Canada's first dementia-inclusive park opens in southeast Calgary this month

Canada's first public park designed specifically for people living with dementia and their caregivers is set to open in southeast Calgary, offering a model that cities across the country are already watching closely.

The Martin Family Legacy Garden, located in Southview Park in the Dover community off 26th Avenue and 34th Street S.E., features wide-looping colour-coded pathways for easy navigation, sensory gardens, shaded seating areas, gazebos, bench swings, and a playground catering to multigenerational families. The design emerged from consultation with Alzheimer's Calgary, researchers from the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University, and — crucially — people living with dementia and their caregivers.

"It's definitely a high-profile project in terms of inclusivity and diversity," said Cynthia Watson, chief executive of Parks Foundation Calgary, which led the development since 2021. "I predict this is the first of many dementia-inclusive sanctuaries throughout Canada."

The timing reflects urgent local need. Over 20,000 Calgarians currently live with dementia, but that number is expected to rise to 34,000 by the end of this decade. Southview Park's location near the Greater Forest Lawn 55+ Society and Bethany Riverview, a specialized seniors' care centre for people with dementia, made it an ideal site. The park's design is meant to give people autonomy and dignity in public space — something rarely available to those navigating cognitive change.

Parks Foundation Calgary won a Parks Excellence Award from the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association in 2025 for the space's innovative design.