Latest news with #55+Society

Calgary Herald

Calgary breaks ground on first-ever park for seniors with dementia in Canada

Calgary Parks Foundation broke ground Thursday in southeast Calgary on plans to build Canada's first-ever dementia inclusive park. Article content Article content The project has been in the works for four years, according to Sheila Taylor, foundation CEO, with plans to come to fruition by summer of 2026. Article content It all began with a question asked to Taylor by a then-member of the foundation, Sarah Salus. Article content Article content 'She asked, why are there no parks for people with dementia?' Taylor said, in her remarks at the ceremony, on the green plot outside the Great Forest Lawn 55+ Society centre in the community of Dover, where the park will be constructed. Article content Article content 'And the second question. Could we ever build one?' she continued. Article content 'I said, I don't know but we could try.' Article content The idea for the park received an overwhelming enthusiasm from the community, consultants, researchers, politicians — Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said this was a project that was a 'deeply personal' one for her. Article content 'Many of you know I share a home with my mother and after my dad unexpectedly passed away in 2023, I became her primary companion. And she very openly shares with me her experiences with aging,' Gondek said. Article content While her mother does not live with dementia, she has been vocal about her worries of losing her cognitive abilities as she gets older, Gondek said. 'That's hard to watch and even harder to experience.' Article content Article content The area was chosen in part for its proximity to Bethany Riverview, a highly-specialized dementia care centre. Article content Designs for the park cater specifically to those living with dementia and includes a range of safety and sensory features to support it, according to Taylor. Article content 'You're going to be able to hold on as you're walking around and everything will be really colour-coded so people can really feel like they know where they're going,' Taylor said. 'Extra seating for people with dementia, but also their caregivers. Lots of space for programming. There'll be features in the park that are very beautiful and that will inspire memories but also the senses.' Article content The walkways through the park will shaped in loops, she added, to ensure a therapeutic experience for those living with Alzheimer's. Article content This will be the first of Calgary's over 1,000 parks that cater specifically to seniors, she added. 'At the Parks Foundation, we always have an eye for innovation. We're always looking for ideas that have never been done or a creative take on a project.'