11 June 2025
The City of Calgary has made history today with the announcement of the first Green Flag Award winning sites in Canada.
Two parks - Reader Rock Garden and Confederation Park, both met the internationally recognised Green Flag Award standard following a two-stage judging process that took place on Monday. The parks were assessed against the programs eight main themes and 27 criterion, including: A Welcoming Place; Healthy Safe and Secure; Environmental Management and Community Involvement.
Graham Jones - Acting Director of Parks & Open Spaces for City of Calgary said:
“As Calgarians, we often take for granted the world class parks and green spaces we have in the city – as stewards of these spaces we’re honoured to receive this award, which affirms our commitment to providing welcoming spaces for all Calgarians, now and into the future”
With access to over 2,900 parks and more than 1,200 kilometres of pathways and trails, Calgarians can enjoy a wide variety of experiences and opportunities to meaningfully connect with nature, wellness, culture and each other.
Reader Rock Garden 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.
A major asset to the garden is the incredibly active Friends of Reader Rock Garden Society, headed up for over 20 years by President - Diane Dalkin. The group contribute hundreds of volunteer hours every year as well as organising annual events such as their hugely popular plant sale.
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.
The judging team comprised of Michael Boland - Emiratus Chief Park Officer at the Presidio of San Francisco, California and Helen Beck, a Social Policy Researcher and PhD Candidate in Landscape & Urban Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle.
Carl McClean - International Development Manager for the Green Flag Award program said:
"This is a truly historic achievement for the City of Calgary to become the first Green Flag Award winner in Canada. Well done to everyone involved, including the volunteers and community groups that help these parks perform their best."
The Green Flag Award is proposing a broader pilot launch of the award in Canada in 2026. The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) are currently exploring the possibility of applying to become the national operator of the program in Canada.
Martin Sampson - CEO of CPRA said:
"I'd like to extend warmest congratulations to the leadership and parks staff at the City of Calgary for making history by winning these two awards. Meeting an important international standard like the Green Flag Award is a promising development for the parks sector in Canada, and I would encourage others to harness the benefits of the accreditation in future."
About the Green Flag Award
The Green Flag Award® is a non-profit international accreditation program that recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces.
The program continues to grow from it's origins in England in 1996. The 2024-25 season saw an amazing 2,531 winners from 22 countries around the world. This included first time awards in Seattle (USA), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Malaga (Spain), Toowoomba (Australia), Istanbul (Turkey), Lempäälä (Finland) and London (UK).
To see a full list of Green Flag Award winning parks, visit: http://www.greenflagaward.org/award-winners/
Any park or green space that is free to enter can apply. Keep Britain Tidy who manage the award internationally, respond to all enquiries from new and existing countries and will support organisations in the application process towards Green Flag Award accreditation.
To find out more, or apply for an Award, whichever country you are based in; explore the website or alternatively click here for a contact form.
