cloverdale footbridge
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CLOVERDALE FOOTBRIDGE
&ENVIRONS
Prepared by
Save Edmontons Downtown Footbridge Community
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Cloverdale
Footbridge
and
Environs
TheCloverdalePedestrianFootbridgeconnectsLouiseMcKinneyParkandtheHenriettaMuirEdwardsPark,over
theNorthSaskatchewanRiver,incentralEdmonton. ThebridgeispartoftheTransCanadaTrail,theworlds
longestrecreationaltrail.WithinthemainrivervalleytheTransCanadaTrailisacombinationofexistingpaved
andgranular
multi
use
trail
surfaces,
with
some
sections
linked
to
city
roadways
and
sidewalks.
The
Cloverdale
FootbridgesisanintegralpartoftheTransCanadaTrailcrossingtheNorthSaskatchewanRiverallowingfora
recreationtrailexperiencewithnovehicleinteraction. ThisareaofEdmontonsrivervalleyformsa"Ribbonof
Green"thatwindsitswayalongtheNorthSaskatchewanRiver,featuringnaturalwoodedareas,pavedandnatural
trails.
OnApril26,1974,PremierPeterLougheedandthesixteenEdmontonMembersoftheLegislativeAssemblyofthe
ProvinceofAlbertaannouncedtheapprovaloftheCapitalCityRecreationParkfortheCityofEdmonton.This
uniqueurbanparkplan,estimatedtocostinexcessof35milliondollars,wasinitiatedanddevelopedbythe
GovernmentofAlbertawithinputfromtheCityofEdmonton.TheCloverdaleFootbridgewasoneofthefeatures
ofthisuniquePark.
Dateof
construction:
October
1976
to
June
1978
Officialopening: July91978
Thisfootbridgeisheavilyused,onadailybasis,bybicyclecommuters,hikersandjoggers.
InadditionthefootbridgeisamajortouristattractionhighlightedinboththeCityofEdmontonandAlberta
Governmenttouristinformationpackages.
Photographersfromallovertheworldusethebridgeforwedding,familyphotographyandtouristphotography
centeringontheEdmontoncityscapeandthescenicrivervalley.
Morethanabridge,itisaneighbourlypromenadeenjoyedbyrunners,walkers,cyclists,lunching
urbanites,
surrounding
Cloverdale
Bridge
eggscommunities,
musicians,
dogs,
photographers,
painters,andagoosewholayshereggsyearafteryearonapillarbelowthenorthendofthe
bridge.Donna'sRiverValleyAWalker'sObservations
Aerial view of the Cloverdale Footbridge
and surrounding area: Louise McKinney
Park, Chinese Garden, Rose Garden,
Henrietta Muir Edwards Park and Forest.
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Originally the footbridge was named Grierson Footbridge, but later the name changed to the Cloverdale
Footbridge. "Leilani Muir" Footbridge is the unofficial name. A brass placard is attached to the north side of the
bridge honouring Leilani Muir. Other than this there have been minimal changes to the bridge directly. There have
been improvements to the surrounding area, i.e. the completion of Louise McKinney Park, the addition of the
Chinese Gardens, Rose Gardens Trans Canada Pavilion and the EHS Centennial Garden.
In the next two years the Cloverdale Footbridge is scheduled to be demolished and replaced with the Tawatina
Bridge; an LRT bridge with a suspended pedestrian and bike path.
Save Edmontons Downtown Footbridge Community, a citizen group, was formed in 2013 to assist in making
people aware of the importance of the footbridge and surrounding area to both Edmonton and Alberta. The group
has spoken at City Hall, met with Councillors, staged rallies, participated in Janes Walks, suggested an alternate
route for the South East LRT line, and collected signatures on a petition to save the bridge. The group has also set
up a Facebook site (facebook.com/savetheyegdtfootbridge) and has applied to the Province to have the bridge and
area designated as a historical resource.
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Site History
A large portion of Edmonton residents, almost 30 per cent, have difficulty affording thesimplest and least expensive of recreational advantages.
