St. Albert Gazette announced the annual 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards and Lacombe Park was nominated Best Community in the city.
What makes a community special? Good schools? A variety of shops? Entertainment venues? Low crime? Distance from high-traffic areas? Lots of greenery? It's all those things and more.
The Gazette decided to ask Lacombe Park residents and people who frequent the area to share what appeals to them.
But first, in a quick drive through the community, I counted six parks with fields surrounded by tall leafy trees swaying in the wind. Block upon block of tidy houses showcase bright flowers and lush manicured lawns. There's an obvious pride in the community.
It's a quiet jewel. Surrounded by nature, it projects a certain degree of serenity and calm, a good place to relax after a hectic day at school or work.
Annika Harris, 13, was waiting for a bus outside William D. Cuts School when I asked for her opinion.
“It’s a safe neighbourhood. There aren’t many creepy people. And it’s fun because you can go to all the parks,” said Annika.
My next chat was with Linda Cauder, a nurse at Sturgeon Hospital. She was walking Quinn, her blonde Labrador cross, at Lacombe Park Lake. Although Cauder lives in North Edmonton, she and Quinn regularly visit the lake three or four times a week.
“We just love the dog park. It’s fenced. Every dog park has its own atmosphere and culture. The people and the dogs that come here are very nice,” Cauder said.
Although her family has contemplated moving to Lacombe Park, their current home is paid for and taxes are lower in Edmonton.
Nichole Parker, who was catching the rays with a friend, recently moved from Lacombe Park to Deer Ridge.
“We liked all the green spaces in Lacombe Park and the kids used to crayfish in the lake when they were in elementary. But we outgrew our home and moved,” said Parker.
As a walker, she loves to explore the area’s network of trails leading from Lacombe Park to Deer Ridge and Mission, a recreational outlet enjoyed by many residents and their four-legged furry friends.
Instead, Rick Steward is a retiree who has lived in Lacombe Park with his wife, Sherry, for 31 years. He, too, is a regular Lacombe Park Lake visitor who enjoys throwing sticks in the water for his dogs, Griffen and Phoenix.
“I like this neighbourhood because it’s quiet and peaceful. I go a few blocks and it’s a modern urban nightmare,” Steward said.
The couple moved into the area prior to the development of Deer Ridge and Lacombe Park Estates.
“It’s a great place to raise kids. Schools are close, and everyone plays sports,” he said. “Over the years we’ve had a few thefts of crimes of opportunity, but it’s been minimal.”
For anyone desiring to connect with nature without leaving the city, Lacombe Park Lake is the place to be. It’s a stunning mix of a man-made lake, old-growth trees, spring grasses and wildflower scents surrounding strategically placed benches.
And that’s why Gazette readers selected it as Best Neighbourhood for 2025.
