Downtown East Village Community Reviews

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Looking for a cool park to check out in Calgary? Let me tell you about St. Patrick's Island Park. This park is right in the city, but it feels like a bit of a nature escape. It's medium-sized, so there's enough space to roam around without feeling overwhelmed. Plus, there's free parking nearby, which is always a win. One of the coolest things about this park is that it's on an island in the Bow River. You can walk or bike there on a bridge, or even check out the river from the boardwalk. They have trails that wind through woods and wetlands, so it's a great place to get some fresh air and unplug. If you've got kids, they'll love the big playground area. There's also a shallow stream for wading in the summer (perfect for cooling off those little legs!). And for everyone else, there's a hill for tobogganing in the winter and a plaza for relaxing and enjoying the view. Basically, this park has something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a place to play, explore, or just chill out, St. Patrick's Island Park is a great spot to check out. History Situated across from the rapidly developing East Village, St. Patrick’s Island is one of Calgary’s oldest parks. Its development as a public space began in the late 1890s and gained momentum with construction of a bridge to the island in the early 1900s. In 2010, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) led an extensive public engagement program to inform the master plan for the park’s redesign. More than 6,000 Calgarians gave feedback into the vision for the park. St. Patrick’s Island takes a landscape design approach known as “biophilia” that nurtures a bond between people and nature. The flood of 2013 briefly interrupted the redevelopment, and the park reopened July 31, 2015. St. Patrick’s Island Park is a public park, but will be managed and maintained by CMLC during the development of the East Village. For more information please contact info@calgarymlc.ca or visit calgarymlc.ca