The City of Edmonton has closed an extended portion of the Keillor Point viewing area and platform after heavy summer rainfall worsened erosion and slope instability at the west Edmonton lookout. Barricades and signs are in place, while the main trail and viewpoint remain open to the public. No injuries have been reported, and the city has not said how long the restriction will last.

Keillor Point, also known as “The End of the World,” is in Belgravia at 74 Avenue and Saskatchewan Drive. The viewpoint sits about 15 metres above the North Saskatchewan River and overlooks the river valley and west Edmonton. The site is below Saskatchewan Drive, between 74 Avenue and 76 Avenue, and above the remains of Keillor Road, which was closed to traffic in 1994 and later eroded into the river valley.

The city said regular geotechnical inspections and monitoring have found continuing slope deterioration from erosion and localized instability. Record-setting rainfall in June and July accelerated the damage, reducing support for the viewing platform. The city described the summer’s conditions as “extreme” and said they caused additional loss of support for the structure, which rests on remnants of a pile wall originally installed to stabilize part of Keillor Road.

The partial closure was put in place last week, according to a city spokesperson quoted by Postmedia. The city has installed temporary signs and barricades to keep visitors away from the extended section. Permanent signs with more information are expected soon. Visitors are asked to respect the barriers and signs and stay on designated paths.

City inspections will continue to track site conditions and public safety risks. Engineers are working on information to guide longer-term options for the viewing area, but no repair plan has been released. The city said decisions about long-term repairs, continued restrictions or a permanent closure will depend on ongoing assessments and further engineering work.

The lookout became a popular destination after Keillor Road closed in the 1990s. For years, people reached the secluded spot by descending a steep embankment, despite fencing, patrols and signs prohibiting entry. Visitors used the old retaining wall’s large pillars as a makeshift ledge; exposed rebar and deteriorating concrete also posed hazards. The city eventually formalized the site to improve safety and reduce the risk of people falling down the bank.

City council approved engineering work on the lookout in 2017. A viewing platform was constructed in 2018, and the staircase, hand railing, formalized viewing area and granular path opened in 2019, when the lookout was officially named Keillor Point. The Edmonton Journal reported the city’s makeover cost $1.5 million. The viewing area became an official destination after decades of people visiting it informally.

In a 2015 city survey about “The End of the World,” 2,568 citizens participated and 2,282 completed the survey, including nearly 600 Belgravia residents. About half of respondents had visited the site in the previous year, and many valued its unrestricted view. Their main concerns included the fence’s height and whether changes would take away the site’s natural feel.

Based on reporting by Global News Edmonton, Edmonton Journal and CTV News Edmonton.