What’s happening in the market today?

If you're a first-time home buyer searching for an affordable, connected, and family-friendly neighbourhood in Edmonton, Edgemont should be at the top of your list. Located in the city's desirable west end, Edgemont offers a well-balanced mix of new construction, previously owned homes, access to nature, excellent schools, shopping, and major commuter routes.

Whether you’re buying your first condo, moving into a townhome, or upgrading to a detached house, Edgemont has the space, style, and lifestyle options to match your needs—and your budget.

🏘️ A Growing Community with Established Roots

Edgemont is still an active development area, but it’s not brand new. The neighbourhood has been growing steadily since around 2011, which incidentally is when yours truly moved in just to the north. Because it’s been around for a bit, you’ll find a blend of:

• New builds (ideal for buyers looking for the latest finishes and warranty protection or incredibly low condo fees)

• Previously loved homes (often with finished basements, landscaping, and lower price points)

This combination gives buyers more flexibility than fully built-out neighbourhoods or brand-new subdivisions. Whether you want to build from the ground up or move into a completed home, you have options.

Sources:

• https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/planresults.aspx?Plans=Edgemont

• https://myedgemont.ca/about-the-community/

🏡 Housing Variety to Suit Every Budget

First-time buyers in Edgemont can choose from a diverse selection of housing types:

• Condos and low-rise apartment units

• Townhomes and rowhouses

• Duplexes with attached garages

• Single-family detached homes (lane or front-drive)

Prices typically start in the low $300,000s for condos and range up to $700,000+ for fully upgraded detached homes. The community’s wide price range is one of its biggest advantages—it allows buyers to start small and move up without leaving the neighbourhood.

🛠️ Homebuilders in Edgemont include:

• Brookfield Residential: brookfieldresidential.com

• Excel Homes: excelhomes.ca

• Daytona Homes: daytonahomes.ca

• Sterling Homes: sterlingedmonton.com

• Happy Planet Homes: happyplanethomes.com

• Bedrock Homes, Lincolnberg Homes, City Homes, and others: myedgemont.ca

This diversity in home types and builders isn’t just good for variety—it also makes Edgemont a smart place to start your homeownership journey and grow without ever needing to leave the neighbourhood.

🌳 Nature and Outdoor Living Close to Home

Edgemont is surrounded by natural beauty, making it a top choice for active families and nature lovers. The southern boundary backs onto Wedgewood Creek Ravine, and a network of walking trails and multi-use paths is woven throughout the community.

In Woodhaven Edgemont, for example, no home is more than 100 metres from green space or a walking path—a rare feature in Edmonton.

Sources:

• https://www.woodhavenedgemont.com

• https://myedgemont.ca/about-the-community/

🚍 Commute-Friendly and Connected

Living in Edgemont means you’re never far from where you need to be:

• 5 minutes to Anthony Henday Drive

• 10 minutes to West Edmonton Mall

• 10–12 minutes to Currents of Windermere

• 25–35 minutes to Downtown Edmonton by car

• ~60 minutes to Downtown via ETS (depending on route and time of day)

ETS routes 916 and 926 serve Edgemont, connecting you to key transit hubs like West Edmonton Mall.

Sources:

• https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Edmonton/Edgemont-Edmonton

• https://www.moovitapp.com/index/en/public_transit-Edgemont-Edmonton_AB-site_77424392-1342

🏫 Schools and Education

For families with children—or those planning to start one—Edgemont offers a strong mix of existing school access and future growth:

• K–6: Michael A. Kostek School

• 7–9: S. Bruce Smith School

• 10–12: Jasper Place High School

• 2024–2025: Edgemont Northwest students attend Bessie Nichols School (K–9)

• Future: A brand-new K–9 public school is under construction in Edgemont and will accommodate 950 students upon completion

Sources:

• https://epsb.ca/schools/

• https://www.epsb.ca/news/schools/welcomingedgemontnorthwestatbessienicholsschool.html

• https://majorprojects.alberta.ca/details/New-K-9-School-in-Edgemont-Edmonton/10936

🛍️ Shopping, Services, and Everyday Conveniences

Everything you need is nearby:

