Makeover of a huge Edmonton River Valley park has been delayed | Daily Hive

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The refresh of a large south Edmonton green space has been dealt a bit of a setback, and it’s all thanks to Mother Nature.

Located in the west end, just south of the Fort Edmonton Footbridge and next to the Edmonton Country Club, construction at the sprawling 193-acre Jan Reimer Park was anticipated to kick off this past May, with work initially beginning last year.

Work earlier this year focused on soil inversion, cultivation, and weed removal, with crews scheduled to move into planting native species this fall to restore the meadows to their original riparian forest.

According to a project update this month, the City says the planting of trees and shrubs, along with naturalization seeding, is delayed due to record rain events in 2026 and is now scheduled to begin in Spring 2027. The 2027 season will focus on completing the remaining landscape planting and establishing the site.

City of Edmonton

The City added that the project remains on budget and is currently scheduled for completion by the end of 2029.

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Recent projects like the Terwillegar Park Footbridge and West End Trails have created a shared pathway through Jan Reimer Park, providing easy access to and through the park.

There is currently no public vehicle access, which has limited its development.

Formerly Oleskiw River Valley Park, the park was renamed in 2021 to honour Edmonton’s first female mayor, Jan Remier. Elected as an alderman in 1980 and later mayor in 1988, she pushed for major changes to the city’s waste system and was a strong advocate for protecting the North Saskatchewan River Valley and expanding its trail network.

The park rehabilitation work stems from a master plan developed through public engagement in 2016 and 2017.

You can find more information about the park project on the City of Edmonton website.

With files from Allison Stephen