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Published: December 7th 2022
After a breakfast event at the
Greater Forest Lawn Seniors Centre , I walked west through some playing fields and along a few streets to the trails of
Valley View Park . Although the park is modest, the views are magnificent! Standing on the edge of the escarpment on the Bow Valley, I could see more than 180 degrees of sky, city and river, with the snow-covered mountains stretching as an infinite definition of the horizon.
The park builders knew their mission: there are many well-spaced benches overlooking the valley and tempting the walker to pause, to enjoy each aspect of the view. The Bow River winds its way south, a blue trail that has carved the prairie for eons. A few bushes and solitary trees arrest the eye for a moment. Friendly dog walkers call hello, and the dogs are trained enough to only sniff curiously before passing by. At the northern end of the park, an array of stuffies are affixed to fence posts, in a sad and moving memorial to residential school victims.
For the first time, I crossed 26 Street to the “inland” portion of the park. In a design of small mounds and shallow dips, walking paths invite children and
strollers to explore. More benches face a small pond, and picnic tables surround a play area with equipment for all ages – toddlers to adults. A few teenagers were playing in a desultory fashion, actually focused on their own conversation.
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Bow River flows from downtown 
Isabel Gibson
non-member comment
My spatial awareness is poor enough that I had to look at a map provided through one of your links to see that Valleyview is more or less straight east from Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. I hadn't realized that there was some high ground there - what a great idea for a park with a view.