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.

Park to address medical and caregiver needs for those living with dementia

Dr. Michael Giuffre, a board member with Parks Foundation Calgary and a Clinical Professor, Cardiac Sciences and Paediatrics at the University of Calgary, said that the park was wonderful because it also took into account the needs of caregivers.

"That allows that kind of team based care, and bringing security and safety to the patient as well as a caregivers a breath of fresh air, and allowing them to help manage the dementia, which is often a lifelong task,” Giuffre said.

He said that there are many small outdoor areas at healthcare facilities for people undergoing mental health treatment, but very few actual dedicated parks that address specifically the needs of patients.

"I think success would be when you have caregivers wanting to go there as part of the day with someone they're caring for with dementia, or family members having a place of respite to have a little break from someone who's indoors and says 'hey, let's go interact,’” he said.

"It allows us to incorporate that into care. And when you incorporate nature into care, usually that's a good outcome."

Taylor said that the design of the park, which is being undertaken by Ground Cubed—which designed Pixel Park in the Beltline, and the Inglewood Pump Track among other prominent city parks—was done first and foremost with those living with dementia.

"We started by working with members of the dementia and Alzheimer's community, in hearing from them that there was a huge need. This project is unique, and that we had the most support, the most people wanting to get that we've ever seen on any project, that told us was that there's a huge need out there for something like this,” she said.

"It starts with the people. It starts with listening to them and what they think is important."

The design also incorporated the latest research in how to use outdoor spaces to help the wellness of people living with dementia.

Dr. Giuffre said that there was lots of research on how to do medical interventions clinically for dementia, but that often the treatment arm that gets left out of the equation was the kind of solution offered up by the park.

"It affects so many families and so many people that I think it's an excellent way of the city and the community and neighbours to participate in the well being of people affected by dementia,” he said.

Fundraising aims to complete full $3.75 million in funding, but shovels in ground in 2025 regardless

Taylor said that the final $750,000 would be used to provide a full vision for the park, but that with $3 million already raised—$2 million from an anonymous donor, and $1 million from the City of Calgary—that shovels would be in the ground next spring.

She said that it was one of the most complex projects that the Parks Foundation has ever undertaken, and that construction would likely last until 2026.

"I'm really encouraged. I know we'll hear from people who want to support the project, and in fact even today I was approached by several people who said they wanted to support it. So we want to get the word out there so that we can get more people on board and involved with the project,” she said.

Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra said that the park was a perfect example of the kind of work that the foundation had been doing to ensure that equity-seeking groups had outdoor spaces in Calgary.

"Equity is about understanding not just the needs of the majority, but the needs of the forgotten minorities, and finding a way to support them, and remove the isolation that is part of the barrier that they that they experience," he said.

"I'm overjoyed at the fact that we're building a park like this. I'm overjoyed that it is in East Calgary and supporting a population that's there, but it's also going to open a lot of people's eyes to how much East Calgary has to offer."

He said that he would continue to advocate for the park as a member of council, to ensure that any fundraising gaps are met and that the full vision of the park can be realized.

"I personally remember door knocking... and bumping into someone on the street. He thanked me for being an advocate for secondary suites because he was walking from the Bethany Care Center where his wife was back to a secondary suite and he said, 'if there wasn't this kind of housing in the neighbourhood, I'd never be able to position myself as close to my wife as I need to be when she's dealing with this issue.' And that stuck with me."

"The reality is that dementia as as we heard from [Dr. Giuffre], it is one of the most feared components of growing old, and it rips families asunder. The opportunity to create a space where people with dementia can feel safe, and their caretakers can take a moment to take a breath: it's a leading act for this city and our aging population, and it's also a I think it's a leading act across the world.

"We're really looking forward to seeing how this lands and supports our community."

Calgarians wanting to support the park through their donations, or are looking for more information, can do so at www.parksfdn.com/dementia-inclusive-park.