Edmonton Closes Keillor Point Viewpoint After Landslide Washes Away Six Pillars Edmonton has partially closed the Keillor Point viewpoint after a landslide washed away six pillars, with record rainfall accelerating erosion in the river valley. The City of Edmonton has partially closed the Keillor Point viewpoint, informally known as The End of the World, after a landslide washed away six pillars and record rainfall accelerated erosion. The city announced the partial closure on Wednesday, and a city official confirmed the details to CTV News Edmonton on Friday. The viewpoint is located in the river valley and is supported by remnants of a pile wall originally installed to stabilise a portion of Keillor Road in the 1980s and 1990s. Keillor Road was permanently closed to traffic in 1995 due to erosion.Landslide Removes Pillars at Keillor PointAccording to Braeden Holmstrom, the city’s supervisor for river valley parks, the six pillars that previously stood beyond the viewing platform were washed away in a landslide in June. He said the pillars used to be connected to the ones still standing.Continued monitoring showed further deterioration at the site after the slide. The city has been conducting regular geotechnical inspections and monitoring in the area for years because of the landslide danger.Holmstrom said last winter’s snowfall and record rainfalls over the summer accelerated the problem. He explained that the city knew about the fallen pillars but then saw more erosion happening, which prompted the fencing.The city uses a combination of technology and human reporting to track slide activity. Holmstrom said geotechnical teams and engineers have monitoring stations throughout the river valley in areas known for landslides or active slumping, and those monitors can detect shifting movement.He added that the city also relies on the public to report issues and has staff who visit lookouts to assess their condition. The unbarricaded portion of the viewing platform remains safe, but barricades and fencing are in place to keep people away from the hazardous area.Erosion Affects Trails Across EdmontonHolmstrom said erosion is not limited to Keillor Point. This year, trails have been impacted on every side of the city. On the west side of the river valley, trails in Whitemud Park and the Whitemud Ravine have seen some slumping.On the east side, in Capilano, there is a trail closure on some granular trails. The city continues to monitor these areas.Trails are not allowed in the Keillor Point portion of the river valley because it is an active landslide area even in years with less rainfall. Holmstrom said the city does not know when a slide will happen and that concrete pillars can fall overnight without warning.The End of the World was a popular but unsanctioned viewpoint for Edmontonians for years until the city constructed the current viewpoint in 2018. Holmstrom said the lookout used to be a dirt hill where people would sit on the pillars, which was very dangerous and resulted in many injuries. The city built the lookout to provide a safer way to enjoy the view.Geotechnical Expert Warns of Active River ValleyRenato Macciotta, a professor at the Geotechnical Centre at the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Alberta, studies erosion and ground movement. He said Edmonton’s river valley is always shifting.Macciotta explained that most slopes, if not all, are moving in some way, and that it is a natural balance between erosional processes and slope stability. He noted that the North Saskatchewan riverbanks are no stranger to landsliding events and have a lengthy history of landslide activity that has been featured in research publications.One notable example occurred in October 1999 when a house in Riverbend slid into the valley and others were left hanging over the edge. While some years see less activity, Macciotta said 2026 has been particularly busy.He described it as a very active year, not just in the city but province wide. He said there have been several occasions where landslide and rockfall events have been studied, and measurements this year indicate that the frequency and magnitude of these events have definitely increased.Work is still underway to determine how to proceed with the situation at Keillor Point. Holmstrom reiterated that the unbarricaded portion of the viewing platform remains safe and that people can still visit the site, but they should stay away from the fenced-off area.