Strathcona County Regional Park Master Plan

A new Regional Park for all residents to enjoy for decades to come.

Introduction

Strathcona County is embarking on a process to develop a Regional Park Master Plan for a 290-acre site on the North Saskatchewan River.

What is a Master Plan? The Master Plan will give the County direction on the type of development and activity that is desired for the park for the next 15 years. A Master Plan responds to community needs by engaging with the public and stakeholders throughout its development. This is why your involvement in the project is so important!

Direction for the Master Plan will also come from municipal, provincial, and federal policy and an understanding of what may be appropriate for the park based on site analysis.

What is a Regional Park? A Regional Park is part of a larger integrated and connected network of open spaces, serving a range of ecological and recreational purposes. These parks become outdoor destinations for people near and far.

The new Regional Park will benefit the community through: 

  • Nature: Ecology and nature experiences
  • Movement: Getting to and around the park
  • Community: Social connections and wellbeing
  • Park Uses: Activities and recreation
  • Creativity: Arts and culture
  • Learning: History, education, and storytelling

Thank you for your participation!

Visit  strathcona.ca/newregionalpark . for ongoing project updates and a summary of What We Heard this Spring. We hope to see you again in early Summer 2022 for Phase 2!

Sharing your feedback is essential to ensure the Master Plan reflects current and future community needs and wishes for this keystone park! Your input from this first phase will be used to develop a shared park vision, guiding principles, and draft park concepts.


Background

The new Regional Park will become part of a system of parks and open spaces.

The 290-acre park site is located on the North Saskatchewan River between Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan.

Territorial land acknowledgement

Strathcona County is located on Treaty Six Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region Two and Four. 

Strathcona County honours the First Peoples of this land. We recognize that we stand upon land that carries the footsteps of Cree, Métis, and Blackfoot amongst many other Nations, who have been here for thousands of years. 

Therefore, Strathcona County has an inherent responsibility to foster healthier relationships with First Peoples and further the Calls to Action.

Take a look at the following slides for more on the park history and context. You can also download a Backgrounder document with more detailed site information  here .

If you're ready to get started, scroll or use the menu above to explore the themes.

Site History

The new Regional Park has a rich and layered history.

Use the arrow to the right to learn more, or keep scrolling to provide feedback on the first theme!

Geologic History

The land itself is a wonderful recorder of past events. By studying the layers of soil and rock under the surface, we can learn about processes like glaciation and the evolution of the North Saskatchewan River Valley.

Palaeontology

Two palaeontological sites were previously recorded within the project boundary. These sites contained fossilized bones of horses, bison, and other animals.

Archaeology

Although there are no recorded archaeological sites within the park boundaries, archaeological sites (such as campsites and workshops for making stone tools) in the surrounding area bear witness to the presence and activities of ancestral Indigenous peoples that date back thousands of years. Landforms along water sources, including the North Saskatchewan River, tend to be an indicator of high archaeological potential.

Indigenous Knowledge and History

The County held two engagements with Indigenous Communities and Organizations in 2020 and 2021. The engagements resulted in several recommendations for the Master Plan and the planning process, including Indigenous knowledge and history that could be incorporated into the park.

Métis Scrip

Historical records indicate that a portion of the park site was owned for several years by a Métis woman named Marie-Rose Cardinal in the mid-1880s. Cardinal was a residential school survivor. She took scrip (which Métis people living in the West obtained in exchange for their land rights) in the form of land and cash, and sold the land in 1887.

Early Homesteads

Relics of an 1880s homestead owned by Laurence Adamson (an English settler) were found during a field visit in 2021. Based on written records, the homestead originally consisted of several buildings on the property including a log house, two stables, a granary, a cow house, shed, and pig pens.

Settlement Records

Archival records from this time period help us to learn about how people lived in the late 19th century, how property was acquired and transferred, the significance of Métis scrip, and the transition to large-scale farming at the beginning of the 20th century.

Family Farms

Communities of farm families, merchants, and service providers developed around cultural centres like schools, churches, fire halls, and community halls. Several families lived and farmed on the park site during the first half of the 20th century. The area became known informally as ‘Poverty Flats’, even though the farms in the area raised all types of livestock and crops, including vegetable gardens.

Gravel Extraction

The park site was identified as a location for gravel and sand extraction in the early 1980s by a subsidiary of the company now known as LaFarge Canada Ltd. The gravel from the site and other quarries in the region was used in the development of buildings and other aspects of Alberta’s infrastructure.

Legacy of Resource Extraction

Pit operations continued until 2017, resulting in dramatic changes to the landscape. Material stockpiles and pits have created new landforms and water bodies across the site. The legacies of farming and gravel extraction have left substantial footprint on the landscape, with opportunities to re-establish native ecologies.


Nature

A Regional Park is a place to connect with nature and foster the ecological health of the region.

Strathcona County Regional Park - Nature

North Saskatchewan River

The North Saskatchewan River is an environmentally sensitive feature and an essential wildlife corridor in the region. It has shaped the land over thousands of years and still shapes how we relate to the landscape today.

Landscape Over Time

Historically, the park site was made up of wooded upland habitat and it was connected to creeks and streams that supported a diversity of plants and wildlife.

Geology and Climate

Over thousands of years, sand and gravel deposits formed in the river valley. The climate, geology, and soil conditions of the region made the site, and many others in the surrounding area, viable for farming and quarry operations as Alberta developed.

Water

There are five artificial water bodies on site that were created during quarrying operations. They provide some habitat for birds, waterfowl, and amphibians, and have the potential to support fish.

