Canada’s first ‘dementia-inclusive’ park set to open in Calgary in fall 2026

It will be Canada’s first dementia-inclusive park, according to Parks Foundation Calgary.

The Martin Family Legacy Garden is scheduled to open in fall 2026 in the southeast Calgary community of Dover.

It will feature sensory gardens with a variety of plants, wide and colour-coded pathways, flat terrain, extra signage, shaded seating, a children’s playground for use by multi-generational families, and other specially-designed features that were carefully chosen to help people with dementia “immerse themselves in the therapeutic benefits of nature.”

Wide and colour-coded pathways are one of the features of the new park that was designed through the collaboration of dementia researchers, healthcare professionals, community advocates and families dealing with dementia.

Global News

The location of the park, inside the larger Southview Park, was chosen because of its proximity to seniors residences, transit options and its accessibility for people with dementia who live in the area.

Story continues below advertisement

On Tuesday members of the Calgary media were given a chance go on a walking-tour of the park to learn more about its distinctive features and speak with the CEO of the Parks Foundation Calgary, Cynthia Watson.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

“It’s pretty exciting. This project has been in the works since 2021 and it really started with this idea that there aren’t any publicly accessible gardens for people with dementia and their caregivers and so it’s been a long time coming,” Watson said.

“We really wanted to make sure that the essence of this important garden was not just an asset given to community but created with community,” Watson added. “So we worked with people like Alzheimer’s Calgary, with these researchers who specialize in dementia at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University, but it was also really important to engage people with lived experience and have that all inform the design of what you see here today.”

“It will be a park for all ages. There are so many families affected, generations affected by someone who might have dementia,” said Joe Rau, senior project manager with Parks Foundation Calgary.

Playground structures have also been included in the new park to help ensure all generations can come together to enjoy the space.

Global News

Among the programming ideas being considered for the new park are birdwatching, wheelchair and walking groups, picnics for dementia patients and their caregivers and families.

Story continues below advertisement

The Parks Foundation Calgary said representatives from other cities in Canada have also been in contact with them to find out more information about the park, with an eye on creating similar parks in their community.

The Dementia Network of Calgary says the new park represents “a shift towards a more inclusive society where everyone can enjoy the outdoors, regardless of their cognitive abilities.”

Global News

According to the Dementia Network of Calgary, there are approximately 20,000 Calgarians currently living with dementia, with another 2,800 people expected to be diagnosed with it this year.

Between 2020 and 2050, Alberta is expected to see at 286-per cent increase in the number of people living with dementia.

The new park is scheduled to open on Sept. 21, which is also World Alzheimer’s Day.

5:24
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month confronts Dementia stigma