The trails plan will help improve the connectivity and safety of and accessibility to the single track granular and paved paths in Fish Creek while ensuring the protection of the park’s critical habitat and important cultural and historical features. Albertans can share their feedback on the draft plan in an online survey until June 14.
“From hikers and mountain bikers to picnickers and daily commuters, more than a million people visit Fish Creek Provincial Park each year. We want to hear directly from users on how to improve the park’s trail system – so generations of Calgarians and Albertans continue to enjoy exploring this extraordinary urban provincial park on its extensive network of paths.”
“Fish Creek Provincial Park is a treasured, highly accessible natural sanctuary for Calgarians, particularly residents of neighbouring communities. All Albertans are invited to enjoy all that Fish Creek Provincial Park has to offer, while the trail systems are vital to ensuring safe, accessible experiences for all. Filling out the survey on the trails plan will ensure your voice is heard in creating a vision for park use and improvements for generations to come.”
“There have been a lot of changes to both the landscape and patterns and density of usage since the current trail system was developed. I welcome the opportunity to bring the trail system up to date to enhance the accessibility and enjoyment of Fish Creek Park for all park users. The Friends of Fish Creek look forward to working with our colleagues in Parks to optimize the outcomes of this initiative.”
“The City of Calgary’s parks pathways group is excited to hear of the Fish Creek Provincial Park initiative involving the trails master plan. We look forward to working with provincial stakeholders to elevate the city’s trail network both inside and outside of the provincial park.”
The Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society, Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance, Venturers, Calgary Cycle - Pure and the City of Calgary helped Environment and Parks develop the draft trails plan. The department is targeting summer 2021 to finalize the plan, once public input is incorporated from the engagement.
Quick facts
- Fish Creek Provincial Park has more than 100 kilometres of paths for walking, jogging and cycling – including paved, gravel and 100 single track trails.
- The park is 1,300 hectares, making it one of the largest urban protected areas in Canada.
- In September 2020, Alberta’s government announced a grant to Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society that will expand current on-site conservation work, visitor information and educational programming.
- The province is investing $6.1 million in capital improvements at Fish Creek Provincial Park from 2019-22, including upgrades to washrooms and group shelters, parking lot reclamation, trail construction, fence replacement at Shannon Terrace and planning/design for renovations to the Bow Valley Ranch Visitor Centre.
- The area of the park stretches from the Bow River in the east across Calgary to the boundary of the Tsuut’ina Nation in the west.
- First Nations communities grew and thrived in the Fish Creek Valley for thousands of years.
- The area is where the first Europeans in Calgary settled, in 1873.
- Fish Creek Provincial Park officially opened in 1975.
- Habitats in the park include prairie, spruce forest, wetlands, creek and river environments. This supports a great diversity of flora and fauna, birds and other wildlife – from insects to moose.