Park Features

• Pathways
• Tennis courts
• Baseball diamonds
• Playground areas
• Picnic areas
• Cross country skiing
• Flower/Rock garden
• Tobogganing
• Wetland
• Washrooms (year-round: approximately 7 am - 8:30 pm - weather pending)
• Permanent orienteering track (contact the Alberta Orienteering Association for maps at 403-453-8577)

Nature in the City

Stroll along a stream in a manicured recreational park with facilities like tennis courts and a golf course. However the park does have the stream and managed wetland running down the centre which, outside the golf course, is accessible to the public. Along the stream and throughout the park are mature deciduous and coniferous trees. The trees, shrubs and aquatic vegetation provide habitat for a considerable variety of birds and other wildlife--the most obvious being ducks, geese and gulls.

Plant Life

The riparian zone, which is next to the creek, has trees such as Balsam Poplar and shrubs such as Water Birch, Red-osier Dogwood and several species of willow. They are all dependent on plenty of moisture. The dammed marshy areas contain Common Cattails, bulrushes and other aquatic vegetation.

Apart from the wetland area, the park has a number of other tree species including ash and spruce. Some, such as the Colorado Blue Spruce are exotic species.

Wildlife

The Aquatic vegetation attracts dabbling ducks such as Blue-winged Teal and Mallards. You can also find Canada Geese and several species of gulls in the park. The aquatic vegetation supports a healthy population of muskrats and invertebrate species such as butterflies and dragonflies that you would expect to find around a wetland.

History

A spring-fed creek flows down what was once known as the "North Hill Coulee", which runs off the flanks of Nose Hill down to Nose Creek. The creek itself disappears at the east end of the park into the sewer system.

Until 1967, the park had remained a natural coulee, which some considered "an eyesore." Then it was developed into this largely manicured park and golf course, and fortunately, with the wetland there remains a 'taste of the wild' in a city setting.