East Kildonan is a primarily residential community in northeast Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Commonly known by its initials EK, the suburb has a population of approximately 35,800 as of the 2016 Census.
East Kildonan is bounded from the Red River on the west, to Panet Road, north of Blantyre Avenue, and the Canadian Pacific Railway Marconi tracks (removed in 2006) on the east; and the lane between Larsen and Harbison Avenues on the south, to Oakland Avenue on the north.
It is mainly a working- and middle-class community, though there are poorer pockets south of Munroe Avenue and more affluent areas along the Red River and west of Henderson Highway, East Kildonan's major thoroughfare. There is a small industrial area located between Watt Street and the CPR tracks.
East Kildonan is considered part of the western half of the River East community area. It is made up of the neighbourhoods of Munroe, Morse Place, Rossmere, and Fraser's Grove.
History
The name "Kildonan" originates from the Parish of Kildonan which was created in 1817. At the time, parishes formed both a land use system and a system of local government. The Parish of Kildonan formed part of the Red River Colony, and was named for the Strath of Kildonan on the Sutherland estate in Scotland where many of the settlers came from.
The Municipality of Kildonan was established in 1876. From 1876 to 1914 the Rural Municipality of Kildonan included a large area on both sides of the Red River, just north of the original City of Winnipeg. The area remained primarily agricultural until the beginning of the 20th century. It was a centre for market gardening to serve the needs of nearby Winnipeg. In 1903 streetcar service was initiated in the area and this began the area's development as a residential suburb of Winnipeg. In 1906 the more heavily developed southern area of the municipality, known as Elmwood, joined with the City of Winnipeg.
In 1914 Kildonan was divided in two: East and West Kildonan, with the Red River as the boundary. Subsequently, in 1925, the areas north of Oakland Avenue separated to form the Municipality of North Kildonan. East Kildonan developed rapidly after World War II, the population grew from 8,439 in 1941 to 30,150 in 1971.
With a population of 20,000, the area was finally incorporated as the City of East Kildonan on 1 July 1957 (Dominion Day), making it the fourth city in the area—following Winnipeg, St. Boniface and St. James—and the sixth largest city in Manitoba. East Kildonan initially wanted its title to be the City of Kildonan, but Old, North, and West Kildonan all vehemently objected.
East Kildonan saw a housing boom in the mid 1950s, leading to the development of roads, sewers, and schools. In 1959, the opening of the Disraeli Freeway further accelerated the growth of the area.
In 1972, East Kildonan, along with the old City of Winnipeg and eleven other municipalities in the Greater Winnipeg Area, amalgamated to form the City of Winnipeg. It was the only suburban municipality to be in favour of the "unicity" scheme.
+ Reeves and Mayors of the City of East Kildonan Term Reeve / Mayor 1914-1917 Donald Munroe (1854-1924) 1918-1923 Samuel Robert Henderson (1863-1928) 1924-1928 Nicholas "Nick" Fletcher (1888-1981) 1929-1933 David Jeffery Allan (1887-1956) 1934-1947 Walter Peter Larsen (1897-1962) 1948-1955 John Leslie Bodie (1909-1997) 1956 Francis William "Frank" Dryden (1903-1963) 1956-1965 George Nordland Suttie (1901-1968) 1966 Michael Spack (1922-2011) 1966-1967 George Nordland Suttie (1901-1968) 1968-1969 Michael Ruta 1970-1971 Stanley Dowhan (1927-1993)
Geography
East Kildonan is bounded from the Red River on the west, to Panet Road, north of Blantyre Avenue, and the Canadian Pacific Railway Marconi tracks (removed in 2006) on the east; and the lane between Larsen and Harbison Avenues on the south, to Oakland Avenue on the north.
Its major thoroughfare is Henderson Highway, located on the west. The area also houses Concordia Hospital.
Neighbourhoods East Kildonan is considered part of the western half of the River East community area. It is made up of such neighbourhoods as Munroe, Morse Place, Rossmere, and Fraser's Grove. +2016 census pop. of East KildonanPop.Area sq. km.Munroe West3,0101.3Rossmere A13,3304.0Rossmere B4,1851.2River East7,7253.4Kildonan Drive4,6952.3Valhalla2,8550.7TOTAL35,80012.9
Crime rates
The table below shows the crime rates of various crimes in each of the East Kildonan neighbourhoods. The crime data spans 5 years from the year 2017 to the year 2021. The rates are crimes per 100,000 residents per year. +Crime Rates per 100,000 people in East Kildonan Neighbourhoods, 2017-2021NeighbourhoodPop.HomicideRate RobberyRateAgr. Aslt. RateCmn. Aslt RateUtt. Threat RatePropertyRateEaglemere1,56000.0676.9451.320256.48102.62062641.0Grassie5,12000.027.81766.429113.31766.43651425.8Kildonan Crossing01 --22 --11 --37 --15 --446 --Kildonan Drive4,6950042178.92189.548204.534144.89293957.4Munroe East8,50012.43991.896225.9185435.347110.615143562.4Munroe West3,0100032212.620132.958385.418119.68575694.4Rossmere-B4,1850023109.91571.743205.51676.56112920.0Valley Gardens8,43012.455130.572170.8135320.346109.116944019.0East Kildonan35,50031.7221124.5256144.2555312.7201113.266223730.7
Notable people Matt Wiebe (1979–), politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
References
External links East Kildonan History: A to C, North East Winnipeg Historical Society Miles MacDonell Collegiate - East Kildonan History East Kildonan Police 1914-1974, Pre-Amalgamation Police Department Histories (City of Winnipeg)