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December 10, 2024
Alexander Circle in Glenora is the first park in Edmonton to be designated a Municipal Historic Resource. The charming circular park connects 133 Street and 103 Avenue and features benches and a fountain.
The circle was included as part of the original 1911 subdivision design for this part of Glenora and is considered a precursor to neighbourhood parks across Edmonton.
Alexander Circle developed in phases and started as a partially grassed space that was used for recreation purposes by residents. A ring of 16 trees along the perimeter was added prior to 1943. In 1954 residents paid for an illuminated fountain, paved pathways, flower beds and benches.
Alexander Circle is named after Viscount Earl Alexander of Tunis, Governor General of Canada from 1948 to 1952. The name was officially adopted in 1968. In 1992, the surrounding road was also named Alexander Circle and the homes facing the circle were readdressed to reflect the naming.
“It’s such a unique area,” said City of Edmonton Heritage Planner David Johnston. “It reflects the garden suburb idea that was envisioned when Glenora was built; a place where people gather, talk and enjoy their community. The residents of the neighbourhood, and the larger city, cherish this spot and we’re so pleased to see it become the first park in Edmonton to receive heritage designation.”
Alexander Circle is defined by formal, symmetrical landscape architecture with hard surface pathways from the four cardinal directions (north, east, south, west), manicured circular planting beds in each quadrant, as well as four seating pads surrounding the fountain.
As Alexander Circle is owned and maintained by the City of Edmonton, no funds were set aside for this project from the Heritage Resources Reserve fund. Alexander Circle is the 187th heritage designation approved by City Council since 1985.
In 2025, the City’s heritage planning team will work on a new city-wide heritage initiative called the Heritage Places Strategy. The strategy will replace the existing Historic Resource Management Plan and reflect a wider lens of Edmonton’s history and address important issues like climate adaptation and how best to preserve heritage in a densifying city.
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