Big Marlborough Park Master Plan

Next Steps

The process of upgrading Big Marlborough Park is still in progress.

The preferred park plan developed during the master plan phase will now move into the detailed design phase where it will continue to evolve.

Detailed Design

The detailed design phase is when concepts are refined to identify park features such as lamp posts, benches, trash cans, signage and landscaping.

This phase will transform the preferred park plan into a detailed construction plan and may appear different from the preferred plan due to design standards, market variations or technical constraints identified during the detailed design phase.

Anticipated Construction

We anticipate the construction plan to be completed in phases over the course of a couple of years.

Watch for project updates in 2026. Nearby residents will be notified of start dates prior to construction beginning.

Engagement Summary

Engagement for Phases 1 & 2 is now closed. A summary of results is provided below.

During the first phase of public engagement in Summer 2024, we gathered ideas and values from Calgarians to help inform the project’s direction.

In the second phase of public engagement in Spring 2025, preliminary park design concepts were shared with community members, and feedback was collected on what residents felt should be prioritized within each concept.

Priorities

Shaped by your input, these priorities reflect what we heard. They are listed in alphabetical order.

Amenities and infrastructure

Provide more and better park amenities.
Gathering spaces

Create places for gathering that facilitate relaxation, social connection, community building.
Inclusivity and accessibility

Ensure the park is accessible and inclusive to people of all abilities.
Nature

Create more opportunities to enjoy nature.
Recreation

Enhance and diversify active and passive recreation.
Safety and security

Ensure the park is safe, clean and well-maintained.

The Preferred Concept

We anticipate the construction plan to be completed in phases over the course of a couple of years.

Watch for project updates in 2026. Nearby residents will be notified of start dates prior to construction beginning.

The Preferred Concept - Community Hub

This is a close-up or detailed image of the Community Hub.

What We're Planning

This section highlights nine park amenities we will be working on, shaped by the feedback we received. Implementation will occur in phases over time. Click on the arrow on the right side of the section to advance the images or on the left side to go back.

Expanded Disc Golf

Expand current 9-hole disc golf course to 12-hole disc golf course linking the east, north and west parking lots. Disc golf baskets located in the dry pond will be removed during winter months to avoid conflict with tobogganing and skating.
Safety

We plan to move the west parking lot for better visibility, improve lighting throughout the park and parking lots, and introduce automated gates for accessing the east, west and north parking lots.
Multiuse Cricket or Soccer Fields

To diversify recreation activities in the park we have reduced the number of baseball diamonds from seven to two kept two existing soccer fields and created a multi-use field for cricket and soccer.
Pathway Realignment

We heard the east pathway along the dry pond gets slippery in the winter. To improve safety, we plan to relocate the pathway to the top of the slope to reduce slips and falls, and to create better connection to the new Community Hub and new pathway that will connect to 8th Avenue N.E.
Shade Structures and Trees

We heard the park lacks places to gather in the shade during summer months. We plan to add more trees and shelters throughout the park to create shaded gathering spots.
Basketball

The new combination 3-on-3 basketball and full court offers opportunities for more groups to play simultaneously as well as different opportunities for play and outdoor tournaments.
Pathway Connections

On the east side of the park, we added a park pathway connection to 8^th Avenue N.E. on the east side of the park and to 4 Avenue NE on the south side of the park between St. Martha and Roland Michener Schools.
Skateboard and Pump Track

We plan on adding a skateboard park and pump track to meet the demand in the N.E.
Outdoor Learning

We heard from teachers at nearby schools that they value bringing students into Big Marlborough Park to learn, explore and play. The new design will offer schools gathering spots for outdoor learning, more trees and naturalized plantings to attract biodiversity, as well as a new playground and various recreation activities for outdoor play.

Participation

This is the number of participants from both phases of outreach and engagement.

Past engagement and more

Past Engagement (Spring 2025)

An overview of the outreach and engagement for Phase 1, Round 2 Big Marlborough Park Master Plan.

Click here for more information.
Past Engagement (Summer 2024)

An overview of the outreach and engagement activities for Phase 1, Round 1 of the Big Marlborough Park Master Plan project, conducted during Summer 2024.

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Big Marlborough Park Family Zone

Click below to enter the Big Marlborough Park Family Zone.
Explore the park, share stories, join workshops, and provide feedback. From toddlers to centenarians, there’s something for everyone

Click here for more information
Bikeways and Pathways (Ward 9 & Marlborough Park)

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About the Project

Big Marlborough Park was created in the 1970s. Since then, it has remained largely untouched. It is a heavily used greenspace in the heart of the northeast community of Marlborough Park, bordered by four schools and the Marlborough Park Community Association. Demographics in northeast Calgary show a higher population of new Canadians and ethnic groups for which parks and open spaces are vital to building a sense of community and supporting newcomers.

