Avalon

Saskatoon Neighbourhood – Avalon

Avalon is a mostly residential neighbourhood located in south-central Saskatoon. It is a suburban subdivision, consisting mostly of low-density, single detached dwellings. As of 2007, the area is home to 3,214 residents. The neighbourhood is considered a middle-income area, with an average family income of $65,000, an average dwelling value of $168,444 and a home ownership rate of 77.3%. According to MLS data, the average sale price of a home as of 2013 was $352,359.

Most of the land for the neighbourhood was annexed by the city between 1910 and 1919, with the remaining southern piece annexed between 1960 and 1969. A 1913 map shows that the present-day Avalon area overlaps three registered subdivisions of the day: Avalon in the northwest, Pacific Addition in the east and railway stock yards in the south. Home construction, however, did not begin in earnest until after World War II. The layout of the streets reflects the changing urban planning philosophies of the day as the land was developed. The north part of the neighbourhood follows a traditional grid pattern. By the 1950s, the design of residential neighbourhoods used a modern system of curving residential streets, feeding into collector roads that connected to arterial roads. Thus, the southern part of the neighbourhood follows this design practice.

History – Residential build-out in Avalon was mostly completed by the late 1960s, however some additional residential development occurred south of Glasgow Street and west of Clarence Avenue in the mid-1990s, along with some limited remnant development west of Melrose Avenue in the 1980s. Plans for the southwest extension of Circle Drive initially caused some concern; construction of an interchange at Clarence Avenue and Circle, in the planning since the 1960s, was completed by the late 2000s, facilitating resident access to the freeway and to the Stonebridge commercial area to the southeast.

Education – Georges Vanier Catholic Fine Arts School – separate (Catholic) elementary, part of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools. Originally opened in 1958 as Christ the King School, it was renamed in honor of Georges Vanier in 1967. In 1979, it became the first designated fine arts school in Saskatchewan. The school began major expansion and renovation during 2014 which was completed by the fall of 2015.
John Lake School – public elementary school, part of the Saskatoon Public School Division. The school was constructed in 1959. Avalon is also served by Aden Bowman Collegiate, located a few blocks to the north of John Lake School.

Parks/Recreation – C.P. Seeley Park (1.3 acres), John Lake Park (4.1 acres), Avalon Park (4.2 acres). The Avalon Community Association exists to represent the educational, recreational, and social needs of residents, to promote a sense of community and enhance quality of life in the area.

Commercial – The main commercial development is the Avalon Shopping Centre, a strip mall located on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Cascade Street. There are also two small commercial areas along Ruth Street: one between Lorne and Vernon Avenues, and another at Melrose Avenue. In addition, there are 40 home-based businesses in the neighbourhood. It is also separated by an interchange from the Stonebridge “big-box” shopping centre to the immediate southeast.

#AskSlade about properties currently for sale in this neighbourhood. Slade Real Estate Inc. 306-222-9992.