Louise McKinney Riverfront Park Part I - What is Visible (July 3, 2024)
Literally more than the eye can see!
We respectfully acknowledge that the traditional land on which we reside is in Treaty Six Territory. We would like to thank the diverse Indigenous Peoples whose ancestors’ footsteps have marked this territory for centuries, such as nêhiyaw (Nay-hee-yow) / Cree, Dene (Deh-neyh), Anishinaabe (Ah-nish-in-ah-bay) /Saulteaux (So-toe), Nakota Isga (Na-koh-tah ee-ska) / Nakota Sioux (Na-koh-tah sue), and Niitsitapi (Nit-si-tahp-ee) / Blackfoot peoples. We also acknowledge this as the Métis’ (May-tee) homeland and the home of one of the largest communities of Inuit south of the 60th parallel. It is a welcoming place for all peoples who come from around the world to share Edmonton as a home. Together we call upon all of our collective, honoured traditions and spirits to work in building a great city for today and future generations. (Source: City of Edmonton Office of Indigenous Relations)
Vlog Overview
My vlog series is a collection of practice and research reflections. My practice included 32+ years of parks and urban planning experience combined with my Phd dissertation (2019). That research focussed on park land decision-making processes in Edmonton, Alberta, using institutional theory. My practice was engaged in municipal processes that included park lands identification, park land assembly, zoning, funding, construction, programming and maintenance. I seek to provide a balanced perspective, but I do offer strong opinions/biases on the importance and values of parks recreational and leisure benefits and outcomes sourced from both my practice and literature. As a life long learner, I continue my learning journey as a board volunteer with the North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society and the Canadian Institute of Planners.
This series of vlogs will focus on the complexity of parks decision making that impact parks directly or indirectly, in seen and unseen ways, and the implications of those factors on the decision-making process itself (i.e., institutional reflections). Park and planner nerds, join me!
Todays Ice Sculpture: Louise McKinney Riverfront Park - Part I
Todays vlog focusses on one of Edmontons signature river valley parks - Louise McKinney Park. Let me start with a brief aerial and walking tour.
Who was she? Louise McKinney was a prominent cultural figure in settler colonial Alberta. She was born in 1868 in Franklin Ontario, and passed away in Claresholm Alberta in 1931. She was the first women elected as an Alberta MLA (1917-2021), was an activist in the Womens Suffragette Movement (i.e., womens voting rights). Louise Mckinney was one of the “Famous Five” (judge Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, and Irene Parlby) that brought a legal challenge called the “Persons Case” in the late 1920s that enabled women to be appointed to the senate in Ottawa. These ladies are not without controversy over some of their personal, less than inclusive, views of the day, particularly towards indigenous peoples. Nevertheless, park naming is an important opportunity for the City to recognize our past history and culture.
1.0 What Is Visible…
1.1 Louise McKinney Riverfront Park
The 12.9 ha city/regional levy park with a 500m unobstructed view of the river, is located on Treaty 6 lands in the North Saskatchewan River Valley immediately south of the Boyle Street Community including Chinatown, and immediately east of the Downtown. Across the river is Henrietta Muir Park and the Cloverdale Community. Immediately north of the site is Shaw Convention Centre. Edmontons downtown is not only the historical centre of the city but is a growing high dense neighbourhood, and the relatively new home of the Edmonton Oilers Rogers Arena. The Boyle Street community is one our oldest neighbourhoods and is a community in transition. It has been home to low income and houseless peoples, as well as a number of community support agencies (i.e., Boyle Street Community Services). Social disorder in this and other nearby downtown areas has been a significant focus of Edmonton City Council to address the underlying factors and realities of the social disorder with little help from the Provincial government.
1.2 Geomorphology
Edmonton lies in Alberta's Parkland Natural Region, an area characterized by forested river valley and ravine slopes, deciduous woodlands, small lakes and wetlands, and remnant grassland, sand dune, and peatland habitats. The bedrock underlying the surficial deposits at Dawson Park and Kinnaird Ravine consists of the Upper Cretaceous, Horseshoe Canyon Formation. The Horseshoe Canyon Formation consists of deltaic and fluvial deposits of interbedded and interlensed fresh and brackish water sandstone, siltstone and shale. The soils and treed areas are permeable surfaces that collect rain and moisture that ultimately feed into the river either overland or through the ground water table. All of this literally lays below your feet. Somebody should write a book called that…
1.3 Constructed Amenities
The site is home to Louise McKinney Promenade, Millenium Plaza, the Shumka Stage, the World Walkway, and the Chinese Garden. The Shumka stage is a stage for music, dance and other types of performances or presentations. Millenium Plaza is a “great lawn” for unstructured leisure activities. Louise McKinney Promenade is a great touch the river viewpoint, and place for rest and relaxation. However, it also acts as a pinch point for wildlife passage through the river valley. The Chinese garden includes roses native to Alberta.
The trail that runs through the area is part of the Trans Canada Trail network and connects to the Tawatina Bridge for trails to the east to Rundle and Hermitage Parks, west to the Funicular and ultimately Terwillegar Park, and south including to Mill Creek Pool and Mill Creek Ravine itself. The area is part of the regional park and trail system in the North Saskatchewan River Valley that extends from Devin to Fort Saskatchewan through the city and this site. It is at times a destination park for Edmontonians.
1.4 Program/Activities
The Louise McKinney Riverfront Park is a multi-use park site. The Shumka Stage and Millenium Plaza are spaces that can combine to host festivals and/or special events including music and dance performances. When no events are scheduled, the oval lawn is available for passive recreational use. The trail system is part of both the cross canada Trail Network, celebrated with a kiosk on site. The trails on site are also part of the regional river valley trail system that extends from Fort Saskatchewan to Devon, Alberta. The trails are shared use pathways designed to accommodate walkers, cyclists, strollers, etc for high and low intensity recreational activity.
The Chinese garden includes iconic architecture. The two cultural amenities celebrates the contributions of two integral cultural communities. The Louise McKinney Promenade is a passive space with seating is designed to bring park users to enjoy the rivers edge. The entire park generates economic activity when special events are being held on site, not to mention the purchase of exercise equipment, as well as jobs to create the park amenities.
Portions of Louise McKinney Riverfront Park periodically have been the home of houseless encampments. The City is actively working to relocate encampment residents to more sustainable living conditions and treatments by focussing on support for individuals. The problems become particularly acute in colder months. These encampments also create safety concern for all involved, particularly for the homeless populations, as well as for females and young children park users. The Province has stepped away from their historical responsibility for housing and wrap around services for low income and homeless populations. This exacerbates the development of durable solutions that for broader issues and concerns whose symptoms are sometimes resident in this park.
Fun Fact: An 80 floor residential tower cascading down the banks of the river valley south of Jasper Avenue was approved in about 2016 immediately east of the Convention Centre with lower level commercial opportunities, all over looking the river valley. The City would have had to sell green space to the developer. To date, (fortunately) this high density unaffordable housing development has not proceeded at the expense of the river valley.
Join us in part II of this vlog exploring the rich history and underlying largely hidden realities impacting Edmontons river valley. The picture below is from the Indigenous Art Park, located in close proximity to Louise McKinney Park.
Such and excellent overview. Considers so many different issues.