By the fall of this year, Calgarians living in Ogden and surrounding communities will have the opportunity to bring their bikes, skateboards, basketballs and baseballs for fun at George Moss Park.

Work began on July 17 towards phase two of the park, which will see a first-of-its-kind for Calgary concrete pump track alongside a skatepark added to the recreational space.

The roughly $3 million Phase 2 addition to George Moss Park was the result of advocacy undertaken by community members for expanded recreational opportunities.

“We heard directly from people in Ogden that they really wanted to see skateboarding in their community. We heard that for years, unfortunately, with the first phase, we simply hadn’t been able to raise the needed funds to build it,” said Sheila Taylor, CEO of Parks Foundation Calgary.

“When we put the word out there that we wanted there to be a future phase after last year, we were pretty excited that that happened. And and then the city joined on and with further improvements with the baseball diamonds are being redone, so we’ll have a really high quality fenced baseball diamond there as well.”

Taylor said that when complete, George Moss Park is set to be one of the most beautiful recreational locations in Calgary.

It’s also one of the most creative.

“This one is really unique, in that it’s the first combined pump track and skate park all together. It’s quite a creative idea to bring those two uses together. It’s not without precedent, it’s been done elsewhere really successfully, and so we wanted to bring that here to Calgary,” Taylor said.

“The curves will be different. There’s a number of skate parks and pump tracks in Calgary, and people love them all. I think the pump tracks are all really unique that are out there, and this is going to be unique in a different way. So, I’m excited to hear the feedback from people, what they love about it.”

Taylor said that the ability to have both the pump track and the skateboard park combined came about from having the best-in-field contracting support to bring the design to life.

“They’re telling us that it’s going to provide sort of a unique experience for skateboarders and cyclists, and we’re also hoping that it makes for a really durable amenity,” she said.

Expanding opportunities for recreation at George Moss Park

Phase one of the project, which opened in 2024, saw the installation of three basketball courts of various sizes, a playground, and civic plaza area with art by muralist Cassie Suche.

The redevelopment of George Moss Park was a part of Calgary’s goal to create parks that grow with communities and support active and healthy lifestyles, said Graham Jones, Acting Director of Parks and Open Spaces with the City of Calgary, in a prepared media release.

“The City is proud to invest in dynamic, multi-functional park spaces that bring Calgarians together through recreation, play, and connection,” Jones said.

“With the addition of Calgary’s first multipurpose track that accommodates both bikers and skateboarders, alongside an upgraded ball diamond, George Moss Park is becoming a vibrant hub for inclusive activity, welcoming users of all ages, abilities, and interests.”

Among the user groups expected to utilize the park are clients of the Youth Centres of Calgary, who initiated the park project, and clients of the new Mustard Seed location in Ogden.

The track is being named the Martin Family Pump Track and Skatepark after a donation made by Greg and Joanne Martin, who also donated to the dementia park, which broke ground in May.