Fifty-three provincial parks and five national parks dot Alberta's landscape, providingenjoyment both for Albertans and visitors to this province.
Yet large numbers of her citizens, of low income, disadvantaged, ageing or infirm, maynever be able to afford the luxury of a drive to the countryside or wilderness for the relaxation andrecreation these parks can provide.
It was to provide improved recreational opportunities for all Edmontonians, as well as toupgrade river facilities before the 1978 Commonwealth Games, that the Alberta governmentdecided to provide about $34 million for a parks development in the river valley of east Edmonton.(The amount was set in terms of a 1974 dollar value.)
Most of the planning and development for this river area, now known as the Capital CityRecreation Park, is complete. It complements the city's 1970 master plan for parks developmentand provides funds for trails, landscaping, shoreline stabilization, public use amenities, a sciencecentre, four pedestrian bridges, fresh water lagoons, and property acquisition within two narrowstrips on both banks of the North Saskatchewan River.
The vision, to provide a recreation playground in the river heart of a rapidly growing
and modem city, is not a new one.As early as 1907, the city council of that era entertained a report by Frederick G. Todd, a
landscape architect from Montreal that designed a plan for parks and boulevards in Edmonton. Itrecommended ..."every advantage should be taken of the great natural beauty of the situation bywithdrawing for parks purposes, property, such as the river valley and ravines." Mr. Todd'srecommendation for a river valley park system was accepted and adopted into the 1915 city plan.
In 1933, the city zoned much of the area for use as a "public park", introducing land useregulations to that effect.
A further report, the Bland-Spence Sales Report, was adopted in principle by city councilin 1949. It recommended a "comprehensive system of parkways" throughout the whole river valleyand proposed a system by which development in the river valley could be opposed. This was firstimplemented in 1951 when council approved a plan showing Rosedale Flats as proposedparkland.
With the application, in 1968, for a permit to develop an apartment project that wouldintrude 60 feet into the river valley, council was asked to consider a "top-of-the-bank" policy aslegislation. When it was adopted, in 1970, it defined the limit of the river valley and ravine system,introduced principles governing development in proximity to the river valley and prescribedregulation for development permits or zoning certificates in areas adjacent to the limit of the rivervalley and ravine system.
The city's general plan by-law of 1971 for the first time gave legal authority to rivervalley policy objectives and designated lands for long-range acquisition for future parksdevelopment
A joint announcement by the provincial and city governments, that some $34 millionwould be made available for specific areas within a 16-kilometre long stretch from the areabelow the Legislative Building to Hermitage Park in the city's extreme northeast comer, was madeApril 26, 1974. It was ratified on February 11, 1975 when the park's agreement was signed by thepremier, Peter Lougheed, and Edmontons mayor of that period, the late William Hawrelak.
Premier Lougheed described the plan as "the most exciting and novel approach toassuring the quality of life for families in metropolitan centres yet proposed for Canadian cities."
Currently, the river valley is primarily zoned metropolitan recreational, but does includeland zone for other uses.
-Edmonton Journal July 1978
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ArticlefromThe
EdmontonBulletin
September11908
EdmontonTheCity
BeautifulMayor
McDougallSecures
PropertyforRiverFront
ParkA
Commendable
Project
Thearticlediscussesthe
Citysinterestin
purchasingland
surroundingtheriver
valleywiththehopeof
buildingariverfront
park. Thiswastheinitial
stepintheCitys
beautificationplan.
NorthSaskatchewanRiverFerrybetween19101915Provincial
ArchivesofAlbertaA7012
GeorgeReem
living
in
ahouseboat
with
dog
Dinah
June
6
1950PhotographerEricBlandCityofEdmontonArchivesEA
6004486aandEA6004486d
CanoeingtheNorth
SaskatchewanRiver
June181950
PhotographerEric
BlandCityof
EdmontonArchives
EA6004554
HistoricalPhotographsofthe
Cloverdale
Footbridge
and
Surrounding
Area
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CapitalCityParkmodel
August1975
PhotographerBobMatula
ArstSketch
HenrieaMuir
EdwardsParkby
JMWispinski
February1976
Thismapillustratesthe
funconalplandrawingfor
theDowntownFreewayLoop
fromtheMetropolitan
EdmontonTransportaon
Study(1969).Theonlypartof
theseplansthatwereever
constructedistheJames
MacDonaldbridgeandeastinterchange.TheCityCouncil
cancelledtheplanintheearly
70s.Themapindicatesthat
thefreewaywastocrossthe
riveratthesamelocaonas
thepresentCloverdale
Footbridge(RiverdaleBridge).