• West Edmonton Mall – Over 800 stores, dining, and entertainment

• Currents of Windermere – Walmart, Candian Tire, Home Depot, Cineplex, California Pizza Kitchen, Canadian Brewhouse, The Keg, and so much more

• Grocery Stores – Safeway (Callingwood), Save-On-Foods (Hampton Market), London Drugs (Hampton Market) and, coming soon, Freshco

• Recreation – Multi-use bike paths direct into Cameron Heights via Donsdale, or along 23 Ave Eastbound towards Cameron Heights (although, once in Cameron Heights you need to backtrack into Donsdale, so if you don’t like hills, avoid this route as they’re pretty gnarly). There are also several Yoga studios, restaurants, parks and ponds within walking distance throughout all of Edgemont

These amenities provide easy access to essentials while keeping your lifestyle active and convenient.

🚶 Walkability and Lifestyle

While Edgemont is currently considered car-dependent by Walk Score, it’s a highly walkable within-community neighbourhood. The extensive network of paved trails, sidewalks, and green spaces makes it easy to get out, stay active, and enjoy your surroundings.

Source:

• https://www.walkscore.com/score/edgemont-way-nw-edmonton-ab-canada

✅ Why First-Time Buyers Love Edgemont

Here's a recap of what makes Edgemont such a smart choice:

✅ Affordable housing options, from condos to detached homes
✅ Flexibility to choose new builds or previously owned properties
✅ Excellent access to parks, trails, and ravines
✅ Strong public schools and a new K–9 school coming soon
✅ Convenient commutes to downtown and across the city
✅ Top-rated builders and long-term real estate value

Whether you’re buying your first home or planning your next chapter, Edgemont is a neighbourhood that grows with you.

❓FAQ: Buying a Home in Edgemont, Edmonton

Q: Is Edgemont a good place for families?
A: Yes! Edgemont offers safe streets, school access, playgrounds, and walkable green space—plus a new public school is under construction.

Q: Are there affordable homes in Edgemont for first-time buyers?
A: Absolutely. Homes start in the low $300,000s for condos, with townhomes, duplexes, and detached homes available across a wide price range.

Q: What amenities are nearby?
A: West Edmonton Mall, Currents of Windermere, multiple grocery stores, medical clinics, and two recreation centres are within a 10–15 minute drive.

Q: What is the commute time to downtown Edmonton?
A: Driving takes 25–35 minutes depending on traffic. Transit options are available via ETS and typically take around an hour.

Q: Is Edgemont still under development?
A: Yes, which means you can still find brand-new homes and benefit from new amenities, parks, and infrastructure as they’re completed.

Thinking about making your first move? Call or text Mike at (780) 232-2064 or visit Pabian Realty.

If you commute from downtown to West Edmonton, you’ve probably driven past it hundreds of times. On the north side of Mackenzie Ravine, just to the west of 142 Street, lies a hidden relic from one of the most tense periods in modern history. Built during the height of the Cold War in 1953, Edmonton’s civil defence bunker is a long-abandoned, reinforced command centre designed to house the Mayor and Council in the event of nuclear war. It wasn’t made as a long term shelter but rather a space for the city’s management to remain safe from fallout for up to two weeks. Though few Edmontonians even know it exists, the bunker offers a fascinating glimpse into a time when governments seriously prepared for the possibility of global thermonuclear war.

Let’s take a deep dive into the history, architecture, and uncertain future of Edmonton’s Cold War bunker — a story that’s part spy novel, part time capsule, and entirely local.

A Cold War Stronghold Beneath the City

Constructed just 9 years after World War 2, Edmonton’s fallout shelter was one of several underground Emergency Government Headquarters commissioned by the federal government. Often referred to as “Diefenbunkers” — a nickname derived from then-Prime Minister John Diefenbaker — these structures were intended to ensure the continuity of government should a nuclear attack disable Canada’s political centres.

While Carp, Ontario’s Diefenbunker is now a museum and national historic site, Edmonton’s version was more discreet. Hidden inside a plain, cinder block building in the city’s northwest industrial area, the shelter was built to be unobtrusive — but beneath the modest exterior was a hardened bunker, equipped with all the tools needed to operate in a radioactive world.

