. The high latitude means very long summer days, where the daylight lasts about 17 hours. In the the early summer, it is often not completely dark until after 11:00pm.

Getting There

By Plane

Most flights in and out of Edmonton fly out of the Edmonton International Airport (YEG). The airport is actually located near the city of Leduc, about 35 kilometres south of Edmonton downtown. There are shuttle buses and taxis available into the city.

The airport has domestic flights to most locations in Canada, as well as many major American hubs. Some direct flights are also available to destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. The airport is growing quickly with new direct flights to various locations being added frequently.

By Train

The Canadian by ViaRail operates between Vancouver and Toronto, stopping en route is many places, including Edmonton.

By Car

The are two main highways with access to Edmonton. Highway 2, or the Queen Elizabeth 2 highway (locally known as QE2) connects Edmonton to Red Deer, Calgary and southern Alberta. Highway 16, or the yellowhead highway is part of the Trans-Canada highway system. To the east the yellowhead highway continues into Saskatchewan and connects to central and eastern Canada. To the west the yellowhead leads to the Canadian Rockies and Jasper.

By Bus

Greyhound Canada serves a number of cities in Canada and the USA.

Getting Around

By Car

Driving around Edmonton is pretty easy for a city of its size. The city is laid out in a grid pattern, with numbered streets running north/south and numbered avenues running east/west. The traffic is not usually too bad for a city of its size. If you are coming to Edmonton in the winter and are not used to winter driving be aware that the roads will likely be slippery and be sure to drive cautiously.

Some of the options to rent a car include the following companies:

• Avis
• Budget
• Discount
• Hertz
• National
• Enterprise
• Thrifty

By Public Transport

Edmonton has a well established public transportation system. Most attractions are on main bus routes, which are usually pretty reliable. The LRT, or light rail transit system only services the north-east side of the city, through downtown and to the University Campus, however is currently being expanded and plans are being made to extend it to all parts of the city.

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

As per the Canadian culinary tradition, there is not much to be said for "Canadian" food in Edmonton. However, many restaurants provide delicious food from all over the world, and unique twists on traditional western dishes.

Warehouse district:

• The Blue Plate Diner
• Tzin Wine and Tapas
• The Creperie - French
• Jack's Grill - Bistro

Old Strathcona:

• Dadeos (Whyte Ave) - Cajun food.
• Furusato (10002 82 AVE (Whyte Avenue) - Japanese
• Lagano Skies (Whyte Avenue) - Ethiopian

Oliver:

• Matahari - Pan-Asian
• Blue Pear
• Wild Tangerine - Modern Asian Fusion

Downtown:

• The Four Rooms
• La Tapa - Spanish

Garneau:

• Upper Crust Cafe
• Parkallen - Lebanese
• Phobulous - Vietnamese soups and vermicelli dishes in soothing, modern setting

Elsewhere:

• Tropica - Malaysian Cuisine. Two locations, south side or west end.
• Red Ox Inn
• The Cheese Factory has a large range of cheeses and is a good place to try some Poutine, a Canadian speciality involving fries, curd and gravy. Located at 8943, 82E Avenue Northwest.

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

• University of Alberta, Edmonton
• King's University College
• Concordia University College of Alberta
• University of Lethbridge

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

Postal service is provided by Canada Post, a crown corporation owned by the government but run as an independent business. The lettermail service allows the mailing of a letter. The basic rate is currently set at $0.52 for one standard letter (30 grams or less). The rates for lettermail are based or weight and size and determine whether the article falls into the aforementioned standard format, or in the oversize one. The rate is the same for a postcard. Mail sent internationally is known as letterpost. It can only contain paper documents. The rate for a standard letter is of $0.93 if sent to the United States, and $1.55 if sent to any other destination. Oversize or overweight letters may be charged a higher fee ^[1]. Larger parcels can be shipped via Canada post both domestically and internationally, the rate is dependent on the weight and destination. ^[2]. Federal Express or DHL also provide interntional shipping from Canada.

External Links

• Official Website