As one of the fastest-growing quadrants in the city, the northeast has limited redeveloped regional park facilities to service the area’s high demands. Existing features within Big Marlborough Park, such as the tennis courts, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, playground, and toboggan hill, are nearing the end of their lifecycle or could use a refreshment and redevelopment to better serve the growing population.

The Big Marlborough Park Master Plan project aims to enhance this regional park and improve park amenities. Many existing features within the park are nearing the end of their lifecycle and require updates.

Big Marlborough Park was identified by the Legacy Park Program as a park that needs enhancement to better serve park users for generations to come. The Legacy Park Program invest funds in much needed upgrades and improvements to local Calgary parks.

We are eager to hear from Calgarians on how we can improve Big Marlborough Park.

We are in the second round of public engagement and want to hear from you. Join us at upcoming events or online to share your opinion and view the preliminary park designs. Your feedback will help inform the future park design.

Phase 1, round 1 of public engagement concluded in Summer 2024. It focused on understanding the community's values and priorities for Big Marlborough Park.

Phase 1, round 2 will seek public feedback on preliminary concept designs. This is scheduled for Spring 2025.

Phase 1, round 3 will occur in Fall 2025 with the presentation of the Big Marlborough Park Master Plan.

Google map image of Big Marlborough Park. It shows the green space, several ball diamonds, and surrounding buildings (schools and community centre).

Regional parks provide a special purpose or attraction which benefits users beyond an immediate community. They are designed to support longer durations of stay, accommodate a range of activities, serve multiple communities and include specialized amenities which would not be typically found in community parks, such as multi-sport surfaces, cultural landscapes or accommodation for large event spaces.

A master plan for a park serves as a roadmap. It guides how the park should be developed, used, and managed, considering its natural, cultural, and historical features. The plan is closely followed to ensure effective park management.

Download or read the Connect: Calgary's Parks Plan by clicking this link: Connect: Calgary's Parks Plan

Contact us

If you have questions or want to learn more about the Big Marlborough Park Master Plan project, contact us below:

Contact Information
Name	Engage Resource Unit
Phone	311
Email	engage@calgary.ca

WWH and WWD reports

This section includes What We Heard and What We Did reports from Phases 1 and 2 of engagement.

Questions & Answers

During engagement phases one and two, community members shared their safety concerns about the park which included:

Limited lighting throughout the park and parking lots.

General safety concerns within the parking lots.

Undesirable activity in parking lots related to illicit activities and disruptive groups gathering late at night.

To address these concerns, we plan to:

Attract more users to the park, which can lead to more regular use of the parking lots and a natural neighbourhood watch to discourage negative activities in these areas.

Add more lighting to the park and parking lots.

Add automated gates to close the parking lots after hours.

Move the west parking lot closer to Maidstone Dr N.E. for better accessibility and visibility.

Big Marlborough Park will offer many ways for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the space. For example:

Pathways have been designed and realigned to address safety concerns associated with snow and ice buildup.

The new community hub seating area is designed to be accessible and inclusive.

The new playground and play features in the park will be designed for different age groups and will meet accessibility requirements to ensure children of all abilities can play.

We received many great ideas from community members and worked to find a thoughtful balance between what the community desires and what could realistically be built and maintained over the long term given the available budget. .

The project aimed to improve park amenities to better serve families, schools, sports groups and recreational users and ensure the park serves a wide range of users for years to come.

To achieve this, public feedback is considered and balanced in conjunction with other factors such as design principles, technical feasibility, and site constraints.

We focused on what we heard currently works in the park, what needs to be changed and what the community prioritizes for park upgrades.

Key themes and priorities we heard from the public during engagement in phases one and two include:

Inclusivity and accessibility
Amenities and infrastructure
Gathering spaces
Nature
Recreation
Safety and security

We then took those ideas and worked with our internal teams to see what is possible within our limited budget and to meet current technical standards.

Due to school proximity, existing off-leash dog areas nearby and a limited project budget, we did not include an off-leash dog park in the upgrades. While there are many dog walkers in the park, we heard concerns about off-leash dogs being close to several schools and preschools which could result in conflicts with children in the area. There are two off-leash dog areas near Big Marlborough Park including Marlborough Off-Leash Dog Park and Pineridge Off-Leash Dog Park/Walkway. For more information regarding off-leash dog areas in Calgary, please visit: Dog off-leash areas in parks.

Due to a limited budget, we had to weigh the costs and benefits of adding a water feature that had limited seasonal use with the opportunity to offer other park amenities that would have a broader appeal throughout the year. The preferred park plan aims to offer year-round diverse recreation for all ages. The closest wading pools, spray parks and outdoor pools are at Prairie Winds Park or Rotary Park. For more information regarding wading pools, spray and outdoor pools, please visit: Wading pools, spray parks and outdoor pools.

New light features, benches, and other fine details will be added to the park design concept during the next project phase called detailed design which will transform the preferred plan into a detailed, constructable plan. The detailed design phase is when the preferred park design is refined and developed into more precise plans that define the geometry of areas and specify details of amenities, including lighting improvements.

