Prairie Winds water park closes for a week after three E. coli cases
Visitors between July 25 and Aug. 4 may have been exposed to Shiga toxin-producing bacteria. The city-run facility will reopen after cleaning and testing.
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If you visited Calgary's Prairie Winds water park between July 25 and Aug. 4, you may have been exposed to Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The city-run facility in northeast Calgary closed Friday and will remain shut for one week while Alberta Health Services investigates and staff complete cleaning and water testing.
STEC spreads through contact with infected feces — the bacteria causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. Most people with healthy immune systems recover, though dehydration from diarrhea is the most common complication. The same strain was behind a 2023 outbreak at 17 Calgary daycares that sickened hundreds of children.
If you visited during those dates and develop symptoms, call 811 or see a primary care provider. Limit close contact with young children, seniors, and anyone immunocompromised. To prevent spread: wash hands frequently (especially after using the washroom, changing diapers, or handling raw meat), don't share food or drinks with anyone showing symptoms, and stay out of any swimming pool or aquatic facility for at least two weeks after symptoms end.
Meanwhile, Airdrie's Chinook Winds spray park is also closed following failed water quality tests. Three samples taken July 28, 31 and Aug. 4 showed bacterial counts between 1,500 and 2,440 colony-forming units per millilitre — well above Alberta's 100-unit standard. The Airdrie facility is expected to reopen after the weekend.
The facts
What dates were visitors at Prairie Winds potentially exposed?
Visitors to Calgary's Prairie Winds water park between July 25 and August 4, 2026 may have been exposed to Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
How long is Prairie Winds closed?
Prairie Winds water park in Calgary closed on Friday, August 7, 2026 and will remain shut for one week while Alberta Health Services investigates and staff complete cleaning and water testing.
What are the symptoms of STEC infection?
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Dehydration from diarrhea is the most common complication.
Why is Chinook Winds spray park closed?
Airdrie's Chinook Winds spray park is closed following water quality tests on July 28, 31, and August 4, 2026 that showed bacterial counts between 1,500 and 2,440 colony-forming units per millilitre, well above Alberta's 100-unit standard.
