1985: The Founding of Parks Foundation

Terry Hawitt was the driving force behind the founding of Parks Foundation Calgary in 1985. Inspired by his passion for the outdoors and a belief that everyone should have meaningful access to parks near their homes, Hawitt turned a simple dinner table conversation into action. With a background in community volunteering, he saw the lack of parks in Calgary’s downtown and envisioned a citizen-led effort to address this need.

Hawitt began by reaching out to friends, local officials, and community leaders, including then-Mayor Ralph Klein, who supported his vision. Together with Norm Harburn and Tom Walsh (the Foundation’s first president), Hawitt established the Parks Foundation as a not-for-profit, with the goal to develop, enhance, and preserve parks and recreational spaces across Calgary. The organization successfully raised funds for its first major project, James Short Park - which is now known as Harmony Park, demonstrating the power of community-driven fundraising and philanthropy.

Over the following decades, Hawitt’s vision and persistence resulted in more than 100 park projects, supported by over $250 million in community-raised funds. His leadership style, tenacious, optimistic, and deeply collaborative, would set the tone for the Foundation’s unique approach to public space development.

Terry Hawitt’s legacy is honoured today through memorials such as the Terry Hawitt Vista, and he is remembered as a founding father and past chairman whose optimism and dedication shaped the city's landscape for generations.

40 Years of Impact

Over the years, Parks Foundation has remained steadfast on its mission: to champion the conservation of green spaces and enhance public access to play and sport spaces for people of all ages. Each year, Parks Foundation completes 20+ projects across Calgary. Today, we continue to transform communities and Calgary’s outdoor landscapes through the generosity of our donors and power of collective action.

We thank The City of Calgary for 40 years of continued partnership and dedication towards our commitment to build accessible, inclusive, and vibrant outdoor spaces for all Calgarians. To learn more about our partnership, click here.

Major Projects of the Last Decade

2017: Rotary/Mattamy Greenway

Location: City-wide, 145km loop

North America's largest urban pathway system, Rotary/Mattamy Greenway encircles Calgary and connects 55 communities, parks, wetlands, and recreation spaces. A transformative legacy linking half of Calgary’s population to nature and recreation. Sections of the Greenway opened in 2010 with full pathway system completed in 2017.

2020: Quinterra Legacy Garden

Location: South Glenmore Park

Quinterra Legacy Garden is Calgary’s first interactive outdoor music garden and performance space created in memory of Lawrence, Joshua, Kaiti, Zackariah, and Jordan, five inspiring young adults whose lives were tragically lost in 2014.

With the vision of their families, and the support of our donors and partners, Parks Foundation helped bring this special space to life. Located in South Glenmore Park, the park offers Calgarians a place for reflection and creativity.

Explore the park today and discover its meaning, its musical and play features.

2021: Ramsay Inclusive Playground

Location: 1024 Bellevue Ave SE

Thoughtfully designed, Ramsay Inclusive Playground is fully accessible that it exceeds minimum accessibility standards and is designed with universal design principles to accommodate children and families with diverse abilities and needs (including those with mobility limitations, visual impairments, and sensory sensitivities such as Autism).

2021: Flyover Park

Location: Bridgeland-Riverside SE

The first of its kind in Western Canada, Flyover Park transformedan underused area beneath the 4th Avenue flyover into an award-winning urban park.

2022: West Confederation Bicycle Pump Track

Location: South Glenmore Park

West Confederation Bicycle Pump Track is Calgary’s first asphalt pump track north of the Bow River and adds a vibrant, all-abilities cycling destination for the northwest communities.

2023: Brawn Family Foundation Rotary Park

Location: Adjacent to The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience located at 1205 17A ST NW.

Brawn Family Foundation Rotary Park is an outdoor space with wellness at its heart, this park was created with care and intention to ensure that all the elements were designed to help nurture the mental health recovery of Calgary’s youth.

Are you an individual or organization who would like to help ensure that Calgary’s parks and playgrounds remain vibrant, accessible, and sustainable? Click here to join our mission!