We recognize how important the existing trees are to nearby residents, park users and to the city’s overall tree canopy. A few trees in the park may be impacted by pathway improvements, however, the project has plans to increase the total number of trees in Big Marlborough Park as part of the park improvements.

Feedback from the public suggested there was a need for better basketball courts and areas for more formal and informal outdoor basketball tournaments. A 3-on-3 basketball court allows several smaller groups to play on the court simultaneously, so more users can enjoy the space. Creating a plaza and introducing more seating and public art near this activity area will bring more people to the space and make it more comfortable for users. This type of basketball court is affordable, spatially efficient, and inclusive.

Currently, Big Marlborough Park has 7 underused baseball diamonds. We heard from the public and schools that different recreation and sport options were needed. The City saw the potential to add a multiuse cricket field with two minor league soccer fields to further activate the park, diversifying recreational activities available to the nearby schools and provide a much-needed cricket field for northeast Calgary communities.

After completing an amenity analysis, the project team identified that skateparks were missing or sparse in northeast communities. In addition, we heard from community members that they supported having a skatepark in Big Marlborough Park.

After completing an amenity analysis, the project team identified that pump tracks were missing or sparse in northeast communities. In addition, we heard from the public that they supported having a pump track in Big Marlborough Park.

The possibility of dedicated pickleball courts is still being explored, and The City is developing recommendations for pickleball locations.

Given the scale of improvements to the park, we are working towards a phased construction schedule. We are also working with the two other City projects in the park, the Penbrooke Sanitary Trunk Upgrade, and upgrades to the Marlborough Dry Pond to reduce surging. More updates about these projects will be shared in 2026.

The relocation is a response to ongoing community concerns about social disorder in the west parking lot which included reports of large gatherings leading to noise complaints, harassment, and other issues.

To address these concerns, the project team worked with internal experts, design consultants, and The City of Calgary Corporate Security team. The recommendation to relocate the west parking lot is based on:

Public feedback from engagement rounds

Corporate Security recommendations

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) standards

Impacts to the berm and trees

Plans to improve the crosswalk across Maidstone Drive N.E.

Better align the park entry and accessibility from the west parking into Big Marlborough Park

Currently, the west parking lot is partially hidden by a berm and set back from street views, creating a secluded area that has contributed to social disorder. Moving the lot closer to the street will improve visibility and help deter these issues while still providing parking for park users.

The recommendation to relocate the west parking lot was finalized only weeks before the third round of public engagement in Fall 2025. This timing reflects the need to:

Gather and analyze feedback from previous engagement rounds

Consult with internal experts and Corporate Security

Review CPTED standards and design implications

We recognize the impact this change may have on nearby residents and welcome the opportunity to meet with residents to discuss their concerns. The exact location of the relocated parking lot has not yet been finalized.

Timeline

* Please note: Timelines are subject to change.

Timeline item 1 - complete

Master Plan: 2024-2025
- A park master plan was developed during this timeand will guide how the park should be improved, used, and managed. The plan is closely followed to ensure effective park management.
- Throughout the master plan process, The City engaged with key organizations and the public to gather input to inform the park design.
- Design concepts for the park were developed and evaluated, resulting in a preferred plan for park improvements.
Timeline item 2 - active

Detailed Design - 2025-2026
- The detailed design phase is when the preferred park design developed during the master plan phase is refined and developed into more precise plans that define the geometry of areas, specify details on amenities, materials and other items that will make it easier to construct the improvements.
- The detailed park design that is produced during this phase can appear different from the preferred design concept developed during the master plan process.
- Detailed construction plans and technical drawings are also prepared during this project phase. These documents guide contractors during construction.
Timeline item 3 - incomplete

Projected Construction - 2027-2029
- In this phase, construction contractors bid on the project. Once a contractor is selected, construction begins on the improvements outlined in the plans prepared during the detailed design phase.
Timeline item 4 - incomplete

Anticipated Public Opening - 2030
- Once construction is complete, the park is officially opened to the public.

Contact Information
Phone	311 or 403-268-CITY (2489)
Email	engage@calgary.ca
Website	www.calgary.ca

Big Marlborough Park Master Plan

Next Steps

Engagement Summary

Priorities

Amenities and infrastructure

Gathering spaces

Inclusivity and accessibility

Nature

Recreation

Safety and security

The Preferred Concept

The Preferred Concept - Community Hub

What We're Planning

Expanded Disc Golf

Safety

Multiuse Cricket or Soccer Fields

Pathway Realignment

Shade Structures and Trees

Basketball

Pathway Connections

Skateboard and Pump Track

Outdoor Learning

Participation

Past engagement and more

Past Engagement (Spring 2025)

Past Engagement (Summer 2024)

Big Marlborough Park Family Zone

Bikeways and Pathways (Ward 9 & Marlborough Park)

Contact Us