Canada's first dementia-inclusive park is set to open in Calgary
- News Article
- Jul 22
- 1 min read
Canada's first public park designed specifically for people living with dementia and their caregivers is set to open in southeast Calgary.
The park, dubbed the Martin Family Legacy Garden, is in Southview Park, in the community of Dover.
The park features wide, looping, colour-coded pathways for easy navigation, wayfinding features, sensory gardens, shaded seating areas and a playground catered to multi-generational families caring for both children and aging parents.
Other features include gazebos, bench swings, lawns and green space.
The project was led by Parks Foundation Calgary and has been in the works since 2021, according to Cynthia Watson, the foundation's chief executive.
The genesis of the park was that there weren't any publicly accessible gardens or spaces catered specifically toward people living with dementia, Watson said.
Since undertaking the development, she said other cities across Canada and abroad have reached out to Parks Foundation Calgary to inquire about the initiative. The space's innovative design earned the civic partner a Parks Excellence Award from the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association in 2025.
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The circular paths and sensory gardens sound well thought out, but I wonder how well the design accounts for someone in later stages of dementia who may struggle with spatial awareness even on a simple loop. Is there any flexibility to adapt the layout for varying levels of cognitive decline?
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I have a relative living with dementia, and the idea of a park designed with circular paths and sensory gardens makes a lot of sense—we’ve tried regular parks and they often feel overwhelming for her. It’s good to see public spaces finally being built with these needs in mind.
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