Habitat

Past land uses have fragmented habitat on the site. Native forest habitat that remains is mainly located near the river’s edge. The Master Plan has an opportunity to conserve, restore, and connect habitats in the park.


Movement

A Regional Park is a place to get active and explore the outdoors through an accessible and connected trail and pathway system.

Strathcona County Regional Park - Movement

Getting to the Park

As a destination drawing residents from across the region, most park visitors will travel to the park by car or by bike. Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan residents will be within a 5-10 minute drive or will be able to bike to the park within one hour. Edmonton residents will be able to drive to the park in under an hour.

New Footbridge

In partnership with the River Valley Alliance, the  Edmonton-Strathcona County Footbridge  will be constructed later this year pending funding decisions. Connecting to the Riverside Nature Trail, this bridge will improve connections to the new Regional Park for communities across the river.

Trails in the Park

The site offers many opportunities for the creation of new trails. The area is relatively flat and has few impediments for mobility and visibility. New trails will avoid wildlife corridors and areas of higher environmental sensitivity.


Community

A Regional Park connects people, offering appealing places to relax, spend time with family and friends, play sports, attend community events, and more.

Strathcona County Regional Park - Community Video

A New Gathering Place

The new Regional Park will help to create a more welcoming and livable Strathcona County for present and future generations. Existing and new residents will need a park with a common vision where the community can gather and play.

Building Community

Parks have the potential to become places where people feel at home, that they belong, and that they are welcome. They help to foster more equitable and resilient communities made up of people of all ages, cultures, and walks of life.

County Growth

Strathcona County and its adjacent municipalities will experience significant growth in the coming years. On its own, Strathcona County is anticipating a population growth of 40-60,000 people in the next twenty years.

Regional Growth

Fort Saskatchewan anticipates that they will see growth of more than 40,000 people in the next 45 years. The Horse Hill neighbourhood in Edmonton expects about 70,000 people to join their community in the same time period.


Park Uses

A Regional Park meets outdoor recreation needs for people of all ages and abilities with a wide range of park amenities and recreational facilities.

Strathcona County Regional Park - Park Uses

Existing Land Use

The land on site is currently being farmed to control the spread of invasive plants. A portion of the site is also leased by a recreational organization to fly radio controlled aircraft. Remnants of past quarrying operations are still visible on site, including aggregate piles and artificial ponds.

Surrounding Land Use

Surrounding land uses include the Bremner Lagoon site to the west (to be remediated), an active gravel quarry to the east, and a golf and country club to the south. Other land uses in the area include agriculture and light/medium industrial.

Future Park Use

Future activity in the park will respect environmentally sensitive areas (for example, near the river’s edge). Activity may be restricted in some areas to limit impacts to essential wildlife corridors while active uses (like sports and event spaces) could occur in areas that have already been heavily disturbed.

River Access

Due to the steep slope at the river’s edge, direct river access will not be possible in the new Regional Park. River lookouts and programs for river appreciation are major opportunities for the Master Plan.

River Access

Existing nearby boat launches include the Fort Saskatchewan Boat Launch (7km downstream) and the Capilano Boat Launch in Edmonton (20km upstream). A new boat launch will be located at the Edmonton-Strathcona County Footbridge approximately 2km west of the new Regional Park.

Partnership Opportunities

There is potential to partner with local organizations and Indigenous peoples through the Master Plan for community programming and stewardship.


Creativity

A Regional Park welcomes individual and community participation and fosters stewardship of the land in creative ways.

Strathcona County Regional Park - Creativity

Creative Placemaking

Creative placemaking uses the arts as a tool for community development. Arts programming that engages residents in an inclusive and genuine way has the power to transform and heal both communities and landscapes. Through the Master Plan, the new Regional Park can invite people to interact with the landscape in creative and meaningful ways.

“A simple way to change a passive, indifferent, or threatening space into a welcoming, nurturing, and inspiring place is through the presence of art.”

Arts Programming

Strathcona County offers visual and performing arts programming throughout the year. The new Regional Park has potential to host County- or community-led arts programming. Other potential opportunities include public art, cultural events, live performances, stewardship programs, and artist-in-residence programs.


Learning

A Regional Park provides opportunities for people to learn about, appreciate, and participate in the stories of the place.

Strathcona County Regional Park - Learning

Stories of the Site

The landscape of the new Regional Park has so many stories to tell, and so many left to uncover. Based on historical and archival research, engagement with Indigenous nations, and personal interviews with families who have an association to the site, the County has identified several themes that could potentially be incorporated into the park design or educational programming.

Themes

Themes that could be explored further include: glaciation and the evolution of the North Saskatchewan River Valley; Indigenous knowledge and history; settlement, trade, homesteads, and land rights; the significance of Métis scrip; Strathcona County family and community history; geology and aggregate extraction in the river valley; and natural history.

Indigenous Representation

Through partnerships, the new Regional Park can support Indigenous knowledge and history with signage, artwork, and pavilions. The park could become a welcoming and safe ceremonial space for various nations to use and be used to educate the general public.

Continuous Learning

We recognize that there is so much we do not know about the park and its long-standing history. As we continue conversations and uncover facts about the site, new stories will inevitably emerge. The Master Plan will aim to set up a framework where these stories can be shared and incorporated into our collective understanding of the space.


Park Vision

Let's create the vision for this keystone park together!

We can learn a lot from other successful parks and public spaces.

We want to hear if there are any outstanding places that you think offer lessons for the new Regional Park.

We are also looking for key words that will help us build the vision for the park!

Here are some examples of key words and phrases you might want to use after learning about the park site and opportunities for the Master Plan.

Or use your imagination and come up with something unique that speaks to you!

Strathcona County

O2 Planning & Design