[YYCguys]

I thought I'd start a thread for discussion on which Calgary parks are your favorite and why and which ones aren't and why. Also, I'd like to initiate discussion here on if you think Calgary has enough parks -regional or otherwise- and if not, where would you like to see some parks being created and what kind of facilities should be in those parks, such as spray parks, interpretive centres, etc?

I'd like to start it out by saying my favorite park is Bowness Park! There is so much to do, whether it's paddleboating or picnicing, and the huge trees are really beautiful. My least favorite park is Inglewood Wildlands Park which is just a huge flat ugly piece of former wasteland that the City can't do anything else with, I assume, due to contanimation issues. Although, if I had my druthers, I'd rather see that piece of land transformed into a railway museum or perhaps some more residential, should it ever be possible to have the railyards relocated.
I'm really excited about the new Riverwalk as part of the East Village redevelopment! I hope it will be as nice as it is on paper!

[Jimby]

Princess Obolensky Park must be the smallest park in the city. It is situated where 4th Street SW deadends in Parkhill. I think my living room is bigger than the park! Although it is a tiny space, it has a great view of the Elbow Valley and the mountains beyond.

[twsnagel]

I'm really excited about the new Riverwalk as part of the East Village redevelopment! I hope it will be as nice as it is on paper!

I'm sure it will be as pleasant to walk on as the indigent-filled river-walk that was developed between Centre St. and the flyover a few years ago.

It's so nice to have drunk people to step over during a romantic evening stroll along the river.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Gotta represent my neighbourhood- I love Buckmaster Park in Bankview- nice little path, and it ascends up this hill with gorgeous views. They did a great job of tree planting and (in general) landscaping there, not just a patch of grass.

[Wooster]

Faves are Riley Park, Prince's Island, Bowness Park, Edworthy, Bowmont, Confederation and Sandy Beach.

[MarkL]

River Park/Sandy Beach

Nose Hill

Douglas Fir Trail at Edworthy Park

Weaselhead

I may be in the extremely small minority that think that Calgary has far too many "parks". What I am generally referring to are the neighbourhood parcels that are the size of a large house lot, with nothing at all in them. They're there largely it seems because of some formula, serve no purpose other than absorbing pesticides and giving parks crews some lawn to cut, and are never used by anyone.

[Bigtime]

My favorites:

-Edworthy
-Nose Hill
-Bowness

[Grendel]

I wind up at the little park on 16th ave between 8 & 9 st often because I take walks to Caffe Beano with my 1 year old son all the time. We go get a coffee and then I take him to the park and push him on the swings. On nice days there's normally a couple of homeless men either taking naps or drinking in it; on blusterier days like today it's usually empty, just full of garbage... the grass always seem to be in danger of being choked out by the cigarette butts. Last week, we tolerated the passed out drunks until a gang of surly teenage thugs came along to smoke drugs and glare at us... no wonder nobody's raising kids in the inner city.

[O-tacular]

Can't believe no one mentioned fish creek.

There are bald eagles and native burial grounds.

[The Chemist]

Can't believe no one mentioned fish creek.

There are bald eagles and native burial grounds.

I`d definitely put this one at the top of my list, given that I grew up in Queensland. I spent a lot of my childhood in that park, riding bikes, rollerblading, playing at Sikome Lake, etc, etc. It`s a real gem.:)

[Wentworth]

Who owns the lands that extend Westward along the Bow River from Bowness park? There's a nice stand of forest there, it's a shame that can't be preserved.

Also, it's a shame they didn't set aside any of the Aspen forest on the west edge of the city for a natural park. It's almost all gone now. Even the stuff in the MD of Rockyview is going fast.

[Jimby]

I'm looking forward to the new Glenbow Ranch Park along the Bow river between Bearspaw and Cochrane, as well as the new Ralph Klein Park somewhere in the far SE.

[mersar]

I'm looking forward to the new Glenbow Ranch Park along the Bow river between Bearspaw and Cochrane, as well as the new Ralph Klein Park somewhere in the far SE.

Yeah, Glenbow Ranch will be nice once its finally ready. There was an article in the Cochrane paper about it recently as some people were under the impression it would be opened to the public this year, however it may be another year or two. They are taking their time to lay things out correctly, and from what I read between the lines it sounds like CPR has been taking their time on approving the crossings where the path system goes over the railway tracks (a necessary evil in this case thanks to the CPR mainline running through the middle of the park)

[McMahon]

Can't believe no one mentioned fish creek.

There are bald eagles and native burial grounds.

Whereabouts?

I love the parks in Calgary. It's easily my favourite thing about this city. And I'm also lucky in that I'm a short walk to Fish Creek to the south of me and a shorter walk to South Glenmore to the north of me.

[O-tacular]

They're scattered and unmarked all throughout the park. The year after the massive spring floods that wreaked havoc on the pedestrian infrastructure of fish creek I ended up finding human remains. The police confirmed it was a human jaw bone of considerable age. I also found a buffalo vertabrae. Shortly after my discovery the paper had a story of a farmer west of the city who found whole skeletons.

Also, if you go down past lake sycome there are teepee rings left over in parts of the old off leash dog area.

[Calgarian]

Prince's Island and Fish Creek.