5 Fun Facts About Edmonton: How Good Is Your Alberta Trivia?

Posted by Edmonton Homes.ca on Thursday, February 17th, 2022 at 8:48am.

Edmonton Fun Facts

Known for its abundance of natural beauty, history, culture, and attractions, the city of Edmonton, Alberta, is designed for everyone's enrichment and pleasure. This lively Canadian community has a vibrant theatre scene, stunning architecture, tons of outdoor recreation, indoor attractions, and several professional sports teams.

There is an abundance of places to shop and dine near popular gated community homes and luxury condos, making Edmonton a great place to work, shop, and play for tourists and locals. While the city is known worldwide, there are a few fun facts about Edmonton that some long-time residents may be are unaware of. Keep reading as we delve into some fun facts about Edmonton that make it a standout city!

Edmonton Is One of Canada's Sunniest Cities

Edmonton is one of the sunniest cities in all of Canada. While summer temperatures are not as hot as they are in the city of Calgary, residents here enjoy 2,345 hours of annual sunshine across an average of 325 sun-filled days.

Residents can expect half of all daytime hours to be sunny, with 307 during July alone. However, there are still an average of 84 hours of sunshine daily in December, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy various local activities, such as watching sporting events, hiking in the North Saskatchewan River Valley, and revelling at festivals and outdoor events.

Edmonton Was Once Home to the World's Largest Mall

West Edmonton Mall was once the largest mall in the entire world. This massive 490,000-square-metre shopping and entertainment complex now takes the #5 spot on the largest malls in the world list. However, it still holds the title of being North America's largest mall. Today, the Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates takes the top spot as the largest mall in the world at 1,114,836.48 square metres.

While it's no longer the world's largest mall, there is no shortage of fun things to do in this massive shopping and entertainment centre! The West Edmonton mall has over 100 dining locations, two hotels, and more than 800 boutique shops, large retailers, and services for patrons to visit.

West Edmonton Mall is home to theme parks, including Galaxyland and the World Waterpark. Visitors can catch a film at one of four movie theatre complexes, play miniature golf or skate the day away at the ice palace's glass-encased indoor skating rink in the centre of the mall. More than 32 million people visit the mall yearly to check out the shops and impressive attractions.

Edmonton Has the World's Highest Streetcar Bridge

Standing at 48 metres (147 feet) above the ground, Edmonton is home to the High Level Bridge Streetcar system and the highest of its kind globally. First opened in 1913, the bridge's top deck has three sets of tracks. Steam trains for the Canadian Pacific Railways dominated the middle track, while the outer tracks solely served the Edmonton R.R. streetcars.

A few years after opening the lines, passengers were a bit unnerved by the lack of crossovers that would allow fast escapes if the streetcars or railroad became stranded. Concessions were made to include these bridges that let passengers step out onto the bridge's center rather than into nothingness. The lines were a huge success, and there was a tram service until its first accident, which inclined overseers to shut it down in 1951.

The High Level Bridge Streetcar remains one of Edmonton's premier attractions for locals and visitors, albeit more for sightseeing than reliable travel across town. Passengers can travel through history as the rails take them along the former Canadian Pacific Railway track from Edmonton's historic Old Strathcona district, through the only railway tunnel built east of the Canadian Rockies, and across the historic High Level Bridge into downtown Edmonton.

Passengers can obtain tickets from the conductor, and stop-overs are permitted. Fares for the season are the following:

  • Age 6 and over: $7 round-trip or $4 one-way
  • Age 5 and under non-groups: Free!
  • Age 5 and under (groups): $7 round-trip or $4 one-way
  • Family: $25 of 5 round-trip

There Are No Rats in Edmonton

For over 70 years, the province of Alberta has remained free of breeding populations of rats due to the implementation of an effective Rat Control Program. Edmonton is rat-free, and Alberta is the only Canadian province that can make such a claim. The region takes the prize for being the largest inhabited area on earth that is free of these rodents.

In 1942, it was clear that rats were slowly working their way from Eastern Canada and heading towards the community, inciting the creation of The Agricultural Pests Act of Alberta to be authorized by the Minister of Agriculture. The act essentially designated any animal likely to destroy livestock or crops as pests to eliminate.

While municipalities were held accountable, the provincial government could assist while passing the costs of eradication and prevention to the city or landowners themselves. When the rats eventually arrived in Alberta early in the 1950s, the government was prepared to institute their aggressive rat control program that was highly successful and still is today.

In the earliest stages of the rat control program, arsenic was heavily employed to treat buildings and farms, resulting in some livestock and pets poisoning. A safer approach was eventually used. Should it be necessary, the province is prepared to take more dramatic steps, including tearing down entire buildings to keep rats out of Alberta.

Edmonton Has the Highest Amount of Parkland Per Capita of Any Canadian City

There is more parkland per capita in Edmonton than in any other city in Canada, making it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts seeking hiking, campsites, and places to spot seasonal and native fauna and flora. The impressive collection of natural respites known as the Edmonton River Valley Park System contains 20 distinct parks. These parks are 22 times larger than NYC's massive Central Park when combined in size!

Many parks wind around the North Saskatchewan River that snakes throughout the city, with dedicated spaces running south. As the longest stretch of connected urban parkland in North America, Edmonton makes for a great escape from the bustle of the city centre. Overall, the system features 22 ravines, 11 lakes, and several Edmonton golf courses and nature centres.

Edmonton's parks become filled with hikers, bikers, joggers, and campers in warmer seasons. In the winter, flocks of locals and vacationers hit the downhill skiing and sledding slopes along the trail system. Just minutes from the city awaits the bounties and pursuits of the natural world!

Edmonton Is a Fun Place to Call Home

Clean air, sunny days, fascinating structures, world-class shopping, and ZERO rats—what more could one want in a community? Come and find out what makes Edmonton, Alberta, such a remarkable place to reside or vacation, and why it's one of the most popular urban cities for anyone to love.

If you're looking to make your home in Edmonton, contact EdmontonHomes.ca in partnership with Justin Havre at (780) 665-4888 to get in touch with an Edmonton real estate agent and discover your ideal Edmonton home today.

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