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GullswinglazilyoverheadasthecofferdamforthefutureGriersonBridgetakesshapeonthe
NorthSaskatchewan. October91976EdmontonJournal
A60tonseconoffootbridgeiseversogentlyloweredintoplaceontoconcretepiersspanning
theNorthSaskatchewanRiverat96Streetand98Avenue. Thebridgeisoneofthemorevisible
elementsoftheCapitalCitydevelopmentandwillgivepedestriansaccesstoRiverdaleandMuart
ConservatoryfromneartheproposedConvenonCentresite.February31977EdmontonJournal
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Waing
Wetweatherhasdelayedworkonfourfootbridgesinthesoutheastthatwillspanthe
NorthSaskatchewanlinkingbothsidesofCapitalCityPark. Crewsareexpectedto
resumeworkonthisoneattheendofSeptember. Allbridgesareexpectedtobe
finishednextJune.September91977EdmontonJournal
Cranechangingunusualsight
CityworkcrewsbeganajobonThursdaythatwilleventuallyremoveoneoftheriver
valleysmostunusualsights.Workingwithalargecrane,theysetinplacepartofthe
northseconofthepedestrianbridgeadjacenttoGriersonHill. Sincespring,thesouth
seconofthebridgehashunguninvinglyovertheriver.December301977Edmonton
Journal
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NewfootbridgeacrossriverinCapitalCityparkJune131978EdmontonJournal
Fourgracefulbridges,designedforpedestriansandcyclists,crosstheNorthSaskatchewanRiver.
Linkingtheparkshikingandcyclingtrailsatstrategiclocaonsalongtheriver,thebridgesfacilitate
accesstoparkusersfromeithersideoftheriverandalsoprovidevalleytourerswithwalksor
ridesoflogicallengthwhichalsoreturnshikersorcycliststotheirstarngpoint.
Totalbudgetforthefourstructuresis$5560000.
Thebridgesalsoactasastandforobservingriveracviesandforgeneralviewingofthevalleyand
cityskyline.July91978EdmontonJournal
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Swinging,Rocking,OpeningforPark
Theycameinthethousands. Infact,theturnoutfortheofficialopeningofthenewCapitalCityrecreaonpark
exceededbymanythousandstheexpectedaendanceof50,000. Perhapsitwasthegoodweatherwhichbroughtthemout.Thereweresomanycyclesthattrafficjamsbuiltupthroughoutthepark,andpedestrianswereforcedtoleapoutof
thewayofsomemachineswhichwerebeingdrivenjustaliletooenthusiascally Buttheopeninghadsomethingto
offereveryone.July101978EdmontonSun
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Preamble
Living in a city is walking a tightrope. A narrow pathway can be the difference between keeping ones
balance and falling under. In the early 1970s, the provincial government floated the concept that provincial parks,
since they were remote, were not accessible to most Albertans. A fifteen-kilometre stretch of the North
Saskatchewan River valley from the Legislature to the Beverly Bridge was chosen as the first in a series of urban
provincial parks.
Dr Allan Warrack, Minister of Lands and Forest, Environment Minister Dave Russell, Al Adair, Minister of
Recreation, and Horst A. Schmid, Minster of Government Services, were involved in the process. According to St
Johns Edmonton Report of April 15, 1974, Emphasis has been placed, explained Dr Warrack, on locations which
will provide ease of access particularly for older or handicapped people and those without cars. The project was
announced in 1974, and remarkably, Capital City Recreation Park opened to great fanfare on July 9, 1978, a month
before the Commonwealth Games. A plaque on the picnic shelter at the south end of the Cloverdale Footbridge
states the park was built for the enjoyment of the people of Edmonton and surrounding communities.
