WATCH ABOVE: Friday marked the grand opening of the newly-developed St. Patrick’s Island in Calgary’s East Village. Global’s Doug Vaessen reports.
CALGARY – The revitalized 31-acre park of St. Patrick’s Island in Calgary officially opened on Friday morning.
The $45-million project is meant to draw all Calgarians into the newly-developed East Village.
Scroll down to see a list of upcoming events on the island
“This is the first time water has crossed St. Patrick’s Island in over 60 years,” said Martin Barry of W Architecture, who designed the park.
“That’s really the experience we wanted to highlight in the design. We wanted to make this a natural place in the city.”
Calgary Municipal Land Corporation’s Susan Veres said in a previous interview the plaza on the east end near the zoo will feature festival space for up to 1,100 people.
“Food festivals, art fairs, craft fairs…we will bring food trucks in there,” said Barry on Friday. “That’s the place where the urban momentum starts and further and further into the island, it becomes more and more natural.”
A giant sun deck overlooks a low water channel on the island with a raised deck—part of the flood mitigation for the area. In the middle, there’s a huge children’s playground and picnic area, along with a nine-metre tall hill. Over 2.3 km of cycling and jogging trails bisect and encircle the island; thousands of native trees and bushes have been planted.
READ MORE: Exclusive tour – Reinvented St. Patrick’s Island in Calgary’s East Village
“It’s fantastic compared to what it was years ago,” said Bowness dad Warren Bailley. “Especially the work they have done since the flood; it’s beautiful. It really is a great place to bring the family.”
With files from Erika Tucker
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