Two Calgary parks awarded first Green Flag Award in Canada
Calgary has made history by becoming the first Canadian city to receive the prestigious Green Flag Award for its parks, an internationally recognized benchmark for excellence in public green spaces. Two of Calgary’s prime parks, Reader Rock Garden and Stanley Park, have met the award’s strict criteria, setting a new national standard for park quality and sustainability.
The Green Flag Award evaluates parks on multiple fronts: natural habitat preservation, cleanliness, safety, welcoming design, and long-term community engagement. Calgary’s success highlights a commitment to excellence in every category.
About Our Winning Parks
Reader Rock Garden Historic Park is one of the city's most unique cultural landscapes hosting thousands of different plant species and located in Calgary’s established community of Erlton. First created in 1913, its restoration has earned it an official designation as both a provincial and national historic resource.
Confederation Park was created in 1967 to mark the centennial of Canadian Confederation. This crescent shaped park of more than 160 hectares was once known as "the North Hill Coulee" and includes a wetland section and home to a host of aquatic wildlife and plant species. Confederation Park is also home to the nine hole Confederation Golf Course that is converted to over 7.5 kilometres of cross country skiing trails over the winter months.
The Green Flag Award is a milestone that affirms Calgary’s leadership in building accessible and vibrant parks while recogniting years of dedicated stewardship by City staff, volunteers, and community groups who have worked tirelessly to build and restore parklands across Calgary. With this international recognition, Calgary’s park system stands as a model for other Canadian cities striving toward greener, healthier, and more connected communities.