At this time, reference was made to the long history Edmonton had had preserving the river valley, dating
back to Frederick Todd in 1907, who is credited with supplying a vision for a necklace of parks. When Todd cameto Edmonton in 1906, he saw industry in the central river valley, but still encouraged the city to acquire Groat and
Rat Creek (now Kinnaird) ravines for parks, and to acquire the steep treed banks in the valley itself, which were not
suitable for building. He advocated for the purchase of the Hudson Bay flatsthe city did this in 1912 and it
became Victoria Park and golf course. Writers of the 1970s also refer to the City Plan of 1915 in which Todds
recommendations were officially adopted by the City, to the zoning of the river valley as Recreation in 1933, and
to the Bland-Spence Report of 1949, which opposed development in the river valleyall antecedents of the
Capital City Recreation Park.
The province invested $36 million in developing the Capital City Park. This included trails, picnic shelters,
benches, tree plantings and four footbridges. The city supplied the land. Three footbridges are in the east end of
the city. The Cloverdale Footbridge is the sole bridge in the central area, connecting Louise McKinney Park with
Henrietta Muir Edwards Park, an original Capital City Park. As well as being a link, according to promoters of the
park, The Bridge also acts as a stand for observing river activities and for general viewing of the valley and city
skyline. (Edmonton Journal July 7, 1974). The open-air bridge is a park experience in itself, attested to by the
lingering of people along its rails, drinking in the scenic views.
The Environs
South Side of the Cloverdale foot bridge
Edmonton Horticultural Society Gardens
This central footbridge has also spawned the most ancillary places of beauty. At the south end of theCloverdale Footbridge is Edmonton Horticultural Societys Centennial Garden, so called to commemorate the
hundred-year history of the society. Planning began in 2004, and planting three years later. On any given day
throughout the growing season, says the EHS, joggers, dog-walkers, cyclists, strollers, families on park outings,
city workers on lunch breaks and nearby condo owners pass by. They cannot help but feast their eyes on a cool
blue bed of delphiniums
http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/
http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/ -
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Today the garden boasts Potentilla, Dogwood, tulips, roses, and a host of small trees and shrubs. The
garden also embodies a transfer of knowledge from the old to the young. A great learning process takes place
when the gardeners meet and work en masseor in teams. Novice gardeners absorb many gardening tips from their
experienced peers. Veteran gardeners revitalize old skills and knowledge when mentoring or coaching novice
gardeners.
http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-citygardeners/According to EHS historian, Kathryn Merrett, initially the society was not keen on the site. Marginal
citizens frequented the nearby picnic shelter area, and the garden area itself contained aged cottonwoods with
elaborate root systems. In the end, she says, it has all worked out. We neednt have been worried about the
homeless. In fact, the only vandalism I think we have had has been the occasional theft of the more showy plants.
([email protected], Kathryn Merrett, May 5, 2014). A long-term vision for the site is contained in the EHS
hope, May it mature gracefully through the next one hundred years.
http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/
The south side of the footbridge is also adjacent to the original Mill Creek outfall. The creek was diverted
through a system of pipes when west Cloverdale became a traffic interchange in the seventies. Historically, the
banks and Cloverdale plain were forested. The forest was gradually eroded as the area became a centre for
industry, including a slaughterhouse, sawmill and brickworks. However, the forest west of the footbridge,
following the meander of the creek bed as it winds towards the river, has remained intact. Aerial photographs
from 1924 and 1950 show a forested area where Mill Creek joins the North Saskatchewan River, a few metres from
http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-citygardeners/http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-citygardeners/http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-centennial-garden/http://edmontonhort.com/community/ehs-citygardeners/ -
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the footbridge. These ten acres of woods, populated by mature poplar, box elders and the odd spruce, is the last
stand in the central area. A multi-use trail wanders through this woodland, crossing the old creek bed on a small
bridge styled after the Cloverdale Footbridge.
