Windermere Estate

The Windermere Estates neighbourhood is located in southwest Edmonton, east of the North Saskatchewan River Valley and south of Anthony Henday Drive. The Neighbourhood Structure Plan (NSP) for Windermere Estates was adopted by City Council in 2006, after the Area Structure Plan (ASP) for Windermere was adopted by Council in 2004.

While neighbourhood planning took place in the 2000s, the area already contained approximately 80 residences. The land along the river valley was developed in a linear fashion in the 1960s and 1970s, and development continued slowly through the 1980s and 1990s. The residential area located along the river’s edge contains large single-detached homes on large lots. The area was originally developed as part of Strathcona County before it was annexed to the City of Edmonton in 1982.

It is important to note that this neighbourhood profile, which is based on 2006 Census of Canada information, provides information only on these original households and not on the new neighbourhood composition, which is currently under development.

Prior to urban development, the Windermere area was predominantly agricultural and included some country residential land use along the river. The plan for the Windermere Estates neighbourhood was prepared to accommodate a range of housing types, densities, and designs while creating appropriate transitions between newer and older areas of the community.

The vision outlined in the plan is to create an attractive, walkable, and sustainable suburban community that takes advantage of natural amenities, such as the river valley, while protecting environmental assets. Once complete, the neighbourhood will include a mixed-use commercial centre designed as a neighbourhood focal point, as well as a series of parks, pathways, and institutional facilities, which will be integrated strategically with residential development.

The name for this neighbourhood most likely originates from a town of the same name located in Cumbria, England. The name Windermere was likely formed from the words “winder,” which means “to take one’s breath away,” and “mere,” which refers to the boundary of an area or a significant landmark. Edmonton’s Windermere Estates features large estate homes on gracious lots that overlook the river valley, the city’s most significant natural asset, and evokes these characteristics through the name. 

"source Yeghomes.ca"