As Airdrie residents look toward the future of green spaces, the City of Calgary is preparing for an important vote on Tuesday, October 29. This vote could significantly impact the creation of an inter-municipal provincial or national urban park in the Nose Creek Valley.
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Spearheaded by Calgary Councillor Jasmine Mian, the "Nose Creek Park Strategy" Notice of Motion (NoM) aims to establish a unified plan for the Nose Creek Valley. This plan will guide current and future development while preserving the area as a connected park and pathway system for Calgary, Airdrie, and Rocky View County.
During the regular meeting of the Calgary City Council next week, council members will vote on the Nose Creek Park Strategy NoM, and although public input will not be permitted at this session, supporters are encouraged to attend in person or virtually to demonstrate their backing for the initiative. Key components of the motion include:
- Collaboration with regional partners: The motion promotes collaboration with Rocky View County and the City of Airdrie to expand the ecological network beyond Calgary’s borders.
- Acknowledgement of Indigenous heritage: It recognizes the ancestral ties of Indigenous Nations—including the Blackfoot Confederacy, Stoney Nakoda, Tsuut’ina First Nations, and Métis Nation—to the land.
- Equitable access to parks: The City of Calgary is committed to ensuring equitable access to parks and open spaces for all residents, particularly highlighting the lack of regional parks in the northeast.
- Environmental and cultural protection: The strategy aims to protect ecological networks, archaeological sites, and culturally significant areas while coordinating improvements in water quality and habitat restoration.
- Community engagement: The motion emphasizes outreach to local Indigenous communities and stakeholders to ensure their voices are included in the planning process.
This comprehensive strategy will provide a framework for future park planning, incorporating specific goals for public engagement and recommendations to enhance the Nose Creek Corridor. Administration is expected to report on the strategy’s progress in early 2025, with a final version due by the first quarter of 2026. Additionally, the motion seeks to integrate Calls to Action from the White Goose Flying Report, which promotes cultural education and public engagement in the area.
Supporters are calling on residents to advocate for the strategy by contacting city council members and voicing their support for transforming Nose Creek into a regional park. Advocates emphasize the need for more accessible green spaces, especially in North Central Calgary, and highlight the potential for creating a continuous, scenic pathway that connects neighbourhoods through Calgary's natural landscapes.
In addition to this ongoing advocacy, local environmental volunteers have recently completed a successful creek testing season. Over 21 sessions, volunteers dedicated 76.6 hours to monitoring water quality in Nose Creek.
The season's finale was marked by the sighting of a bald eagle and many fathead minnows—a promising sign for the creek's ecosystem. Volunteers also engaged with Girl Guides this month, conducting a hands-on lesson on water health that fostered environmental awareness among Calgary’s youth.
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