Calgary's Bowness Park to be updated by 2015
Park to remain open during construction with portions being closed as required
Calgary's Bowness Park located in the city's northwest is getting a makeover.
The popular all-year-round destination offers a variety of services already, including paddling in the summer and ice skating in the winter, but discussions for the 100-year-old park include a tea house and better parking.
According to the City of Calgary, the park will undergo changes beginning in the spring of 2012 to support the increased number of park visitors expected over the coming years and enhance the park experience.
Inga Pollhaus grew up in Bowness. She's now a member of the Bowness Historical Society and says the early days of the park are still vivid in her mind.
"We had a wonderful tea house where you sat and you watched all the boaters go by, we had a dance hall, the dance hall was fantastic," Pollhaus said.
Carole Carpenter, president of the Bowness Historical Society, said the park was actually a negotiation tool between the founder of Bowness, John Hextall, and the city.
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"He agreed to donate Bowness park to the City of Calgary in exchange for our street railway to come through over his bridge, the Hextall Bridge, to take people and expand this area," Carpenter said.
The city's plan is to also boost the park’s environmental health and to complete much-needed upgrades and replacements.
During construction, the park will remain open, with portions being closed as required.
Project updates will be posted on park signs and on the city's website and construction is expected to be completed in 2015.
The reported multi-million dollar redevelopment will be paid for out of the city's community investment fund.
Project includes:
- New central pedestrian area with better access to the lagoon in summer and winter.
- New concession and cafe building.
- Restoration of the river edge to stabilize the eroding bank and provide safe access to the river during low water levels.
- New wading pool.
- More parking in one central location at the centre of the park to improve traffic flow.
- New water control structures at the lagoon will for more efficient water management.
- Construction of a new parking lot at the west end of Baker Park for rafters to enter the Bow River.
- New park entrance bridge.
- Interpretative signage and historic elements to celebrate the rich history of this 100-year-old park.