A 115-year-old Calgary park used to have its own amusement rides
For over a century, Bowness Park has been a popular gathering place in Calgary, evolving from a simple trolley park into one of the city’s most beloved green spaces.
Before the park and the surrounding neighbourhood existed, the land was part of the Bowness Ranche. In 1908, John Hextall envisioned transforming the area into a luxury suburb known as Bowness Estates.
To help bring the vision to life, Hextall purchased some land. Two islands were included in his purchase, which were transferred to the City of Calgary in 1911, in exchange for a streetcar line to the area.
Known as “trolley parks,” these spots were popular during the peak of streetcars, as they would encourage residents to use the city’s streetcars on the weekends when business was typically slower.
By 1914, the park had already become a recreational hub, featuring picnic areas, shelters, camping cabins, and a man-made lagoon and canal that was used for swimming in the summer and skating in the winter.
City of Calgary
From 1915 to the 1930s, the park saw major growth, including a ton of attractions. In 1919, a carousel and a dance pavilion were added, and in 1923, a teahouse was constructed.
In 1928, Bowness Park was home to Canada’s first floating fountain, and in 1929, they added a device to the lagoon which played music for people visiting the park. After this, the park mostly saw upgrades, like the dance pavilion being expanded to include a dining room called the Twiglight Corner.
In the 1960s, the park’s paths were paved and lit, and all of the park’s amusement rides were moved to a dedicated area called Funland, which operated until 1988. The Bowness carousel was moved to Heritage Park in 1969.
Bowness Park is still one of the most popular parks in Calgary, and while it might not have an amusement park anymore, it still offers a ton of activities like a wading pool, boat rentals, mini train rides, and paddle boarding in the summer, and skating, Crokicurl, and ice bikes in the winter.