Canada’s first ‘dementia-inclusive’ park set to open in Calgary in fall 2026

Calgary is set to unveil Canada's first dementia-inclusive park in the fall of 2026. The Martin Family Legacy Garden, located in the Dover community, is designed to offer a therapeutic natural environment for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. This pioneering project, spearheaded by Parks Foundation Calgary, has been in development since 2021.

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It’s pretty exciting. This project has been in the works since 2021 and it really started with this idea that there aren’t any publicly accessible gardens for people with dementia and their caregivers and so it’s been a long time coming.

The park's design incorporates several features specifically chosen to aid those with dementia. These include sensory gardens filled with diverse plants, wide pathways that are color-coded for easier navigation, and a flat terrain. Additional elements like extra signage, shaded seating areas, and a multi-generational children's playground are also included. The design process involved collaboration with dementia researchers, healthcare professionals, community advocates, and families affected by dementia.

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We really wanted to make sure that the essence of this important garden was not just an asset given to community but created with community.

Cynthia Watson, CEO of Parks Foundation Calgary, emphasized the project's community-driven approach. "We really wanted to make sure that the essence of this important garden was not just an asset given to community but created with community," she stated. The foundation worked closely with organizations like Alzheimer's Calgary and researchers from the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University, crucially incorporating input from individuals with lived experience.

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So we worked with people like Alzheimer’s Calgary, with these researchers who specialize in dementia at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University, but it was also really important to engage people with lived experience and have that all inform the design of what you see here today.

Joe Rau, senior project manager with Parks Foundation Calgary, highlighted the park's inclusive nature, noting it will be "a park for all ages." Playground structures are designed to encourage intergenerational interaction. Programming ideas under consideration include birdwatching, walking groups, and picnics tailored for patients and their families. Representatives from other Canadian cities have already expressed interest in replicating the model, indicating a potential nationwide impact.

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It will be a park for all ages. There are so many families affected, generations affected by someone who might have dementia.