MTM: Parks & Dragons!

The Louise McKinney Riverfront Park, is named after the first woman to be elected to Alberta's Legislature, the first woman in any legislature in Canada or the British Empire. She was elected in 1917 and "believed in temperance education, stronger liquor control, women's property rights and the Dower Act".

As the name suggests, this park is on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. It starts at the top of the bank however and that means stairs....lots and lots and lots of stairs. In spite of all this it is handicap accessible. If you are fortunate enough to see the parking lot on the way up the hill (or know that it is there), you are able to eliminate an entire series of stairs (the large & top right photos) and are then at the point that paved paths begin.


The city is also in the process of improving McKinney park, they have put in paved paths, more stairs to the river bank, a stage area and there will be room for permanent concessions. There are plans to put in a funicular lift as well. The park itself is home also to a Chinese garden with beautiful statuary that is dedicated to the Chinese immigrants that helped to build Edmonton. As you can see the lights have yet to be installed and a few other things are not quite completed.



The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the regular events held at this park and it was this weekend!


We attended the opening ceremonies and watched Lion Dances by the Borneo Lion Dancers and then we traipsed down three more set of stairs to the river to see the traditional Blessing of the boats.

We watched a few of the initial races before calling it a day and heading back up those ... stairs.

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My Town Monday is the brainchild of Travis Erwin. To read other entries just visit click here.

To see more photos of the park and dragon boats, you can go to my Flickr site.

Have a good day all.

MTM: Edmonton's River Valley

Edmonton's River Valley

The North Saskatchewan River flows through Edmonton from the Southwest corner to the Northeast corner. We are not your typical river city though, we don't have miles of docks or even any river traffic. In fact, we have one stern wheeler called the Edmonton Queen that runs dinner and special events cruises on the river. Other than that, there are canoes and a few motored boats and we have Dragon Boat races yearly as well as the Sourdough Raft race.

The Edmonton Queen

Along our river valley you will find parks, trails, more parks, wildlife, more trails and some more parks. About 25 kilometres worth (15.5 miles). Within the 22 major parks, you will find 11 lakes, in the winter these are used for skating. There are 14 ravines that run to the river valley.

Not only does Edmonton over do it with Festivals, we over do it with parks and trails. Um, no! We don't overdo anything! (Well, except maybe expanding our city limits) Edmonton, has in fact the longest continuous stretch of urban parkland in North America.

Looking South across the river at dusk.

We have several golf courses, which, with our long summer sunshine hours are very well used. We have two ski hills right in the city limits and two just outside. The trails are mostly paved, or maintained gravel. They are used by walkers, joggers, bicyclists, skateboarders, and in winter by snowshoer's and cross country skiers. There are even trails that horses are allowed on (yes, we have stables in the river valley).

Looking over the High Level Bridge waterfall.

As for wildlife, there are porcupines, deer, coyotes, bears, skunks, muskrats, rabbits, and beavers. Some of these will make their way into the populated areas of the city and have to be removed. There have been coyotes at night in the winter, right here in my apartment complexes backyard, hunting the rabbits that make this their home. I am only about 3 kilometers (about 2 miles) from the nearest ravine.

So, has this whetted your appetite for more information about my city? I sure hope so. I will be telling you more about individual parks in future posts and hopefully providing better photos as well.

Have a good day all.

P.S. My Town Monday is the brainchild of Travis Erwin, check out his site for links to other posts.

This and that

This is the little bird that is nesting in the house outside my apartment. I think it is a sparrow of some kind, but isn't it cute?


So, I finally made it to the Muttart Conservatory here in Edmonton! In the 29 years of my adulthood, I have lived in Edmonton three time for a total of 16 years. Oh, that must be someone else, I am not that old! The years I didn't live here, I visited at least 4 times a year, probably more often.

I am pretty sure the Muttart is about 30 years old, but may only be 25, I can't seem to find anything on the date it was built. So, I say finally! I have planned visits only to wind up doing other things. The Muttart is closed for renovations - for the next ten months. I knew that before we went though, we only went so I could get photos for tomorrows WWC. In the meantime, here are some extra shots taken from the river valley.

This is a gazebo at the Muttart. I imagine in summer it is very pretty.

This Magpie is sitting on the sign that tells you about the really ugly Peace Dove that sits above the hill from the Muttart.


This is the dome of the Legislature building across the river.


This is called Canada Place and yes, it is pink! (Sorry no website) The black glass structure in front on the left is called the Shaw Conference Centre and is built down over the hill toward the river. On a bank that is notorious for sliding. As it is still there 30 some years later, I guess they did a pretty good job.

This is the Hotel Macdonald. I love this building, it was built in 1915 and is so elegant. There was an unfortunate addition built in the 50's on the other side and Edmontonians took to calling the whole thing "the Mac & the Box it came in". The box was torn down in the 80's thank God! It is the Fairmont chain now, but originally this was one of the CN Rail Hotels that are strung across our country.


So, that was my Sunday morning, then I had to go to work.

Take care all.