Calgarians celebrate the grand opening of Haskayne Legacy Park

The City of Calgary is pleased to announce the grand opening of the newest regional park located at the northwestern edge of Calgary (9000 149 St N.W.). Nestled along the banks of the Bearspaw Reservoir, Haskayne Legacy Park protects 126-hectares of a serene prairie environment. This natural area park promises to be a sanctuary for nature enthusiasts, families, and those who love to explore.

On Sept. 16, 2023, the community gathered to unveil Calgary’s newest addition to its vast open spaces program. The opening was a momentous occasion since Haskayne Legacy Park is the first regional park we've opened in more than 10 years.

This new space boasts Calgary’s first net-zero 2,400 square-foot pavilion building – a ground-breaking achievement in sustainable development and the first in our building portfolio. This park aims to honour preservation of nature, with hectares of native fescue grassland and a regional pathway along the protected Bearspaw Reservoir.
 

Calgarians can also find a sheltered outdoor space equipped with large harvest tables, a gas fireplace, and seating nooks for family and friends to gather. Granular nature trails in the north area of the park offer visitors a walking loop and the chance to meander through scenic expanses of grasslands with spectacular views of the Bow River and foothills.

“Haskayne Legacy Park is not just a park; it’s a testament to our commitment to preserving and connecting Calgarians with the valuable ecological and cultural heritage in the area,” said Kyle Ripley, Director of Parks and Open Spaces. "We are so happy to add another great regional park to our vast open space system and are confident that Calgarians will really enjoy this place.”

The development of the regional park is the result of the collaboration and partnership between Dick and Lois Haskayne, the City of Calgary, and Rocky View County. The northwest boundary of the park borders Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park which includes approximately 1,300 hectares of grasslands. Together, Haskayne Legacy Park and Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park will create a continuous greenway along the Bow River valley.

“To finally see the connection between Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park and Haskayne Legacy Park, is fantastic,” says Tim Harvie, Director of the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation. “This development is so important, and we are excited to see the continuous pathway connections between our two parks.”

The park came to be when Dick and Lois Haskayne donated a portion of the land to the University of Calgary, which was then acquired by the City of Calgary in 2006 through the ENMAX Legacy Parks Program. Development of the park cost approximately $16 million, not including land acquisition and public access road improvements.

"We are the first of many generations of Calgarians who will frequent the Haskayne Legacy Park in search of tranquility and recreation. There's no doubt that when we invest in our parks, all of us benefit. The City is proud to partner with Dick and Lois Haskayne on this incredible project which is an excellent example of the power of philanthropy and collaboration," said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.

Thanks to visionary people like Dick and Lois Haskayne, the protection of this unique park will be cherished forever by many.

“This has been a long time coming. We are so pleased to open the regional park to offer Calgarians a new natural environment and recreational space,” said Dick and Lois Haskayne. “It was vital for us to protect untouched, historic lands close to the city. The name was never important to us — what was important, was what we were able to achieve.” 

For more information about the new regional park, go to Calgary.ca/hlp.