http://centennial.eas.ualberta.ca/files/misc/Edmonton_air_photo_1924.pdf
http://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/airphotos2&CISOPTR=15926
In the main, these woods form Henrietta Muir Park. A 2013 study confirms its value as a natural habitat:
HME Park, occupying the south river bank and some of the wide river terrace, is the largest and most
continuous wildlife corridor within the local study area. The wooded riparian park measures
approximately 200 m at its widest, although the width of the available habitat narrows to approximately
60m at the west edge of the local study area. The habitat in HME Park generally consists of mature
deciduous woodland, with variable topographic relief, which provides suitable protective cover for the full
range of potentially occurring wildlife species from small (mice, squirrels) to large (coyotes, deer). Two SUPs
[walking trails] wind through the park; however, they are situated close together, which allows a clear
separation between human and wildlife movements. East of the local study area, the wooded habitat along
the south side of the river extends un-fragmented for approximately 2kms to the bridge crossing at
Rowland Road. West of the local study area, the natural riparian habitat narrows to approximately 25m
beneath the Low Level Bridge but then widens again. The road network south of this location is very
concentrated and likely presents a significant barrier to most terrestrial species. Much of the wildlife
travelling along the south valley is, therefore, likely funneled to the area under the Low Level Bridge.
Although wildlife movement through this reach of the NSRV may be reduced compared to less urbanized
areas of the river valley, it is the most permeable area within the central portion of the river valleyand
remains a critical component in the Citys ecological network. Contrary to the north river bank, the
relatively shallow slope and natural vegetation along the south riverbank were mapped as having
moderately high permeability for wildlife movement. The significance of HME Park as a wildlife movementcorridor is rated as high. (Spencer Environmental, 2013, p. 108)
http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/Attachment_1_ValleyLine_Stage_1_EnvironmentalImpact_Scree
ning_Assessment.pdf
Apart from its value as a wildlife corridor, because the forested area contains the Mill Creek outfall, it is a
potential source of historical resources. According to an archeology report (Spencer Environmental, 2013,
Appendix H) the geographical variables that appear to be most commonly associated with the occurrence of
archaeological sites in the general region [include]confluences of major and minor streams and rivers, especially
flat and well-drained landforms in the immediate vicinity. Curiously, this feature [the outfall] does not appear to
have been recognized in the 2013 report as anything more than a gully.
http://centennial.eas.ualberta.ca/files/misc/Edmonton_air_photo_1924.pdfhttp://centennial.eas.ualberta.ca/files/misc/Edmonton_air_photo_1924.pdfhttp://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/airphotos2&CISOPTR=15926http://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/airphotos2&CISOPTR=15926http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/Attachment_1_ValleyLine_Stage_1_EnvironmentalImpact_Screening_Assessment.pdfhttp://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/Attachment_1_ValleyLine_Stage_1_EnvironmentalImpact_Screening_Assessment.pdfhttp://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/Attachment_1_ValleyLine_Stage_1_EnvironmentalImpact_Screening_Assessment.pdfhttp://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/Attachment_1_ValleyLine_Stage_1_EnvironmentalImpact_Screening_Assessment.pdfhttp://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/Attachment_1_ValleyLine_Stage_1_EnvironmentalImpact_Screening_Assessment.pdfhttp://contentdm.ucalgary.ca/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/airphotos2&CISOPTR=15926http://centennial.eas.ualberta.ca/files/misc/Edmonton_air_photo_1924.pdf -
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TheHenriettaMuirEdwardsParkandWoodland
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North Side of the River
Throughout much of the nineteenth century, the north end of the footbridge was an amalgam of squatters
shacks and the city dump. Apparently up until the 1960s, Edmontons Chinese community used a part of Louise
McKinney Park to grow vegetables. At least since the 1980s, what is now Louise McKinney Park was simply covered
in grass, and had a paved trail travelling its length. In the late 1990s the City began to enhance it with pathways,light standards, a riverfront promenade and a Chinese Garden and Rose Garden. The Rose Garden, which is the
nearest of the gardens to the footbridge, was planted in 2002. It has a switchback pathway, benches and picnic
tables, in addition to a variety of non-native trees. Standing guard at the north end of the footbridge is the Trans
Canada Trail pavilion, installed in 1999. Plaques honoring donors to the respected national trail system, of which
the footbridge is a part, decorate the sides of pavilion.
