St.Albert Parks

Plenty of parks bolster St. Albert’s botanic reputation

For a city of more than 70,000 citizens, St. Albert has certainly dedicated a lot of land for recreational use. What’s bonus is that all that space, some 515 hectares, features surroundings lush with vegetation and equipped with outdoor facilities, a welcome distraction from the concrete and asphalt elsewhere in the municipality. Whether your preferences lean towards picnics or playtime, workouts or walkabouts, the city’s park system covers all those bases. Here’s a look at some of the better-known parks in the community.

Coal Mine Park

(Everitt Dr. N. & Ebony Way)

Roughly a century ago, Sturgeon County was a major coal mining spot, with up to 55 operations taking place simultaneously at one point. Coal Mine Park might serve as a reminder of those extraction days, but the area’s major focus is as a pollinator garden, one that maintains the natural splendor of the trees and plant life. Signage on the trails provide further explanation of the biodiversity initiatives going on, making a hike not only an immersive experience into a natural world, but an educational one as well.

Grey Nuns White Spruce Park

(16 Hogan Rd.)

Imagine having a picnic in a spot surrounded by life that’s older than you are, namely the white spruce trees that have been around for more than a century. That alone makes a sunny afternoon in Grey Nuns White Spruce Park not only relaxing but profound as well. Nature trails offer a chance to get up close to the natural scenery, while points of interest emphasize the spiritual significance of the area to First Nations people as well as the arrival of the Grey Nuns more than 150 years ago.

Kâkesimokamik

(74 Mission Ave.)

MacMillan Park boasts a great deal of green space, but the real attraction on the premises is on the Red Willow Trail. It’s called Kâkesimokamik, Cree for “healing garden,” built in 2017 in response to the Truth and Reconciliation initiative that dealt with the brutality aboriginals faced in residential schools. Adorned by a unique pagoda, the garden offers a respite for those still coming to terms with what they faced in that barbaric education system, in a location where its serene surroundings offer an additional, remedial vibe. 

Kingswood Park

(5 St. Anne St.)

Located right on the Sturgeon River on the edge of the city, Kingswood offers a wide array of activities that go beyond picnics, hiking, and lazing about in the sun. Those wanting to get away from it all on the river can take advantage of the boat dock facilities. Others might want to try their hand at tennis, pickleball or even disc golf on the outfitted18-hole course. For the more horticulturally-minded, the St. Albert Botanic Park is just a stroll away. 

Lions Park

(21 Sir Winston Churchill Ave.)

One of the older and more popular recreation areas in the city, Lions Park is often a choice family spot to get away from it all without leaving the city. Its proximity to the Red Willow trail system offers plenty of exploratory opportunities, while a large picnic shelter can accommodate up to 60 folks for casual gatherings and special occasions. A big playground, picnic tables and barbecue pits round out all the amenities needed for picnics and other reasons to get together.

Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park

(400 Ray Gibbons Dr.)

Technically just outside the city’s boundaries, this natural preserve is still conveniently close enough for urban dwellers to take advantage of 1,100 hectares of parkland that’s a sanctuary for hundreds of species of wildlife. Visitors are usually taken in by the view of Big Lake, accessible via six trails that lead to some of the nearby wetlands. Signs offer tidbits on some of the wildlife in the area, although patrons not into reading dig the relaxing vibe the park offers.

Red Willow Park

(13 Berrymore Dr.)

Taking note that the Cree referred to the Sturgeon River as the “valley of the red willow,” the St. Albert community adopted that description to decide on the moniker for its expansive Red Willow trail system. Not surprisingly, the trail goes through Red Willow Park, a popular day destination with five picnic sites complete with firepits, a playground, outdoor restroom facilities and a shelter to shield visitors from the elements.

Riel Recreation Park

(47 Riel Dr.)

The artificial turf might draw serious athletic types to test the surface in a game of football or rugby, but folks keen on more relaxing activities like the amenities that even accommodates campers. Its RV park is convenient for those who travel to St. Albert for the Rainmaker Rodeo, but locals can also take advantage of the picnic tables, fire pits, boat launch site, playground and its abundant biking and hiking trails.

St. Albert Botanic Park

(265 Sturgeon Rd.)

This spot is barely two hectares in area, but what populates the landscape there is a feast for horticultural eyes. The park offers gardens in a variety of themes involving daylilies, lilacs, peonies, roses and other flowers, often used to highlight events like Mother’s Day and Canada Day. Also impressive is the grassroots organization structure of the park, in that it’s run by a not-for-profit society and entirely staffed by volunteers. 

Woodlands Water Play Park

(165 Sturgeon Rd.)

Parents who believe their kids deserve a good soaking opt to take the brood down to this park, decked out with nearly 30 aquatic features that either spray or shoot water at its gleeful targets. It’s a safe destination, thanks to the supervisors, who keep a watchful eye on the drenched participants in the facility, separated into three different age-appropriate sections. Those not into getting wet, however, can hit the beach volleyball courts or the BMX and skateboard parks nearby.