Parks history

Since 1910, parks have been an integral part of Calgary's vibrant landscape.

Cultural Landscapes

Cultural landscapes are simply historically significant landscapes. Similar to other historic resources, cultural landscapes connect Calgarians with their past and to their communities. View the Cultural Landscape Strategic Plan and learn more about Calgary's cultural landscapes and how The City of Calgary Parks is identifying, conserving and celebrating these valuable landscapes.

Calgary's oldest park

Central Memorial Park on 12th Avenue S.W. was designed in 1911 as an elaborate representation of the lush Victorian-era parks of the time, and has remained an important landmark in Calgary for over a century. Today, numerous pathways, flower beds and native trees remain intact and serve as a reminder of the park's central role in the social and cultural evolution of our vibrant city.

Through 11 unique memorials, the park commemorates Canada's role in several major wars and is an important place for Calgarians to pay their respects, particularly at the annual Remembrance day ceremonies on November 11th. Recently restored and re-opened to the public in 2010, this popular downtown park is also the location of the historic Central Memorial Library.

100 years of Parks in Calgary

In 2010 the City of Calgary celebrated 100 years of Parks. A commemorative book was released to mark the occasion. The book provides an overview of the history of Calgary Parks and celebrates our beautiful open spaces. 

Archaeology in Calgary

With over 1,400 archaeological sites within the city boundary (as of Spring 2018), Calgary is an archaeological hot spot. More sites are found each year as the city continues to grow. Some of these sites are located in Calgary’s parks and the archaeological record bears witness to how humans lived on Calgary’s landscapes. We encourage you to explore Calgary's parks and as you do imagine those that walked these lands in the past, how the land was once used and how that relationship with the land has changed over the years.

View the Uncovering Human History: Archaeology and Calgary Parks ​document.

You can also explore the history of our parks by browsing our collection of historic postcards , which commemorate some of the important parks of our past and present.

Want more information?

Contact Parks for any park-related inquiry or request.

Other historic parks in Calgary

Calgary's rich history is evident in many of our parks, greenspaces and historic buildings, including:

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