A park to some, a community to many: the Martin Family Legacy Gardens aims to provide an accessible and inclusive public space for those living with dementia and the caregivers supporting them.

Since 2021, Parks Foundation Calgary has been quietly working on the Martin Family Legacy Garden in the southeast community of Dover, making it Canada’s first publicly accessible, dementia-inclusive park.

The park is set to open to all Calgarians in early fall of 2026, aiming to provide a safe space for dementia patients, which is said to improve their quality of life.

Cynthia Watson, CEO of Parks Foundation Calgary, hopes that the space will provide a place for people with dementia, their families, and caregivers to have a stress-free outing while prioritizing care. 

“This garden represents peace of mind, a sense of freedom,” she said. 

“The ability to focus on what people can do instead of what they can’t no longer do, or who they no longer are.”

Watson wants the park to foster a sense of autonomy and prioritize the well-being of those affected by dementia. 

“It gives them that third space out of where they might be living,” she said. 

“To give them more independence, to be able to be in nature, in the outdoors, just like anyone else.”

What it means to design for dementia

After speaking with Alzheimer’s and dementia researchers, the team formulated a landscape catering to the needs of the community and people with dementia related diseases. 

The park utilizes sensory experiences, such as natural elements, to foster connection through the human senses. Some include the sweet fragrance of garden flowers, the cozy feeling of sunlight, and the excited laughs of kids on the playground.

For accessibility, the park has paved walkways, colour-coordinated handrails, and directional signage. These measures aim to provide a greater sense of autonomy for dementia patients.

With growing dementia rates, an estimated 20,000 people are living with dementia in Calgary. Along with the individuals, the families and caregivers who support their loved ones with dementia are affected in ways beyond the act of care.

Joe Rau, the project manager for the garden, said that a big part of it is providing a space where everyone affected by dementia can relax and step outside the complicated nature of the disease.

“It’s very rewarding to see your family members or friends or those impacted by dementia be able to use a space like this in a way that they otherwise wouldn’t need to,” he said.

“They may come away from it, feeling invigorated, or maybe have a moment of clarity as a result.”

Project leaders hope the garden sets an example

The park is in proximity to Bethany Care Society, a seniors housing centre, and Forest Lawn 55+ Society, a seniors organization with approximately 400 members, all of whom are excited to use the park.

Diane Danielson, a regular at the society, shares that she and everyone in the organization are eager to use the park when it opens in September. 

“Our initial thoughts when we actually learned about it was, ‘oh, it’s going to be a phenomenal asset to the community,’” she said.

“We’re thankful that somebody thought about it. We know it’s unique in Canada, and we’re very thankful that actually somebody stepped forward as a major sponsor to do it.” 

Ann Craig, another member of the seniors organization and a resident at Bethany Care Society, highlighted how local residents will use the space. She noted that different age groups will use the park.

“Bethany Care Society has a very large building over here for dementia patients, so they can bring their patients over here; it’s going to be excellent for them,” she said.

“We all like to see children playing, and there’s two or three preschool and kindergarten daycares here.”

After having personal experiences with dementia and working in long-term care prior to her role as CEO, Watson said that she has seen first-hand the isolation that some dementia patients experience.

Watson hopes this park will serve as a prototype that can be replicated in other areas in the future to create more places of belonging that are safe and inspire joy at any age and ability.

“We still need to invest in these people and parts of the population,” she said. 

“Just because we get older doesn’t mean that we have to be isolated from everyday living.”

Watson said that the more common that this type of infrastructure becomes, the better it will improve the quality of life for Calgarians.

Rao hopes the park raises awareness so that more people understand the complexities of dementia.

“I really do hope that it does open people up to maybe understanding or researching or taking it upon themselves to learn a bit more about dementia if they haven’t been exposed to it or affected by it in their own personal lives,” he said.