Mill Woods

For the provincial electoral district, see Edmonton-Mill Woods, for the federal electoral district, see Edmonton–Mill Woods–Beaumont.

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Location of Mill Woods in Edmonton

Mill Woods is a district in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, south of the Whitemud Drive (14), east of 91 Street, west of 34 Street, and north of Anthony Henday Drive. Development of Mill Woods began in the early 1970s. Mill Woods was one of the first areas of Edmonton to move away from the grid system, local comedians to joke about the "black hole" at the centre of Mill Woods, which made it easy to get in but difficult to get out.

Neighborhood Details

The South Campus for Grant MacEwan University

Mill Woods is composed of eight communities: Millhurst, Millbourne, Lakewood, Southwood, Burnewood, Knottwood, Ridgewood, and Woodvale.

These communities are connected by a ring road, Mill Woods Road, along its east, south, and west extent and by 38 Avenue along its north extent. Smaller ring roads, intersecting Mill Woods Road, connect the two or three neighborhoods typically found within each community.

Within the circle formed by these eight communities are the neighbourhoods of Mill Woods Town Centre and Tawa. Together, these two neighbourhoods form a largely business and service core intended to allow Mill Woods to function as a self-contained community. This core contains Mill Woods Town Centre (a major shopping mall), the Grey Nuns Community Hospital, a fire station, an ETS bus terminal, and the Edmonton Police Service's south east division headquarters. Immediately to the west of Mill Woods Town Centre, in Mill Woods Park, is the Mill Woods Recreation Centre.

The Mill Woods area has 21 public elementary schools, 11 Catholic elementary schools, four public junior high schools, three Catholic junior high schools, one public high school, and one Catholic high school. Mill Woods also has the Mill Woods (South) Campus of Grant MacEwan University.

Mill Woods has a large number of public parks, and is served by the Mill Woods Golf Course.

A large growing suburban community with its population of 110,256 people and growing, Mill Woods would be Alberta's third largest city if it were its own metropolitan area.

Newer neighbourhoods, distinct from Mill Woods, are now being built to the east of 34 Street (Which isn't actually Millwoods at all, as the eastern border to Millwoods is 34th street) and to the south of Anthony Henday Drive.

History

The Papaschase Cree Indian Reserve, which was created in 1876, was located in the Mill Woods Area. The reserve was later sold to early white settlers, and the land used for agriculture until the late 1960s. The area's aboriginal heritage is reflected in the names of many of the neighborhoods, which are taken from the Cree language. One of the neighborhoods, Satoo, is named for a Cree chief.

Canada Day Fireworks

The Millwoods Presidents' Council, along with Community Leagues throughout Mill Woods and various Corporate sponsors including banks, grocery stores, and other companies, provide Canada Day celebrations in Mill Woods Park on July 1st of each year. With various musical performances, petting zoos, hay rides and other activities, families are able to enjoy some free entertainment, and concludes with a fireworks display comparable with the Edmonton's primary display in the river valley. Each year around 60,000 people crowd the park for this event.