The much-loved mini train returned to Bowness Park Thursday and free rides were offered as part of the special event.
The event ran from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and included an appearance by Mayor Naheed Nenshi.
The train is 1950s-era and was used for about 60 years before it was put in storage. It was then severely damaged after the 2013 flooding in southern Alberta before being restored piece by piece by a group of local restoration experts.
The opening of the mini-train is just one part of Bowness Park’s redevelopment plan and the train is run by the University of Calgary Outdoor Centre.
Bowness Park was partially reopened in November 2014 after undergoing redevelopment in 2012.
Restoration was also done on one kilometre of new track and the building that houses the train. Some of this restoration was covered by the province’s Disaster Recovery Program because of the flood damage.
The whole west side of the park has been reopened to the public but the east end will remain closed until an undetermined time in summer 2016. Improvements to the east end of the park will include a new wading pool and an installation of a sound system in the lagoon.
In addition to the train, the Seasons of Bowness tea house is now open and offers lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
For more information on the redevelopment plans for Bowness Park, visit the City of Calgary’s website here and for more information on Seasons of Bowness, visit the Facebook group here.