We’re writing the next 20-year plan on how we develop, redevelop, and manage parks in Calgary. Our goal is to connect you with nature, wellness, culture, and each other, through our shared public park spaces.

Your voice matters! We want to hear from you to create a Parks Plan that works for our city, our environment, our communities and our future.

Why now?

It’s been 20 years since we updated our Parks Plan, and during this time, the needs of Calgarians have changed. We want to deliver exceptional and accessible parks for all Calgarians - now and for the future.

Why you?

Calgary’s parks belong to everyone, so everyone should have a say in their future. Parks are free public spaces with huge environmental, social and economic benefits.

Parks are an essential component of a healthy, vibrant and resilient city. We want to know what matters to you.

In scope

This plan will provide policy on how decisions are made for Calgary’s municipal parks. It will help us determine how, where and what types of parks to build and how we manage and maintain parks.

Out of scope

Provincial parks (e.g. Fish Creek Park) and lands governed by other municipal authorities fall outside of the scope for the Parks Plan. Legislation and rules made by the province of Alberta can also not be changed through Calgary’s Parks Plan. Examples include:

• How much land a municipality receives through the development process.
• Development of waterbodies.
• Weed management.
• Protection of historical and archaeological sites.

Your feedback is an important part in creating priorities for the next 20 years and will be considered in addition to other inputs into the Connect: Calgary's Parks Plan.

Feedback collected in this phase of engagement will be summarized and shared with the project team. A What We Heard Report will be published to this portal page in summer 2023.

We will engage with the tourism industry over the summer, followed by our next round of engagement with Calgarians in fall 2023.

Accessibility refers to the ease of access and egress to any location by walking, wheeling, transit and private vehicles.

Biodiversity refers to the diversity among living organism including animals, plants, their habitats and their genes. This includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.

Complete Community refers to a community that is fully developed and meets the needs of local residents through an entire lifetime. Complete communities include a full range of housing, commerce, recreational, institutional and public spaces. A complete community provides a physical and social environment where residents and visitors can live, learn, work and play.

Conservation refers to the preservation and protection of habitats and species to retain and/or sustain the areas natural significance.

Naturalization refers to restoring a habitat that has been lost or repairing a habitat that has been damaged.

Ecosystem refers to a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscapes, work together to sustain life.

Equality is based on an understanding that human beings should have equal rights / quality of life. It means everyone gets the same thing.

Equity means everyone gets what they need.

Natural area refers to a City-owned park where the primary role is the protection of an undisturbed or relatively undisturbed parcel or parcels of land with characteristics of a natural/native plant community.

The following guiding principles have been identified to direct the future of park planning and decision making in Calgary over the next 20 years:

• Climate Resiliency: Identify and implement measures to reduce and combat the negative impacts of climate change.

• Healthy Environment: Improve the health and functionality of Calgary’s natural environment through decision-making that puts the environment first.

• Equity: Increase inclusive and accessible opportunities city-wide by consistently reviewing and evaluating our services.

• Calgarians Health and Wellbeing: Take a people-based approach to the development of our parks which supports multidisciplinary planning initiatives and creation of complete communities.

• Celebration of Culture: Support the consistent pursuit and preservation of Calgary’s history, culture and the principles of Truth and Reconciliation by weaving them into the fabric of our parks.