Moving to Edmonton comes with its own unique set of challenges: How do you find a place to live? What neighbourhood should you choose? This series aims to help you not only help you find your perfect home, but help you find your ideal neighbourhood!
So you are moving to Edmonton?! Whether you’re relocating for a job, to go to school, to pursue a passion, or simply for a new adventure, you’re far from alone, according to Avenue Living:
"Living in Edmonton provides great value for money with lower monthly rent than Calgary, another major city in Alberta. While, oil and gas is the key industry, there are other great working opportunities in education, police services, health & medical, and government"
In this series we will identify the best areas, according to us, that you should consider when you are moving to Edmonton - first up: Riverdale!
Riverdale - Edmonton's Garden Community
History
The area which would later be called Riverdale was the first industrial suburb of Fort Edmonton and is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city. Even today, in 2022, it is one of three neighbourhoods nestled among the River Valley in Edmonton.
Once it was home to the Cree, a First Nations people. The search for gold in the 1860s saw early European visitors, and they were followed in the next 30 years by settlers who established wheat fields, steamboat landings, ferries, lumber and grist mills, coal mines and a brickyard. Workers first lived on site, but soon spread beyond the bunkhouses. Everyone called this area Fraser Flats, after the owner of the lumber mill.
Clay, water and abundant trees for fuel made this river flat a perfect place to make brick. The needs of a growing town and the enterprising spirit of James Brown Little combined in 1893 to found a century-long dynasty of brick makers. Said to be “the most consistently high-quality brick of its time,” the Little product helped build early 20th century Edmonton. J.B. and his descendants established many long-standing social traditions of the district and sponsored hockey and baseball teams for years. Today the brickyard has been developed into residential house, but J.B.’s brick house still stands and is home to Little Brick, a trendy café enjoyed by Riverdalians and river-valley visitors alike.
In 1905 the area was subdivided and a land boom quickly saw the present residential shape take form. Determined and hard-working neighbours knit together a highly-textured social fabric that continues to this day: some families are sixth-generation. - Riverdale Community League
What does Riverdale offer?
Besides the immense River Valley network where the average central Edmontontian can be found cycling, running, hiking, or boating - Riverdale offers so much more, and these are our top destinations:
If you are considering a move to Riverdale or have questions, contact me - we can grab a coffee or go for a walk and check out all the best spots!