RESIDENTIAL LAND USE CHANGE IN INNER EDMONTON

ABSTRACT

Residential land use succession theory is permeated by the “life cycle’ ideas of social ecology, but the leading succession models offer conflicting interpretations of the sequences of change that residential areas are believed to pass through. Models have not been substantiated by analyses of the complete land use histories of all sites in areas of change. An Edmonton stage-model is derived from actual measurements of residential land use change over ten-year periods, from 1921 to 1971. It provides an empirical framework for evaluating the theoretical models, from which it is concluded that the life-cycle concept has little value as an explanation of residential change in a young, rapidly-growing city. The best fit for Edmonton's experience to date is found in the Andrews model, since it is more sensitive than most to changes in the demand environment.