Naming Edmonton: From Ada to Zoie

Kimberly J. Frail is a librarian in the Science and Technology Library
at the University of Alberta.

Public Services Librarian
University of Alberta Libraries
Bibliothèque Saint-Jean

This exhaustive toponymy, the result of a decade of research, is the
official contribution of the Edmonton Historical Board to the city’s
centennial celebrations. It began as the Edmonton Place Names Project
(EPNP) and was developed by the Edmonton Heritage Sites Committee. The
colourful and varied history of Alberta’s “gateway to the north”
is revealed through the origins of its place names, which usually refer
to individuals who, in a variety of ways, made significant contributions
to the city.

The book opens with a history of Edmonton and the EPNP, a timeline,
historical maps, and 12 reference maps. The latter are a key feature of
the book, as each place name entry contains a map reference that allows
readers to link entries to their geographic location. Entries are
presented in alphabetical order and include the official name, the year
it was approved by the Names Advisory Committee, the origin of the name,
and a description of its location. Named places include areas, bridges,
cemeteries, cities, bodies of water, neighbourhoods, roads,
subdivisions, underpasses, and walkways. The entries for well-known
places or the individuals for which the places were named (such as
Henrietta Louise Edwards Park, the former city of Strathcona, and the
Walterdale Bridge) are accompanied by feature stories.

The book’s layout is both practical and aesthetically appealing: the
type is relatively large, and there is ample white space on the pages.
Many entries are accompanied by illustrations or photographs, and each
alphabetical section begins with a photograph of a letter from one of
Edmonton’s well-known signs. A list of the signs, a section on
Edmonton-area waterways, and a section on places that no longer exist
are provided in an appendix.

In sum, Naming Edmonton is a beautifully illustrated, information-rich
tome that can be used as a research tool or simply as a way of becoming
acquainted with the individuals and events that shaped Alberta’s
capital city.