The Parks Foundation Calgary announced its most ambitious and potentially life changing project to date: a first-of-its-kind in Canada park that has features specifically designed for individuals with dementia.

The park was announced during the foundation’s annual AGM, as part of a final push to raise $750,000 out of a total $3.75 million development cost.

The park, which is set to break ground in 2025 in Dover, will feature unique amenities designed to provide safety for individuals with dementia, along with enhanced greenery and activity spaces that will also doubly serve to provide a better park experience for community members.

“It will be the first of its kind in the country, and very unique, even in the world. We think this is transformational, and that it will serve such a huge need that people have today, particularly seniors,” said Sheila Taylor, CEO of Parks Foundation Calgary.

The park will be located in Southview Park, next to the Greater Forest Lawn 55+ Society and the Bethany Care Society on 26 Avenue SE.

The location of the park was chosen by Parks Foundation for its easy access by transit and walking, along with the proximity of seniors care facilities and senior centres.

Park serves an unmet need for tens of thousands of Calgarians

Calgary is estimated to have 20,000 people currently living with dementia. That number is expected to rise by nearly 75 per cent to 34,000 in the next five years.

“It’s exponentially growing. And one of our key messages is people can live a really meaningful full life, even with a diagnosis of dementia,” said Barb Ferguson, Executive Director of Alzheimer Calgary.

“As we talked to our partners at Parks Foundation, I think it all kind of came together that this is a great way to also reduce stigma, because it’s going to demonstrate people with dementia can be out enjoying the outdoors, enjoying families.”

She said that among the features that have been designed into the park, the focus on safety is one of the biggest and most important.

The pathways have been designed to be wider than a normal pathway would be at other parks in the city, and the layout of the paths in the park has been done in a way to prevent anyone living with dementia from getting lost.

The paths are also designed to be relatively flat and without potential tripping hazards, with ample seating to allow for people walking in the park to take breaks.

Ferguson said that there is also a lot of care and attention being taken to providing the right kind of stimulus, while reducing more harmful kinds like loud noises.

“Because noise can sometimes be a little problematic for somebody with dementia, there will be features that encompass noise reduction. But also elements that attract birds, and lots of that kind of stimulation, along with fragrant gardens and that type of thing,” she said.

She said that it was also hoped that the park would be a place where families and young people would also like to gather, so that individuals with dementia aren’t excluded from the community.

“There’s a real initiative to keep people living in community longer rather than going into housing… and that’s something that we advocate for at all Alzheimer Calgary and Dementia Network Calgary,” Ferguson said.