What Was Inside?

Though now stripped of much of its original equipment, the Edmonton bunker was originally a fully functional command post. Its features included:

• Reinforced concrete walls and blast-proof architecture

• Independent air filtration systems to keep occupants alive through radioactive fallout

• Decontamination showers for those entering from contaminated zones

• Communication centres for coordinating emergency response and military support

• Supplies and rations to support dozens of government and military personnel for an extended period

Spanning about 2,600 square feet, the underground facility could support up to 36 people for several weeks in isolation. Its ceilings rose to eleven feet high, and its design prioritized both survivability and functionality under extreme stress.

A Forgotten Chapter of Edmonton History

Despite the scale of its purpose, the Edmonton bunker never saw active use. As Cold War tensions cooled and civil defence strategies shifted in the 1970s and ’80s, the facility was gradually mothballed and eventually abandoned.

For years, it quietly deteriorated — unnoticed by most and unknown to many. But in 2017, the Canadian Civil Defence Museum and Archives, a local nonprofit group, stepped in and acquired the site. Their goal was ambitious: preserve the site, restore it, and eventually open it to the public as a museum of Edmonton’s Cold War heritage.

Restoration Efforts — and a Long Pause

As of 2025, however, there has been no publicly confirmed progress on the restoration or public accessibility of the bunker. The last official update was in 2017, when the museum first announced their plans. Since then, no construction activity or announcements have been made available, and the facility remains closed to the public.

While public curiosity about the bunker remains high — with occasional social media features and historical video tours generating renewed interest — the site’s future is currently in limbo. Anyone looking for the most up-to-date information is encouraged to contact the Canadian Civil Defence Museum and Archives directly.

Why It Still Matters

The Edmonton bunker is more than just a Cold War oddity — it’s a time capsule from an era when the world stood on the brink. It speaks to the seriousness with which Canada and its cities like Edmonton prepared for the possibility of all-out nuclear war.

In an era of fast-moving digital threats and geopolitical uncertainty, this 1950s bunker reminds us of a different kind of fear — and the massive, behind-the-scenes infrastructure built to defend against it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Where is the Edmonton fallout shelter located?
A: It is located in northwest Edmonton, near industrial properties. The exact address is not widely shared to preserve the site’s condition.

Q: Was this shelter meant for the public?
A: No. Like other Diefenbunkers, this facility was built to house government and military personnel only. And really, if the bombs were going off, it wouldn’t matter much anyway as Edmonton was home to one of Canada’s largest military bases at the time, CFB Edmonton. They wouldn’t be sending just one nuke. Fun right!?

Q: Is it currently open to the public?
A: No. As of 2025, the site remains closed, with no confirmed restoration progress since it was acquired in 2017.

Q: Who owns the bunker now?
A: The Canadian Civil Defence Museum and Archives currently owns the site.

Q: Are there tours or events planned?
A: None have been announced. Interested parties should contact the museum directly for updates.

Q: What’s the historical significance of this bunker?
A: It’s one of a network of Cold War-era bunkers meant to ensure government continuity in case of a nuclear attack — and it represents a unique piece of Edmonton's hidden history.

Conclusion: A Cold War Mystery Waiting to Be Rediscovered

Though sealed and silent today, Edmonton’s Cold War bunker once stood as a vital part of Canada’s emergency planning. Its story — of fear, engineering, and forgotten history — is still being written. With enough interest and support, perhaps one day this Cold War relic will reopen its blast doors and welcome Edmontonians eager to learn about the lengths their city once went to protect them.

Until then, it remains one of the city’s most compelling, least-known landmarks — hiding in plain sight.

Looking for more hidden gems and local stories from Edmonton? Subscribe to my newsletter or explore more at pabianrealty.ca/blog, where I highlight the places, people, and history that make Edmonton more than just a city — it’s a story worth telling.

Looking to buy? Sell? Tour? Call Mike Pabian today at 780-232-2064. He knows Edmonton like few others do.