Calgary Celebrating 100 Years of Parks
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from the ground up CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS This book is dedicated to all the individuals, groups and organizations which have supported and contributed to Calgary’s parks and pathways. Our parks and pathways are remarkable, a direct reflection of the extraordinary people who have, and continue to give, their time and energy creating and sustaining a vibrant, healthy, safe and caring community filled with beautiful spaces for Calgarians today and for generations to come. table of contents letters 10 12 TintroductionHE EARTH BENEATH OUR FEET CHAPTER 1 14 1putting 875 – 1 909 down roots CHAPTER 2 32 1910the –seeds 1946 of promise CHAPTER 3 54 the growing season 1947 – 1976 CHAPTER 4 68 a respectable harvest 1977 – 2000 CHAPTER 5 86 a bountiful future 2001 – ONWARD 106 1867timeline – 2010 110 CALGARYbibliographical CELEBRATING 100 essay YEARS OF PARKS notes 116 4 CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS 5 RIGHT (Top-bottom, left-right) Victoria Park, c 1910s, CPR Gardens, c 1900s. HISTORIC POSTCARD COLLECTION: COURTESY OF MR. ROE. OPPOSITE PAGE (Top-bottom, left-right) Shaganappi Point, Bow River c 1900s. HISTORIC POSTCARDS: COURTESY MR. ROE Swinging at Bowness Park, c 1910s. GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-4355-31 Swimming in Elbow River, c 1940s. GLENBOW ARCHIVES PA-3538-20 8 CALGARY 8 CELEBRATING CALGARY 100 CELEBRATING YEARS OF PARKS 100 YEARS OF PARKS CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS 9 Letters Dear Fellow Calgarians: Dear Reader; Our natural environment is an important asset in our great city, and it is particularly The year 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of The City of Calgary Parks. One hundred years important as our city grows and matures, we protect, expand and enhance our public ago the first Parks Superintendent was tasked with planning and establishing a park system green spaces. Over the past 100 years, Parks has worked to create and sustain a vibrant, for the growing town of Calgary; population approximately 40,000. healthy, safe and caring community as the provider of parks and open space. Although Parks has seen significant changes over the last century, many things haven’t Please join me in celebrating the 100th anniversary of The City of Calgary Parks as we changed. Calgarians’ appreciation for green spaces was woven into the fabric of Calgary’s commemorate the past, present and future of parks and open spaces in Calgary. From culture early in 1884 when citizens could purchase spruce trees for five cents each to help the time of the first Parks Superintendent, John Buchanan, until now, the citizens of beautify the town. Today, Calgarians continue to care for and protect our green spaces of Calgary recognized the need for quality parks and open spaces. more than 7,700 hectares and including more than 700 kilometres of pathways. Our parks have truly grown with us – from activities that have stood the test of time like music concerts Understanding our roots and working to maintain and enhance our natural environment in parks, to new activities like geocaching – parks have a special place in our lives. will help ensure a bright future for all Calgarians, spanning many generations and centuries to come. Parks are a precious resource in a big city – please take some time to For 100 years, The City of Calgary Parks has stewarded open spaces and nature. learn more about Calgary’s open spaces, and get out and enjoy them for yourself! We have been a part of every Calgary neighbourhood. We look forward to many more years of promoting environmental stewardship and community pride in these parks that make Calgary a great city and a wonderful place to live. Sincerely, Sincerely, October 12, 2010 October 10, 2010 Dave Bronconnier Anne Charlton, CSLA Mayor Director 10 CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS 11 The earth beneath our feet This is the story of the builders and The varying textures are dramatic, the Whether enjoyed as a place to walk, sit, duals, families and corporations that recog- POSTCARDS BELOW (left to right) CPR Park, benefactors of Calgary’s parks and open climate brazen, the microclimates and plant play or socialize, parks have considerable nize the intrinsic value of public open space 1900s, Skating on Elbow spaces; the individuals, community groups life diverse. bearing on the quality of life enjoyed by the by making it a priority, for now and for River, 1910s, St. George’s and corporations that have together shaped population of any urban community. Parks the future. Island, 1920s, Central the softer side— the sense of place — in this Two rivers bring in clean mountain water, provide a much-needed respite from the which over thousands of years, has carved After 100 years of growing and nurturing, Memorial Park, 