Edmonton is as sprawling of a metropolis as it gets. We live in the prairies, and land has always been cheap. Instead of growing ‘up’ our city has until very recently grown ‘out’. We have downtown, south common, Kingsway, Whyte Avenue, ice district, West Edmonton mall – an excessive amount of densely populated locations. As a realtor, I am all over the city providing clients with Home Valuations or Listing Services. These travels have shown me some hidden gems of neighborhoods. So, I’m going to highlight my favorite older neighborhoods to walkthrough if you enjoy admiring unique architecture.
Wolf Willow (Mid Century Modern)
Built in the mid 1970s, this neighborhood backs the river valley, and takes full advantage of it. These monster houses on huge lots are all architecturally unique. This quiet little neighborhood is full of Mid Century Modern homes, while others feel like the start of the McMansion real estate trend of the 80s. Wolf Willow connects with the West End river valley. I recommend taking a stroll through this neighborhood with your dog, as you can finish off in the river valley!
Riverdale (Cute and Quant)
Another neighborhood backing the river valley, but much older! Built in the 1940-60s Riverdale has some interesting architecture. Due to its fantastic location and the smaller lots, Riverdale has been going through somewhat of an Infill gentrification. So there are both opportunities to see Victorian Era homes from the 1940s, and hyper modern infills. You’re also going to get an opportunity to visit the Little Brick Café, a nice coffee spot in a cute retrofit home!
Windsor Park (Mansions)
Windsor Park is similar to Riverdale in the sense that it’s one of Edmonton’s first neighborhoods. Built in the 1950s its location overlooking the river valley a few seconds walk to the UofA has caused a persistent desireability. As of writing this article, a tear down house in Windsor Park would sell for approximately $1,100,000. What I am trying to say, is that this neighborhood is FILLED with mansions. Architectural beauties from the 50s onwards. Due to Windsor Parks intrinsic desirability, it’s one of the few neighborhoods you can see rebuilt homes from the 1980s to the current year, displaying a nice example of architectural tastes over the years.
West Brook (Mansions)
West Brook was built in the 1960s, and I don’t think it gets nearly as much credit as it deserves. Tucked away in South Edmonton, backing the ravine, far from any central hubs, with minimal traffic or noise. Quietly, this neighborhood has built up some impressive clout. With dozens of newer 3000 sq ft plus mansions constructed in the last 10 years, to add to their already impressive array of Post Modern Architecture, it’s always a pleasure walking through West Brook.
Glenora (Victorian Era)
I wanted to leave Glenora until the end as I think it gets talked about to excess. However, it deserves the attention. South of 102nd Avenue, Glenora is like a little piece of history, with it’s winding roads, intrusive natural scenery and massive lots, this neighborhood was built with beauty in mind. On these fantastically structured streets lays some of the best architecturally designed homes from throughout our city’s history. With plenty of Victorian Era homes, mid century modern remakes, and modern rebuilds, it’s a great neighborhood to walk through! And very pet friendly. If you’re in the neighborhood, you should walk across groat road and take a look at the South end of Westmount, built around the same time as Glenora, there are plenty of architecturally impressive, homes from the early 1900s.
Conclusion
To conclude, Edmonton is filled with beautiful homes. And hidden gem neighborhoods. If you’re looking for modern homes, I would recommend Windsor Park and West Brook. If you want to see historically impressive parts of our city, Wolf Willow for the 1960s, 70s, and Glenora plus Riverdale for more mid-century modern homes is a good idea. I hope you enjoyed this list, if you want to know more about me take a look at the rest of my website ListQuickYEG, I am an Edmonton Realtor with plenty of experience!
