The Development of Oakmont

ST. ALBERT’S MUNICIPAL maps portray the outline of Oakmont as somewhat resembling a distorted spade symbol you would otherwise find on playing cards. However, ask any resident living in the neighborhood: landing a home here requires at the very least an ability to conduct one’s own affairs with a full deck. Toronto-based livability assessors AreaVibes ranked Oakmont as one of the city’s most expensive neighborhoods, ranking second to Kingswood.

Fat wallets provide residents with not only homes, but also access to a score of picturesque amenities in Oakmont, bordered by the Sturgeon River to the east and Bellerose Drive to the west. The neighbourhood features an abundance of green space dedicated to parkland, including Red Willow Park, located on the west bank of the river. At last count, nearly 3,500 folks live in Oakmont, a relatively new neighborhood, but one that still has a unique history.

1870s-1920s

In 1871, a decade after Father Albert Lacombe founded St. Albert, the federal government signed Treaty 6 with the Metis and aboriginals who first inhabited the prairies. Once the ink dried, the Crown made much of that land available for development to European settlers. Some of the