1940s, urban centre, over the past 100 years. unnatural pace of an urban lifestyle. Dinny at Calgary Zoo steep escarpments, rendered bluffs and Calgary boasts a parks and open space 1950s, Central Memorial It is the story about people changing nature defined islands along the river valley. But competing interests and high land system that covers 7,742 hectares spread Park, 1970s. to conform to human needs and expecta- values can challenge priorities, and the nat- over 5,345 individual parcels. This system The region’s topography was ideal for bison HISTORIC POSTCARD COLLECTION tions, and then changing expectations to ural environment is always and by defini- of community parks is supplemented by an COURTESY OF MR. ROE. align with, to preserve, and even to restore hunting among the First Nations people who tion, vulnerable. Putting useful land to the extensive pathway system stretching more the natural environment and cultural land- have been here all along. In time, it would side for public enjoyment before private than 700 kilometres. scape that is Calgary. lend itself to more recreational exploits as interests consume it is at best expensive, and environmental parkland within the city. at worst, cost-prohibitive. As Parks celebrates 100 years of effort and Calgary’s physical setting is spectacular and The natural landscape of Calgary provides accomplishment, the parks themselves cont- opportune. The city sits on the western edge the physical resources for the growing of The City of Calgary has benefited immensely inue to provide a source of public pride and of the prairie grasslands in clear view of the parks. People provide the vision and energy from the foresight and generosity of indivi- a place of belonging. Rocky Mountains to the south and west. to make that growth happen. 12 CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS 13 THIS PAGE Picnic lunch while ploughing in Alberta, c 1910. GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-3747-6 CHAPTER ONE Putting down roots 1875–1909 14 CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS 15 Putting down roots – growing Calgary’s park system THIS PAGE Bow River and Islands Plan, 1913. PLAN: CITY OF CALGARY PARKS CALGARY CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PARKS 17 Putting down roots The promise of economic opportunity stimulated 1 considerable interest in the area, and by the time the railroad 1875 –1909 arrived in 1883, a steady influx of settlers had already spawned a small town. icture it if you will. A camp Bow River valley. The After the establishment of on the north shore of the Bow promise of economic Fort Calgary, the town of Calgary became River, across from what is now opportunity stimulated official in the fall of 1884, with its own St. George’s Island. Smoke is considerable interest in government, industry (agricultural), wafting from a smouldering the area, and by the time newspaper (the H erald) and a spattering fire that barely warms the the railroad arrived in of timber homes exposed to the relentless crisp morning air. The running river anim- 1883, a steady influx of winds and manic climes of the bald ates an otherwise silent vignette at this settlers had already spaw- prairie. It was a harsh environment, but strategic junction in the First Nations trail ned a small town. the 500 or so residents were optimistic system. For generations the people of the they could transform it into home. Blackfoot Nation have camped here. The town of Calgary became official in the In the winter of 1787-88, European explorer fall of 1884, with its own David Thompson joined them. He recorded government, industry the longitude and latitude of the spot in (agricultural), newspaper his journal. (the Herald) and a spatt- ering of timber homes Not far away but nearly 100 years later, the exposed to the relentless winds and manic ABOVE First Nations North West Mounted Police established climes of the bald prairie. It was a harsh camp near Fort Calgary, AB., c 1880s. an outpost on a tract of barren land at the environment, but the 500 or so residents confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers. were optimistic they could transform it GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-665-1 The year was 1875 and the west was about to into home. LEFT The View of be settled. Fort Calgary represented law and Fort Calgary, AB., order in this remote region on the western When it came to transforming the landscape looking north from bank edge of the prairies. And that semblance of from barren to beautiful, William Pearce of Elbow River, 1881. civilization, along with unprecedented home- proved to be Calgary’s earliest and perhaps steading opportunities, would entice enter- most influential benefactor. An inspector for GLENBOW ARCHIVES NA-325-13 prising pioneers to stake a claim out west. the Dominion Land Agencies in Ottawa, Pearce oversaw all land title claims out west.