Understand
Much of what South Central today was once encompassed by Strathcona originally called South Edmonton, which was founded in 1899 after significant growth due to the Calgary and Edmonton Railway Company's decision to place a terminus station south of the North Saskatchewan River. The first train arrived in South Edmonton in 1891.
Strathcona was named for Lord Strathcona. The community grew very quickly between 1900-1910 and was a typical prairie town, which is reflected in some of the architecture in Old Strathcona today.
In 1908, the University of Alberta was founded under Premier Rutherford in the Garneau District. The Garneau was named after Laurent Garneau, a Métis who fought alongside Louis Riel in the 1869 Red River Rebellion, and who later settled in South Edmonton.
Eventually, in 1912, the whole of Strathcona officially became part of Edmonton when the City of Strathcona voted in favour of amalgamation.
In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the University grew significantly and the area held up well in hard times. By the 1950s, the University continued to expand and began introducing the new "brutalist" architechtural style.
In the 1970s, there was a plan to build a freeway in what is now Old Strathcona. The community protested to preserve the neighbourhood's character. Some buildings were demolished in preparation for construction, but the freeway was never built. By the 1980s plans were made to revitalize the area and by the 1990s Whyte Avenue and Old Strathcona had become the city's premiere bar and urban retail district.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw some increase in crime. Police were sent in to patrol the area and crime has decreased significantly since then.
Today South Central has a great nightlife scene -- Saturday nights are filled with bar goers and club lovers from around the city. The area is also considered a fun place to shop and dine. The area is highly educated due to the presence of the University of Alberta.
