Louise McKinney

All posts tagged Louise McKinney

Catching up with Landmarks

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2018/10/03

Posted in: architecture, autumn, parks, photo, River Valley. Tagged: Chinese, history, Kinsmen, landmark, Louise McKinney, Queen Elizabeth, Rossdale, Walterdale. Leave a comment

These have been some major projects in Edmonton in the last few years and one in particular that I hadn’t explored (and photographed) up close. So today (2018 October 3)was the day. I went for a good long walk on this cool but sunny early-October day. The main landmark that I wanted to photograph was the new Walterdale Bridge in Edmonton’s river valley.

DSC_9578-1 The arches of this bridge make it an instant landmark but the adjacent pedestrian/bicycle bridge has some striking lines and form too:

DSC_9575-1 A few hundred meters west of the bridge on the south side of the river is Kinsmen Park is the newish outdoor Queen Elizabeth Pool. I think its been open since 2011 but with all of the construction in the river valley in recent years it has not been very accessible to me. The pool is closed for the season but I walked by and took a photo of the unique around-the-corner name:
DSC_9585-1 Back on the northside of the Walterdale bridge is the old Rossdale Power Plant building. I’ve heard various proposals for redeveloping the space but I don’t believe any decisions have been made. The building is a landmark so I sure hope it is not knocked down.
DSC_9579-1

On the other (north) end of Rossdale and leading into Louise McKinney Park is the bottom of the funicular development, with an elevator and set of stairs. This structure was opened in early 2018.
DSC_9565-1 At the other end of Louise McKinney Park is the Chinese Garden which has been a landmark for a number of years already:
DSC_9614-1

In the Square

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2016/04/04

Posted in: architecture, downtown, photo, spring. Tagged: April, Cafe, chairs, Churchill Square, City Hall, clock tower, Edmonton, Louise McKinney, paint, photography, skylight, spring, tables, Tix, Tix on the Square. Leave a comment

In Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton last Saturday (that would be 2016 April 2nd):

Empty

Tix on the Square

Edmonton’s Cafe

Pyramidal Skylights

Painted Square and City Hall

Spring is Coming

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2016/02/27

Posted in: photo, River Valley, spring. Tagged: bridge, Edmonton, February, ice, Louise McKinney, melting, North Saskatchewan, puddle, rink, river, river valley, Riverdale, spring, winter. 1 Comment

Here it is, the end of February. Even though its been a mild winter in Edmonton, spring can’t come soon enough. Although there are another 3 weeks until the equinox and being Edmonton I wouldn’t rule out a major snowfall until, say mid-May, the changes in the last week are encouraging: the snow is receding and grass is showing, sidewalks are drying, the river ice is getting soft and melt water is running down the streets.

Here are the signs I saw this afternoon:

The North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton in Late-February

The river ice softening around the Edmonton Queen

Puddle-filled back alley

The river ice breaking up

The seasonal end of the outdoor rink

Different Perspectives

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2016/02/06

Posted in: parks, photo, River Valley, winter. Tagged: afternoon, bridge, Edmonton, February, ice, James McDonald, Louise McKinney, Low Level, river, river valley, stairs, Walterdale, winter. 1 Comment

A walk this afternoon (2016 February 6) through the river valley, revealed a few perspectives of Edmonton that I usually don’t see. For the record, it was a beautiful afternoon – mostly sunny with temperatures well above seasonal averages and well above zeros. There were however very gusty winds and I was worried that if I was standing on ice (of which there was a lot) when a gust peaked I could have gone sailing. Alas I found good footing at the times of the worst of the winds, so no falls and photos that I am pleased with:

Stairs through Louise McKinney Park

Under the Low Level

Under the James MacDonald

Walterdale Bridge Replacement Construction

Skyline, Park and Frozen River on a February Afternoon

Watch for an upcoming follow-up post for more Edmonton photos taken this afternoon.

