Haskayne Legacy Park development
How to visit Haskayne Legacy Park
Please note: Woodland Road is a new road, so the Google navigation route is incorrect. Use the provided map for correct directions.
To get to Haskayne Legacy Park, follow the directions below.
From Calgary
There is only one vehicle route into the park from Calgary:
- Drive west on Crowchild Trail N.W. (Highway 1A) past Tuscany and Rocky Ridge
- Continue towards Rocky View County/Cochrane
- Turn south onto Woodland Road (Range Road 31). Woodland Road is your first left after you pass through the Bearspaw Road lights on Highway 1A.
- Follow Woodland Road until you get to the end of the paved road and then travel along the gravel road where you will reach the parking lots
From Cochrane
There is only one vehicle route into the park from Cochrane:
- Drive east on Crowchild Trail N.W. (Highway 1A) towards Calgary
- Turn south onto Woodland Road (Range Road 31)
- Follow Woodland Road until you get to the end of the paved road and then travel along the gravel road where you will reach the parking lots
Click image to view park location
Address: 9000 149 St. N.W.
Area: 126 hectares
Park hours: 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Please note: The Pavilion building is currently closed to the public. There will be opportunities for these facilities to be booked to host events, weddings and educational programs starting in 2024. Please check back in early 2024 for details about how to the book the facility.
Washrooms: Public washrooms are located to the east of the pavilion building. Open from 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Park features
Nestled along the banks of the Bearspaw Reservoir, Haskayne Legacy Park is a celebration of natural preservation. The park, spanning across 126- hectares of land, promises to be a sanctuary for nature enthusiasts, families, and those who love to explore.
About the development
Haskayne Legacy Park is a new 126-hectare city regional park located at the northwestern edge of Calgary. The park is adjacent to the Bearspaw Reservoir with the Bow River to the west and south. The Calgary Municipal boundary and Rocky View County are to the north and east of this park. At the Haskayne Legacy Park, traditional western ranchlands come alive with spectacular mountain, river and prairie views for everyone to enjoy.
Haskayne Legacy Park will be significant in preserving and protecting the valuable ecological and human heritage in the area. The northwest boundary of the park borders Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. Glenbow Ranch includes approximately 1,300 hectares of grasslands, rolling hills, wooded areas, and trails, as well as over 1.4km of Bow River and Bearspaw Reservoir’s banks.
Together, Haskayne Legacy Park and Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park will create a continuous and integrated greenway along the Bearspaw Reservoir. The park will provide a key connection to the regional pathway system linked to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. The long-term vision is to have the regional pathway system eventually connect to the Trans-Canada Trail to create a continuous trail from Calgary all the way to the Town of Cochrane. Funding and resources have yet to be secured to complete this continuous trail and, as a result, there is no defined timeline yet for when this trail will be complete.
The majority of the 360-acre property was purchased under the ENMAX Parks Program. The final purchase was made possible by the kind generosity of Dick and Lois Haskayne who personally donated over $5 million in land toward the new park, as well as matching funds towards the new pavilion building located in the park. This building is the first net-zero energy building in the City’s building portfolio.
History of park development
Haskayne Legacy Park came to be by an initiative that former Mayor Bronconnier had. He had a vision to create large regional parks on the outskirts of The City. As a result, planning began to look into where it is possible to develop a regional park in Calgary.
This park in Calgary’s northwest came to be when Dick and Lois Haskayne originally donated a portion of the land to the University of Calgary. The land was then acquired by the City of Calgary in 2006 through the ENMAX Legacy Parks Program. Over ten years, the City worked with many organizations and individuals, consultants and contractors to develop the land into a regional park. See the graphic below to view a timeline of the major milestones for developing Haskayne Legacy Park.
Construction update – Park is now open
Park and road construction is complete. This includes:
- Planting thousands of trees and shrubs in the park.
- Completing hard plaza and sidewalk construction.
- Building a parking lot and pathways including a regional pathway with boardwalk viewpoints along the north bank of the Bearspaw Reservoir.
- Developing a new park pavilion building and outdoor gathering space, including an overhead pergola, seating, a large communal harvest table, bike racks, and a fireplace.
- Construction to build a public access road to the park is complete. Now that the road is complete, the park is connected by road to new communities to the east and by pathway to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park to the west.
Haskayne Legacy Park landscape and boardwalk
New pavilion building in the park
Haskayne Legacy Park - Key Plan Map - Click to enlarge
Haskayne Legacy Park regional pathway
Central park area
Walking on the regional pathway in the park
Picinic table spaces for everyone to enjoy in the park
There is a lounge area with outdoor fire place
Bike racks next to the new pavilion building
Central park space with the pavilion building
View of the pavilion building and landscape
View of the park
Regional pathway next to ecologically sensitive area
Ecologically sensitive area in the park next to the Bow River
Outdoor fire pit and benches in the park