Calgary

St. Patrick’s Island is located in the Bow River at the confluence of the Elbow River at the heart of the City of Calgary. Its location provides it with a unique physical and social context. It stands in a corridor of important destinations that include Prince’s Island and the Eau Claire area, the RiverWalk and the Calgary Zoo. In 2010 Greenberg Consultants was engaged by Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) to work with Stantec in producing a Master Plan for the rejuvenation of St. Patrick’s Island, then an underutilized 12.5 hectare (31.0 ac) island in the Bow River directly across from the emerging new East Village neighbourhood. This involved an extensive community outreach process in which approximately 70 key stakeholder group representatives, key individuals and an Advisory Committee were invited to contribute to framing a vision for the island. Key principles including preserving this valuable place for all as a city-wide destination and a community resource, retaining it a place to celebrate the natural environment and richness of its cultural context and above all to enhance the ‘island’ experience. Alternative scenarios for the design of a park on the island were prepared to illustrate these principles.