Edmonton's Heritage
Trail runs from the Royal Alberta Museum in the west to the Edmonton
Convention Centre in the east.
The following narrative describes the trail, with related picture links below. Or you can choose to view a map of the trail with picture links. (The map has less picture links than the narrative because of limited space).
Starting at the grounds of the Royal Alberta Museum which also have the former Lieutenant Governor's residence (now a conference centre) the trail passes through part of the gallery district (south end of 124th. Street and west end of Jasper Avenue).
From Jasper Avenue it turns south at 121st. Street, to follow Victoria Promenade along the top of the North Saskatchewan River valley. Along this stretch of a wide, tree-lined promenade are several statues of prominent Edmontonians from the past, including plaques with information on the individuals. Because of the exceptional views of the river valley there are many expensive condominium towers along this stretch.
At the intersection of 116th. Street and Victoria Park Road, are Grant Notley Park, a memorial for a former leader of the provincial New Democratic Party who was killed in a plane crash in 1984, and Le Marchand Mansion. The original mansion is now a complex of offices and shops, and a new high rise condominium tower adjoins the original building on the east.
The trail continues east along 100th. Avenue, and then turns south again at 114th. Street. From there it turns east at 99th. Avenue, south on 112th. Street, east on 98th. Avenue, and south on 111th. Street down to Ezio Faraone Park, a memorial to a police officer who died in the line of duty.
From Ezio Faraone Park the trail heads north along 110th. Street, passing Grandin/Government Centre LRT Station (light rail transit) and Grandin Park.
At 99th. Avenue the trail turns east and crosses the humpbacked bridge over the old CPR tracks, crosses 109th. Street, and passes just north of the grounds of the Provincial Legislature of Alberta.
From the legislative grounds the trail continues east along 99th. Avenue turning north at 104th. Street. At this location is the McKay Avenue School, one of the city's first schools. Now a museum and archives are located the building. Leslie Nielsen of Naked Gun fame was a student at the school.
The trail again turns east at 100th. Avenue, passing by the YWCA building, and then turns north again at 102nd. Street for a short stretch before turning east again along McDonald Drive. On this stretch it passes by Alberta College and the Chateau Lacombe, a circular hotel tower with a revolving restaurant at the top. Formerly a CP Hotels property, it is now a Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza.
At the end of McDonald Drive the trail turns north once more passing by the historic Hotel MacDonald (once a CNR hotel now owned by CP Hotels).
The trails turns east one last time terminating two blocks later at the Edmonton Convention Centre. The centre is actually underground, below Jasper Avenue, but the glass atria over the stairs/escalators/elevator that run down the face of the river valley to several tiered levels is visible from the street.
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