We thought we were decent crib players, but this well-established group of 34 seniors soundly walloped us. We had a great time talking about the park for those who lived nearby and the value and importance of the Marlborough Park Community Association for those who live further away but have travelled to the Community Association weekly for over 10 years.

We had the pleasure of talking with the Sports Calgary coordinator and heard Big Marlborough Park has been a regular site for All Sport One Day for the past three years. They really like the set-up of the indoor space at the Community Association, parking, multiple sports fields, courts and disc golf. The kids loved the numerous sports, and the caregivers loved the location, although both had lots of recommendations on how to improve the park.

A presentation on the Big Marlborough Park Master Plan project to the committee on September 18, 2024. You can find out more about the SWAC by clicking on the following link: City of Calgary Social Wellbeing Committee.

Centre for Newcomers Youth Engagement Session

On Oct. 2, 2024, the Big Marlborough Park project team engaged over 60 newcomer youth, aged 11 to 18, at a session called FLY (Future Leaders Youth), hosted by the Centre for Newcomers.

This session gave attendees the opportunity to share their ideas for park improvements at Big Marlborough Park and to learn about urban planning.

We learned that many youths in attendance go to school or live near Big Marlborough Park. At the event, youth collectively painted four outdoor chairs to visually show what they value in public spaces and added their own artistic creations.

This was a meaningful opportunity for The City of Calgary to receive feedback from new Calgarians and to learn about their opinions of public spaces.

The Big Marlborough Park team, together with members from the 5A Network (Pathways and Mobility), engaged over 60 youth in a variety of activities. These included creating Public Art, designing a park using empathy profiles, and discussing transportation!

On Nov. 16, 2024, the Big Marlborough Park Master Plan project team had the pleasure of participating in a Winter Craft Fair, hosted by the Big Marlborough Park Community Association.

It was such a treat for our team to set up a craft making booth alongside incredible small-business owners and artists from the community. During the event, we got to witness the impact of community gathering spaces. The fluffy penguin crafts and winter activity imagery at our booth, initiated wholesome conversations of memories in the park-painting a picture of all the generations that have come and gone through the community and surrounding. A community member also expressed their excitement to see the park ideas for the next stage of the project.

The room was filled with incredible talent, but even more evident, a strong sense of companionship and community.

Team members from the Big Marlborough Park Master Plan, Ward 9, Marlborough Park Connections, and Ward 10 Connections attended Councillor Chabot's Town Hall at the Marlborough Park Community Centre. Approximately 16 residents from Marlborough Park and Pineridge participated in the event.