Hi, John! I think I remember you from a thread quite a while back about Vancouver!
I've also lived in Edmonton most of my adult life. I've had opportunities to move elsewhere and have chosen to stay.
To add to bev r's comments, Edmonton has many of the advantages of a fair-sized city, and still has a friendly personality.
In addition to the professional sports, there is a very strong recreation sport environment (running the gammut from soccer, hockey, basketball, volleyball, cycling, equestrian; you name it). The surrounding Edmonton area has lots of out-doorsy activities -- which means you don't have to take a trip to the mountains to enjoy the great outdoors. There are lots of lakes and wilderness parks nearby. Believe it or not, the prairies also boast excellent sailers, because there are plenty of lakes and lots of breeze.
In terms of quality of life, Edmonton enjoys a lot of amenities, at a very reasonable price. Compensation is good, and the low cost of housing, (relative to the Canadian norm), low provincial income and no provincial sales tax makes one's income go a long way.
Culturally, Edmonton has a lot to offer. In the summer, there is hardly a weekend without a music (jazz, folk, blues, etc) or theatre festival. (The Fringe Festival, which is well-known internationally, started in Edmonton). HeritageDays are great! There is professional opera, symphony, theatre, and ballet in the city.
Winters are tolerable (actually, they've been very mild recenlty), and when it's really cold, it doesn't last long. At least it's always sunny, and the cold is a dry cold.
If you're interested in something specific, don't be shy to drop a pm.