Often, you will see the White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii), also known as the Prairie Hare, running through the fields! In the winter, its fur is white to help camouflage with snow, whereas, in the fall, the hare has brown fur to blend in with fall colours. This adaptation is very useful as it helps them better hide from predators. Prairie Hares can run up to 55km/hr and jump 5 metres high! Can you spot a hare during your walk?

You will notice something unusual if you see hare tracks in the snow. When they are hopping, their back feet land in front of their front feet! 

Calgary is a bee city!

Did you know? This is a "pollinator hotel". Think of the whole structure as a building; each log is a separate unit, and each hole in the log is like a bedroom.

The holes drilled into wood mimic natural tunnels like hollow stems, old beetle tunnels in wood, or slender cavities in fallen branch/leaf piles. These make for nice, safe spaces for native bees to lay eggs. After laying an egg and provisioning it with pollen and nectar, the female bee caps it off. Depending on the type of bee, the cap may be made of mud (mason bees), cut leaves (leafcutter bees), chewed wood (carpenter bees) or a waxy secretion (masked bees).

The “pollinator hotels” aim to provide pollinators a safe place to overwinter. In addition to the two pollinator hotels, the park has over 400 different types and varieties of plants.

This park has mostly ornamental (non-native) trees and tended gardens. It demonstrates how humans can come together to shape a space. Initially flat farmland, Prairie Winds Park was created in 1990. Few or no trees were originally on the site.

How many different trees can you count? Prairie Winds is home to over 30 tree species, including Elm, Poplar, Silver Maple, Scots Pine, Bur Oak, Green Ash, Chokecherry, Crabapple, Mountain Ash, Hawthorn and Ohio Buckeye trees.

This artwork comprises two parts – the pod and the seed.

The art represents a seed pod carried by the wind and landing on top of the hill. Nestled into the heart of the hill, the native prairie wildflower seed will germinate and grow. 

From almost anywhere in the park, the seed pod is invisible. It may only be seen by those who trek to the top of the hill!

Look for common Calgary birds like Northern Flicker woodpeckers, magpies, crows, and ravens.

In a highly landscaped park such as this one, mammals are scarce. The open landscape, lack of cover, busy pathways, and roads make this park less desirable for some animals. White-tailed Prairie Hares will visit to munch on the grass, as you know. The occasional deer might also wander through. Mice, voles, ground squirrels, tree squirrels and other small rodents are also likely present. If you spot some wildlife, consider yourself lucky to see a furry friend!

Feel free to take a break at this bench while you learn about the history of Prairie Winds Park.

In 1985, the Northeast quadrant of the City of Calgary was identified as lacking in useable park space. A group of community residents formed the North East Calgary Parks Development Association (NECPDA) to promote and develop green space and recreational facilities within the area.

In 1986, Mayor Ralph Klein and the City Council approved the allocation of 40 acres of parkland in the Northeast Communities on the condition that NECPDA raise $800,000 (or 25%) towards the cost of development. NECPDA collected donations and held fundraisers, helping to raise the required money from 1987 to 1989.

Prairie Winds Park was named at the park naming celebration held by the Calgary Parks Department and NECPDA. The park was opened on September 8, 1990, celebrating Grant MacEwan’s 90th birthday. A grove of 90 trees was planted, and Grant MacEwan Grove was named in his honour. This grove is between stops 3 and 4 on the walk.

During the reconstruction of Prairie Winds Park in 2017, Mayor Nenshi requested the addition of a Tandoor oven as a unique amenity that would allow for community gatherings and cultural sharing.

A Tandoor oven is often used throughout the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Central Asia and China. They can range in size from small, portable ovens that can be transported easily to large, permanent structures built into outdoor kitchen areas. Regardless of size, all Tandoor ovens are made of clay, with some sort of insulating material on the outside. They are cylindrical, and a fire is built at the bottom of the oven, which heats the walls and the air inside as high as 9000F.

Once the oven is hot, the fire can cool to embers before the cooking starts. Flatbreads like naan get slapped to the inside wall of the oven, and meats are usually cooked on long metal skewers. Once a Tandoor oven reaches cooking temperatures, it can maintain that heat for hours without much additional fuel.

Please note:

• Wood or charcoal can only burn within fire pits or other intended receptacles (e.g. BBQ stands or Tandoor oven)
• Portable propane fire pits or BBQs are only permitted at designated picnic sites.

Generally, coniferous trees do not lose their needles, providing us with greenery all year. However, you will notice in the winter that the Siberian Larch has no needles. In addition to being coniferous trees, Larches are also deciduous, meaning they lose their needles, similar to broadleaved trees like Poplar! 

This unique play area encourages youth to explore and challenge themselves as they develop new skills. It promotes play as an essential part of healthy child development. The play area features are designed for different ages and levels of ability.