Think local

Say “west Edmonton,” and the next word to fall out is often
“mall.”

It’s hardly surprising — the mall is tough to miss in this neighborhood
and it remains the largest tourist destination in Alberta and the
biggest employer on the west side.

But there’s a lot more happening here than Galaxy Land and
the Ice Palace. From trendy galleries on 124th Street, to spectacular river
valley trails, thriving independent businesses and active community
leagues, west Edmonton is a diverse and exciting place.

According to local historian Tony Cashman, development in the area has
always moved in fits and starts. It was stagnant for much of the 1930s,
accelerated after the war and then again when Edmonton annexed the town
of Jasper Place in 1964 (the Edmonton Journal’s headline that day:  38,000
people, $8,177,000 In Debt, and The Damndest Mud In the World Becomes
Part of Edmonton).

In 2011, we are again on the cusp of big changes in west Edmonton.
The LRT expansion promises to bind the city’s sprawling pieces. New
communities are springing up around the Anthony Henday. Stony Plain
Road, the faded but proud soul of the community, is in the midst of an
ambitious revitalization. Even the mall is getting a facelift.

At the West Edmonton Local, we want to follow these changes and grow with
the community.  Students from Grant MacEwan University’s journalism program will be
producing the site, learning about multimedia journalism and community
news coverage.

We believe journalism can be a public service, helping folks find the
information they need to govern themselves and enjoy their daily lives.

We hope you find this site interesting and informative. We will be
adding new content all the time, so bookmark us and keep coming back or
drop us a line and let us know how we’re doing.

Maybe in time, when people think west Edmonton, they’ll think “local.”

Sincerely,

Archie McLean
Founding editor-in-chief
West Edmonton Local

@westedlocal
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