6 Calgary parks to get historic designation

A Calgary council committee has chosen six city parks to be designated as municipal historic resources.

All six of the sites, including iconic Bowness Park, were damaged by last year's flood.

The other parks on the list are Edworthy Park, the Elbow Park swimming area at 30th Avenue and Elbow Drive with its circa-1922 dressing roomand the Colonel Walker Homestead,better known as the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary.

• Bowness Park flood repairs to take at least a year

A pair of lesser-known parks also made the list:Riveredge Park near Sandy Beach Park, as well as Garden Crescenta 1911 cul-de-sac just off Elbow Drive southwest with historic homes built around a median.

Giving the parks heritage status allows the city to seek matching funds from the provincial government to ensure their historic elements are preserved and kept up, city officials say.

The designations will go to an upcoming city council meeting for final approval. There are currently only three heritage designated park spaces in Calgary.