Oliver, Edmonton

Oliver
Neighbourhood
Oliver is located in Edmonton
Oliver
Oliver
Location of Oliver in Edmonton
Coordinates: 53°32′35″N 113°31′20″W / 53.54306°N 113.52222°W / 53.54306; -113.52222[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
CityEdmonton
Quadrant[2]NW
Ward[2]O-day’min
Sector[3]Mature area
Area[4]Central core
Government
[5]
 • Administrative bodyEdmonton City Council
 • CouncillorAnne Stevenson
Area
[6]
 • Total1.72 km2 (0.66 sq mi)
Elevation
666 m (2,185 ft)
Population
 (2019)[7]
 • Total18,180
 • Density10,569.8/km2 (27,376/sq mi)
 • Change (2016–19)
Increase0.3%
 • Dwellings
13,884

Oliver is one of the oldest residential neighbourhoods in the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Residential towers along 100 Avenue in Oliver

Oliver is immediately to the west of the downtown core, and overlooks the North Saskatchewan River valley south of the neighbourhood. Located in the river valley immediately below Oliver is Edmonton's Royal Glenora Club, Victoria Golf Course, and Victoria Park. The High Level Bridge and Groat Bridge give residents access to the south side of the river valley, including the University of Alberta and Old Strathcona. The Victoria Promenade (part of Edmonton's Heritage Trail) offers attractive vistas of the river valley at the western end of Oliver.

Oliver is one of the densest neighbourhoods in Edmonton (10,570 inhabitants per square kilometre (27,400/sq mi)[6][8]) and West Oliver is the densest area in Alberta. The population in 2009 was 18,203, the highest of every neighbourhood in Edmonton.[9]

The north edge of the neighbourhood was once a Canadian National Railway yard. This part of the neighbourhood was recently redeveloped, and includes apartment buildings, the Unity Square and Unity Square West strip shopping centres, some old warehouses converted shops, and parking for the MacEwan University downtown campus.

The community is represented on the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues by the Wîhkwêntôwin Community League, established in 1922.[10][11]

The neighbourhood is named after Frank Oliver, an early Edmonton resident, businessman, and politician. In January 2024, the city's committee on names selected wîhkwêntôwin (Cree for 'circle of friends') (/wiːˈkwɛntəwən/) to replace Oliver and sent this recommendation to city council.[12] On February 21, the city council officially approved the renaming of the neighborhood to wîhkwêntôwin ᐄᐧᐦᑫᐧᐣᑑᐃᐧᐣ,[13][14] which will be in effect on January 1, 2025.[15]

  1. ^ "Oliver". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  2. ^ a b "City of Edmonton Wards & Standard Neighbourhoods" (PDF). City of Edmonton. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 3, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  3. ^ "Edmonton Developing and Planned Neighbourhoods, 2011" (PDF). City of Edmonton. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 4, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "The Way We Grow: Municipal Development Plan Bylaw 15100" (PDF). City of Edmonton. 2010-05-26. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  5. ^ "City Councillors". City of Edmonton. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Neighbourhoods (data plus kml file)". City of Edmonton. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2019population was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2016population was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Neighbourhoods by Population".
  10. ^ "Oliver Community League". Oliver Community League. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  11. ^ Kuban, Ron (2005). Edmonton's Urban Villages: The Community League Movement. University of Alberta Press. ISBN 9781459303249.
  12. ^ Snowdon, Wallis (Jan 23, 2024). "Oliver no more: Edmonton neighbourhood adopts new Cree name". CBC News. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  13. ^ Fortner, Cole (2024-02-21). "Edmonton's Oliver community to be renamed". CityNews Edmonton. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  14. ^ "New name for Edmonton's Oliver neighbourhood approved by city council - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  15. ^ "Council approves Wîhkwêntôwin name for Oliver; change to take effect 2025". Edmonton. 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-02-22.