Louise McKinney Park in May

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2015/05/19

Posted in: parks, photo, River Valley, spring. Tagged: Chinese, flowering tree, Garden, Louise McKinney, May, park, photo, pink, river valley, spring. Leave a comment

Louise McKinney Park is situated in Edmonton’s river valley next to downtown. Near the upper east end of the park is a Chinese garden that features in a few of these images I captured on this afternoon in mid-May. Just hinted at in a few of these images are tje flowering trees that are magnificent at this time of year.

Eastern Path

Red with Flowering Pink

Pagoda and Pyramids

SHUMKA

Red, Green and Gold

In the Light of the Crash

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2015/03/16

Posted in: Events, photo, River Valley, winter. Tagged: bridge, Crashed Ice, Edmonton, lights, Louise McKinney, March, night, river valley, trees, winter. Leave a comment

On Saturday (2015 March 14) I attended the Crashed Ice Championship on the bank of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton. Problem was that with the huge crowds I couldn’t get anywhere near the race itself. Nonetheless it was a very interesting atmosphere with the lighting and the crowds so I turned my attention to just capturing photos of that atmosphere.

Ice in the Night

On the Slope

Distant Big Screen

This was as close as i was able to get to the live racing action:

Live Action

Blue Trees

The Edmonton Queen in the Ice

Bridge in the Night

Magnificent Valley (in Winter)

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2015/02/22

Posted in: photo, River Valley, winter. Tagged: bridge, Cloverdale, Conference Centre, Edmonton, Edmonton Ski Club, February, footbridge, frozen, ice, James MacDonald, Louise McKinney, Low Level, moguls, Muttart, pagoda, pyramid, river, river valley, snow, winter. Leave a comment

The North Saskatchewan river valley is one of the City of Edmonton’s defining features and points of pride.

In every season the view of and across the valley is something to behold. It was the lovely, winter afternoon of Feb 21 (2015) when I snapped these images of the river valley from the top (northside) of the riverbank between 96th and 97th Streets.

Chinese Pagoda in Louise McKinney Park

I love the old pedestrian bridge that spans between Louise McKinney park on the northside and the Cloverdale community on the southside. It is distressing to me that the bridge might be torn down in the near future!

Grierson-Cloverdale Bridge

On the southside of the valley lies the community of Cloverdale which is home to both the Muttart Conservatory (2 of the 4 pyramids pictured below) and the Edmonton Ski Club (on the slopes in the background)

Pyramids and Moguls

The east end of the Edmonton Ski Club in the distance on the left and on the right the reflections from the Shaw Conference Centre

Valley Reflected

Two of the downtown bridges (roadways) – the Low Level in the foreground and the James MacDonald behind it:

Two Bridges

McKinney in the Dark

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2014/12/15

Posted in: photo, River Valley, winter. Tagged: Edmonton, lights, Louise McKinney, night, pagoda, park, path, river valley, stairs, winter. Leave a comment

A few photos from Louise McKinney Riverfront Park in central Edmonton on a (not quite) winter’s, (not quite) evening (i.e. before 6 pm on December 15th).

Looking across the North Saskatchewan River valley from the top of Grierson Hill (Louise McKinney is just below the near edge and not visible in this image):

Close to the Edge on a “Winter’s Eve”

The stairs descending into the river valley and park:

Descending

The “bike” path descending along the east edge of the park:

Path into the Valley

A Chinese garden is situated next to the path, on the east side of the park:

Pagoda in the Park (in the dark, in the snow)

and finally looking back (west) at the downtown Edmonton skyline:

Edmonton Skyline in December form Louise McKinney Park

Edmonton Skyline in December from Louise McKinney Park

Down by the River

Posted by Randy Talbot on 2013/07/01

Posted in: photo. Tagged: Edmonton, high water, June, Louise McKinney, North Saskatchewan, river, river valley. Leave a comment

Last Friday (2013 June 28) was beautiful – sunny and warm. The flood water of the past week had receded and although the river was still fast and dirty it was not over its banks. I strolled through Louise McKinney Park [map] on the north bank of the river just east of downtown and captured these photos:

City Rising

Riverside Promenade – on the north bank of the North Saskatchewan River in central Edmonton

Wild Flower and Muddy Water

Emergency Phone (with solar power)

Beside the River

YEGmonton

Musing on My City