City of Edmonton releases phase 2 design of Queen Elizabeth Park

EDMONTON – The city released conceptual plans showing changes and additions to upper Queen Elizabeth Park.

The main attraction to the new design will be the outdoor Indigenous Art Park, a first in Canada, the City of Edmonton said. It will feature art pieces by Canadian Indigenous artists, with the artists being announced on April 12.

“It’s been developed with the help of a steering committee that has members from the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and Metis Nation of Alberta,” Michelle Hartlaub, City of Edmonton planner, explained.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's been developed with the help of a steering committee that has members from the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and Metis Nation of Alberta," Michelle Hartlaub, City of Edmonton planner, explained.

“They’ve helped us develop the theme for the park. They’ll also be helping us pick the name for the park.”

The Edmonton Arts Council also helped in the development of the park.

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth Park Road re-opens ahead of schedule

Queen Elizabeth Park will also include shared use paths, a new parking lot, picnic area, and a commemorative wall acknowledging the former site of the old Queen Elizabeth outdoor pool.

The City exhibited the plans at the Strathcona Farmers Market Saturday.

“We thought it was really important to come to where the people are. Strathcona Farmers Market is close to Queen Elizabeth Park. A lot of people come here from around the city, and we just wanted to show people what was coming down the pipe,” Hartlaub said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We thought it was really important to come to where the people are. Strathcona Farmers Market is close to Queen Elizabeth Park. A lot of people come here from around the city, and we just wanted to show people what was coming down the pipe," Hartlaub said.

This is the second phase of the Queen Elizabeth Park master plan that was approved by city council in 2013.

The first phase involved construction of an accessible, asphalt walking trail from the lookout at 106 Street and Saskatchewan Drive to Queen Elizabeth Park Road, which is scheduled to be finished by the end of June.

Hartlaub said the feedback has been positive from the community.

“There’s a long history of Queen Elizabeth in the city. People love the area. They’re happy to see that something is happening there.”