.gif)
Prince's Island Park (Calgary)
Encyclopedia
Prince's Island Park is an urban park
in the city of Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
. It is developed on an island on the Bow River
, immediately north of downtown Calgary
.
It was named after Peter Anthony Prince, the founder of the Eau Claire Lumber Mill. The park was built on land donated in 1947 to the city by the Prince family. It is often incorrectly referred to as "Princess Island Park".
The island has a surface of 20 hectares and is linked by three bridges to Eau Claire and downtown Calgary and a north bridge to Memorial Drive
and the community of Crescent Heights
. It is part of the pathway and hiking trail system lining both sides of the Bow River. The southern arm of the river has been landscaped, while the eastern end of the island re-creates a wetland
environment. Geese
and mallard ducks
are abundant in the park.
and limited access is available to vehicles from the Princess Island Causeway that connects to the corner of Eau Claire Ave and 6th Street and delivers traffic to the west end of the island. A limited number of parking stalls are available in the park. However vehicle access to the park is restricted during events.
The park hosts many festivals, as well as busking
events.
About 150,000 visitors attended these festivals in 1996.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in the city of 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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is developed on an island on the Bow River
Bow River
The Bow River is a river in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River, and is considered the headwater of the Nelson River....
, immediately north of downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary is a region of central Calgary, Alberta. It is not a single neighbourhood per se, but is actually a larger community containing three neighbourhoods and a number of districts....
.
It was named after Peter Anthony Prince, the founder of the Eau Claire Lumber Mill. The park was built on land donated in 1947 to the city by the Prince family. It is often incorrectly referred to as "Princess Island Park".
The island has a surface of 20 hectares and is linked by three bridges to Eau Claire and downtown Calgary and a north bridge to Memorial Drive
Memorial Drive (Calgary)
Memorial Drive is a major road in Calgary, Alberta. Besides having an important role in city infrastructure, the tree lined sides of Memorial Drive serve as a living testament to the many soldiers who died during World War I and give it a parkway look on the western section...
and the community of Crescent Heights
Crescent Heights, Calgary
Crescent Heights is a neighbourhood in the northwest quadrant of Calgary, Alberta. It is located in the inner city, immediately north from Downtown...
. It is part of the pathway and hiking trail system lining both sides of the Bow River. The southern arm of the river has been landscaped, while the eastern end of the island re-creates a wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
environment. Geese
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
and mallard ducks
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
are abundant in the park.
Transportation
Primary access to the island can be attained by a number of footbridges as part of the Bow River pathwayBow River pathway
The Bow River pathway is a pathway system developed along the banks of the Bow River in the city of Calgary. It contains a network of pedestrian and bicycle paths connecting parks on both sides of the river....
and limited access is available to vehicles from the Princess Island Causeway that connects to the corner of Eau Claire Ave and 6th Street and delivers traffic to the west end of the island. A limited number of parking stalls are available in the park. However vehicle access to the park is restricted during events.
Festivals
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
events.
- Calgary Folk Music FestivalCalgary Folk Music FestivalThe Calgary Folk Music Festival is held in late July each year at Prince's Island Park, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. While known for attracting both established and up-and-coming folk music, the festival features a wide variety of artists including hip-hop, alternative, blues, and world acts...
- Shakespeare in the parkShakespeare in the ParkShakespeare in the Park is a concept used across the world, as a form of free public presentation of William Shakespeare's works. Such performances exist in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America....
- Carifest
- Canada DayCanada DayCanada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
celebration - Heritage DayHeritage DayHeritage Day may refer to:* Heritage Day in Canada on:** the first Monday in August in Alberta, or** the third Monday in February in Kingston, Ontario.* Heritage Day in South Africa on September 24* European Heritage Days...
celebration - Afrikadey
- Expo LatinoExpo LatinoExpo Latino is an annual festival, held the last weekend August, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, celebrating the Latino culture. The event holds musical performances of many genres, including Salsa, Jazz, Merengue, Folk, Flamenco, Cumbia, Reggaeton, and Hip-Hop...
- Barbecue on the Bow
About 150,000 visitors attended these festivals in 1996.