When is a city not a city? In Alberta, the easy answer is when it’s Sherwood Park. The hamlet just outside Edmonton has enough residents to make it the fifth biggest urban centre in the province, yet it has chosen to remain a specialized municipality.

But whether it’s a city or not, Sherwood Park is still an amazing place to live.

According to the Strathcona County website, it is not only the most populous municipality in the county with around 70,000 residents, but also the youngest. Sherwood Park only came into existence in the 1950s, long after the City of Fort Saskatchewan, Strathcona County and many of the county’s hamlets were established.
Today, more young families continue to be attracted to Sherwood Park as a place to live with its attractive recreational amenities, proximity to employment hubs, and tons of affordable housing opportunities.

Growth on the horizon

Sherwood Park is located just east of Edmonton, and growth is the abiding promise here. It is a community that continues to prosper with well over two-thirds of Strathcona County residents residing here. And more growth is assured in the near future, as Rohit Land Development ramps up efforts for the opening of its first development here.

Jedidiah Nibre, Senior Marketing Coordinator at Rohit Land Development, explains that the small-town values that prevail in Sherwood Park make it quite appealing to homebuyers. And their new development, Cambrian, promises to emphasize those values in its design.

“Living in Sherwood Park gives a close-knit community feel where residents are more rooted in their community, enhancing the quality of life and well-being of all of its residents,” she tells Edmonton New Home + Condo Guide. “Focused on community building and developing a dynamic environment, Sherwood Park is an exceptionally safe place for families to call home.”

“Sherwood Park is a great community that caters to all lifestyles,” says Eiblis Doherty of Strathcona County’s Business Development and Tourism department. “It has tons of fun outdoor recreation opportunities for any time of the year with its many hiking trails, snow-trekking and river valley access.”

Diversity and accessibility

Doherty says younger families are now becoming more prominent in the hamlet, attracted by the diverse housing types, plentiful amenities and easy-living lifestyle Sherwood Park offers.

She adds that average housing price is in the mid $400,000s “and you get a lot more home for that price here compared to Edmonton.” Those working in the city will find Sherwood Park’s accessibility a big factor as well as it is just about a 25-minute drive to Edmonton’s downtown. “We’re also just half an hour drive to the international airport,” Doherty says.

Residents have a wide choice of housing options to choose from, including multi-family housing, single-family, and executive estate homes to come. But the biggest excitement is for the entry of Cambrian.

Enter Rohit

Cambrian is Rohit Land Development’s very first development in Sherwood Park. The 300-acre master-planned community will be home to over 4,500 people.

Tucked away, just north of the Yellowhead Highway, Cambrian will offer easy accessibility to the Anthony Henday Drive and the amenities in Emerald Hills. Within its boundaries, Cambrian will provide a lifestyle of convenience while still creating that sense of intimacy.

“We have brought on over 200 lots in our first phase that builders are beginning construction on including single-family front attached backing a pond, duplexes, and townhomes. In future phases, ravine lots which haven’t been available in quite some time in Sherwood Park will be offered in Cambrian,” Nibre says.

Builders will include ART Homes, Bedrock Homes, Gill Built Homes, Rohit Communities, San Rufo Homes, and Victory Homes. Showhomes are now under construction and expected to open later this year, Nibre says.

“We’ve started our awareness campaign in October 2022, and since then we get a lot of inquiries coming from existing Sherwood Park residents looking for a new home, and from people wanting to live in Sherwood Park.”

Cool Cambrian amenities

Cambrian distinguishes itself by dedicating a quarter of the community to parks and open spaces, emphasizing the use of shared spaces that will bring the community closer together. There will be nine parks scattered around the neighbourhood, along with four ponds that will encourage leisurely strolls.

“Cambrian has many kilometres of mixed-use trails that connect to multiple parks throughout,” Nibre says.

But maybe its crowning glory will be the state-of-the art park that will feature wooden play structures, a first in the whole county.

“The playground is centrally located within the southern section of the community serving as a destination for residents to interact, connected through multi-use trails and will connect to another playground in the northern section of the community,” Nibre says.

Split into two sections, one section will cater to the tots, with the other section for older children.
The playground incorporates parkour play elements, allowing children different ways of playing from a traditional playground.

The rolling terrain of Cambrian offers different grade elevations throughout the site giving it a more scenic appeal. “As you get closer to the ravine, lots will offer increased privacy and beautiful views of the Oldman Creek,” she adds.

Cambrian is a complete community with a future school site, commercial amenities including grocery and smaller businesses, civic services, and business employment. Find out more about the community at liveincambrian.com.

Family-friendly Sherwood Park

Sherwood Park has plenty to keep its residents entertained and happy with its array of commercial, recreational and shopping and dining opportunities.

Minutes away from Cambrian, and one of Sherwood Park’s hidden gems, is the Greenland Garden Centre, a family-run business and a year-round destination for gardening, home décor, and other delightful finds, says Nibre.

Within the store is a full restaurant, Branches Fresh Food Experience, that offers delicious food, beautiful views of the outdoors from the dining space all year round, and offers outdoor seating surrounded by lush plants in the summer.

“Because of its convenient location and wide selection of plants, Greenland Garden Centre is the perfect place to get landscaping supplies for new homeowners in Cambrian. In late October, the store also transforms into one of the largest Christmas stores in the country – complete with decorated trees and festive décor.”

A favourite among Sherwood Park residents is also the Festival Place, which has always been the centre for enjoying live music in town. It is a vibrant multi-use centre for the arts, community and business that informs the cultural and social life in the county.

Sherwood Park has a multitude of recreational opportunities within its borders by just a 20-minute drive east is the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail and a little further on to Elk Island Park and all the outdoor fun they offer, including stargazing as part of Alberta’s Dark Sky preserve.