Battalion Park
Encyclopedia
Battalion Park is the site of a set of geoglyph
s located in Calgary
, Alberta
on Signal Hill. The site is located on a hill overlooking the Sarcee Nation
, and lands formerly known as Camp Sarcee and later Sarcee Training Area. This region, in the valley of the Elbow River
, was a military reserve used from before the First World War and up until the 1990s by the Canadian Forces
.
The park itself consists of a stairway up the hill with several interpretative displays. The centrepiece of the park, however are large whitewashed stones, arranged on the side of the hill to spell out several numerals. The numerals correspond to the numbers of four battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
who trained in the region before embarking for combat deployment overseas during World War I
.
The numerals were created by 16,000 stones hauled in sacks by hand from the river by soldiers in their off duty time. After the war, the numerals fell into disrepair and became overgrown and forgotten until a local historian looked for them prior to grading of the hill to accommodate construction in the area. Following extensive lobbying to declare the numbers a historic site, a project initiated by several cadet groups in Calgary restored the numerals. Battalion Park officially opened on November 3, 1991.
Geoglyph
A geoglyph is a large design or motif produced on the ground and typically formed by clastic rocks or similarly durable elements of the geography, such as stones, stone fragments, gravel, or earth...
s located in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
on Signal Hill. The site is located on a hill overlooking the Sarcee Nation
Tsuu T'ina Nation 145, Alberta
Tsuu T'ina Nation 145 is the name of an Indian reserve in southern Alberta, Canada. It is the home of the Tsuu T'ina Nation. The reserve was created by Treaty 7. Reserve lands are between Southwest Calgary, Alberta in the east and Bragg Creek, Alberta in the west. The north boundary is just...
, and lands formerly known as Camp Sarcee and later Sarcee Training Area. This region, in the valley of the Elbow River
Elbow River
The Elbow River is a river located in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows from the Canadian Rockies to the city of Calgary, where it merges into the Bow River....
, was a military reserve used from before the First World War and up until the 1990s by the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
.
The park itself consists of a stairway up the hill with several interpretative displays. The centrepiece of the park, however are large whitewashed stones, arranged on the side of the hill to spell out several numerals. The numerals correspond to the numbers of four battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
who trained in the region before embarking for combat deployment overseas during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The numerals were created by 16,000 stones hauled in sacks by hand from the river by soldiers in their off duty time. After the war, the numerals fell into disrepair and became overgrown and forgotten until a local historian looked for them prior to grading of the hill to accommodate construction in the area. Following extensive lobbying to declare the numbers a historic site, a project initiated by several cadet groups in Calgary restored the numerals. Battalion Park officially opened on November 3, 1991.