Gardens & Parks

North Riverbank

Hermitage Park -- Until 1969, the land that is now Hermitage Park, part of the Ribbon of Green along the river valley, was cattle ranchland. At that time, the city started buying up parcels of land and converting it to parkland. Now, Hermitage Park, in the city's northeast, on the north bank of the river, is a grassy expanse of riverbank where you can launch kayaks or other watercraft, fish, or just loll in the grass and let the day drift lazily by. Hermitage also has 14 archaeological sites, where fire pits, stone tools, and butchered bison and deer bones have been found, left by nomadic hunters thousands of years ago. In 1987, Hermitage was a casualty of a vicious tornado that tore much of its foliage away; a monument commemorates the thousands of volunteer hours spent nursing the park back to health.

The park is north of the Yellowhead Trail, just off Victoria Trail NW.

Rundle Park -- Rundle Park is on the north bank of the river in the northeast part of the river valley, just south and west of Hermitage Park, but separated from it by Rundle Golf Club. The park features large, open grassy areas, plentiful hiking and cycling trails, soccer and football fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and a sand volleyball court. There's also a man-made lake -- handy to cool off in after all that activity. You'll also find a footbridge here, to the south bank of the river and Gold Bar Park.

Park entrance at 28th Street and 118th Avenue.

Dawson Park -- A smaller park on the Ribbon of Green, Dawson Park borders on Jasper Avenue east of downtown. It's notable for an innovative path system, designed by Edmontonian Glen Norton specifically for the visually impaired. The path is lined with raised wooden edgers that users can tap with their cane to stay on track. There are seven signs along the trail, all of them in Braille as well as conventional signage.

Park entrance is at 8940 102A Ave.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park -- At 205 acres, it's one of Edmonton's largest. You'll find Edmonton's Valley Zoo here, but the park is short on other amusements, like sporting fields. Rather, it's just a nice, natural expanse, with cycling and walking paths carved throughout its lush greenery.

Most easily accessed by Buena Vista Rd. NW, south of 87th Ave. NW.

South Riverbank

Gold Bar Park -- The park is in the city's east end on the south bank of the river. It extends from the bank of the North Saskatchewan River to 50th Street to the south. Like Hermitage, Gold Bar -- so named because prospectors would pan for gold on the riverbank before the turn of the 20th century -- was used for cattle ranching until the city took it over in 1969. Now, most of the cattle you'll find here is on the grill of the many BBQ pits to be found by happy weekend burgermeisters at this popular family recreation spot. Extending south along the river bank from Gold Bar is Gold Stick Park, a slender finger of grassland poking as far south as 101st Ave. NW.

The park is busy, with baseball and soccer fields, a pond, a 10km (6-mile) walking trail loop, and a footbridge across the river to Rundle Park.

It's sometimes smart to book a picnic site in advance -- there are only 30 -- which you can do at Edmonton's website, www.edmonton.ca.

Park entrance at 4620 105th Ave.

Capilano Park -- Moving west along the south bank you'll find Capilano Park, a nicely treed park with plenty of hiking trails, a boat launch for canoeing and kayaking in the river, and a footbridge to the north bank that lets you off at Ada Avenue.

Park entrance at 109th Avenue and 50th Street.

Queen Elizabeth Park -- This larger park on the south bank features a summertime magnet -- a large, and often crowded, outdoor swimming pool. Covering 75 acres, the park has been described as one of the city's major showpieces. Surrounded by lush greenery as the river rushes by, the downtown skyline looming across the river to the north, it's easy to see why. It's also connected to Kinsmen Park, to the west, where you'll find a pitch 'n putt, sports fields, tennis courts, and the John Walter museum (1066 91A Ave.; tel. 780/496-2925), which features the three original Edmonton homes Walter, a prominent entrepreneur and city father, built for himself here.

Park entrance at 10380 Queen Elizabeth Park Rd.

William Hawrelak Park -- Just north and west of the University of Alberta is this smaller park, on an elbow of river as it winds through the city. Named for a three-term Edmonton mayor, William Hawrelak Park has an artificial lake and the Heritage Amphitheatre, where such summer events as the Freewill Shakespeare Festival take place.

Park entrance at 9930 Groat Rd.

Whitemud Park -- Whitemud is a naturalized park, and the thick growth here underscores that fact. Near the river, you'd swear you were in a pristine wilderness location -- if not for the downtown tower poking up over the south bank to the east. Whitemud is adjacent to Fort Edmonton Park, the historical village, so you could easily make a day of touring the historical site, followed up by a lazy picnic in the park by the river.

Park entrance at 13204 Fox Dr.