kids encyclopedia robot

Bow River pathway facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Bow River Pathway is a super cool system of paths right next to the Bow River in Calgary. It's like a giant network of trails for walking and biking that connects many parks on both sides of the river.

People use the pathway for all sorts of fun activities! You can go cycling, hiking, jogging, rollerblading, or even skateboarding here. These paths also connect to other pathways along the Elbow River and throughout Calgary.

The whole pathway system is about 48 kilometres (30 mi) long! It stretches from the Bearspaw Dam all the way to Fish Creek Provincial Park, linking up many important parks and green spaces in Calgary.

Construction of the Bow River Pathways started in 1975. This was to celebrate Calgary's 100th birthday! The project got money from the City of Calgary, the Province of Alberta, and a group called the Devonian Group of Charitable Foundations. It was officially opened on June 25, 1977.

Fun Places Along the Bow River Pathway

The Bow River Pathway connects to many awesome recreation areas. These are great spots for outdoor fun and exploring!

Recreation area Type Location What's cool about it
Valley Ridge Golf Course Golf Course Right bank A place to play golf by the river.
Bowness Park City park Right bank A popular city park with lots to do.
Baker Park City park Left bank Another lovely park on the other side of the river.
Bowmont Natural Area Natural area Left bank A natural space to enjoy nature.
Shouldice Park City park Left bank A city park for various activities.
Edworthy Park City park Right bank A big park where the pathway crosses the river.
Shaganappi Point Golf Course Golf Course Right bank Another golf course along the pathway.
Broadview Park City park Left bank A city park with nice views.
Shaw Millennium Park Skatepark Right bank A famous skatepark for skateboarding and more.
Eau Claire Park City park Right bank A park close to downtown.
Prince's Island Park City park On Prince's Island A beautiful island park in the middle of the river.
Sunnyside Park City park Left bank A park in the Sunnyside neighborhood.
Sien Lok Park City park Right bank Part of Calgary's Chinatown.
Bow River Park City park Left bank A park right by the Bow River.
Fort Calgary Historic park, museum Right bank A historic site where Calgary began, connects to the Elbow River pathway.
Calgary Zoo Zoo On St George's Island Home to many amazing animals, extends to the left bank.
Pearce Estate Wetland City park, nature reserve Right bank A peaceful wetland area for nature lovers.
Inglewood Golf and Country Club Golf Course Left bank A golf course in the Inglewood area.
Inglewood Bird Sanctuary Nature reserve Right bank A special place to watch birds and enjoy wildlife.
Old Refinery Park City park Left bank A park on the site of an old refinery.
Southland Park City park Left bank A city park further south along the river.
Carburn Park City park Left bank Another park with beautiful scenery.
Douglasbank Park City park Left bank A park in the Douglasbank neighborhood.
Fish Creek Provincial Park Provincial park Right bank One of the largest urban parks in North America.
McKenzie Meadows Golf Club Golf course Left bank A golf course near the end of the pathway.
Sikome Lake Man-made lake Right bank A popular man-made lake for swimming in summer.

Images for kids

  • Calgary street map

    The Bow River pathway follows the Bow River from west to east, then north to south

  • Edworthy Park Bridge

    The pathway crosses the Bow River in Edworthy Park on the Harry Boothman Bridge

  • Bow River Calgary 2

    The pathway is integrated with Crowchild Trail bridge

  • Calgary LRT three-car train crossing Bow River northbound (2013)

    Two-level bridge across the Bow River near Downtown West End, with C-Train light rail on the upper level and pathway on the lower level.

  • C-Train bridge-lower deck

    Crossing the river beneath the C-Train bridge

  • Calgary1-Szmurlo

    Pedestrian bridge to Prince's Island Park

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Bow River pathway Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.