That the north end of the footbridge is valued for its aesthetic qualities is revealed in comments posted on an
assortment of websites:
Walking up the switchbacks, you will pass through a number of rose gardens donated by the Rotary Club
of Edmonton. The roses are all identified and are maintained in immaculate condition.
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Guide-g154914-i5586-Edmonton_Alberta.html
I often meet up with a girlfriend to run the stairs and am definitely looking forward to the blooming of the
donated rose bushes come warmer weather!
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/louise-mckinney-riverfront-park-edmonton
The main stop I wanted to make was at Louise McKinney Park and the Trans Canada Trail Pavilion there.
One of my good friends died while we were in undergrad, and several of us put together money to have a
memorial plaque for him placed in the pavilion. Because it wasbeing built as I was finishing up my degree,I hadn't seen it yet. On the way to the Trans Canada Trail Pavilion, I passed through the Chinese Garden
and the Rose Garden. One of the most incredible things about Edmonton is its parks--the river valley park
system is the largest urban park system in North America.
http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Edmonton/blog-637844.html
One of the highlights of this ride was seeing the flowering trees in full bloom. There were stunning deep
pink trees in Louise McKinney Park (on the switchbacking trail through the rose gardens)
http://zencyclist.wordpress.com/tag/fort-edmonton-park/
We head to my favourite part of the river valley, Louise McKinney Park behind the convention centre.
Theres a path that goes down through banks of hardy roses to the footbridge. From there you can hike
for miles along the trailsNow one of the things I like about Louise McKinney Park is that its often very
quiet.
http://www.alicemajor.com/2008/11/dog-days/
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Guide-g154914-i5586-Edmonton_Alberta.htmlhttp://www.yelp.ca/biz/louise-mckinney-riverfront-park-edmontonhttp://www.yelp.ca/biz/louise-mckinney-riverfront-park-edmontonhttp://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Edmonton/blog-637844.htmlhttp://zencyclist.wordpress.com/tag/fort-edmonton-park/http://zencyclist.wordpress.com/tag/fort-edmonton-park/http://www.alicemajor.com/2008/11/dog-days/http://www.alicemajor.com/2008/11/dog-days/http://zencyclist.wordpress.com/tag/fort-edmonton-park/http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Edmonton/blog-637844.htmlhttp://www.yelp.ca/biz/louise-mckinney-riverfront-park-edmontonhttp://www.tripadvisor.ca/Guide-g154914-i5586-Edmonton_Alberta.html -
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NorthSide
oftheRiver:
ChineseGarden,Rose
Gardenandpathways.
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The Linked Parks
The footbridge, with its railway feel of thick wooden planks, cross beams and open air ceiling, is welcoming.
Visitors verify this:
In the river valley and downtown, festivals and other activities are abundant during the summer. Walkthrough the rose garden and have a picnic at a picnic table or on the other side of the river by means of
the pedestrian bridge where you can have a BBQ.
http://www.vrbo.com/330155
There's a pedestrian bridge to walk across the river, so you walk over to Henrietta Muir Edwards Park on
the south side of the river (another park I need to visit). It's a really nice park, with great walking/biking
trails, and views of the river valley and downtown.
At an event at the Shaw and looking for a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle? A short walk
south of the Conference Centre is the park which you can access by the doors out of the Shaw and down
the stairs. It's easy to get to and away from the downtown activity and great for walkers and runners. It's
serene and a lovely walk on the trail beside the river. There can be a few runners but room for walkers
and runners to share. You can also see the River Queen and I believe you can access it with a walk across
the pedestrian bridge and then a short walk through the park on the other side. If you want to sit and
relax, there are benches with the view of the river.
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/louise-mckinney-riverfront-park-edmonton
The parks riverside view gives the illusion of being far away from the city thats only, in fact, a minute
away Our teeth chatter as we cross the bumpy Cloverdale Pedestrian Bridge and head to Henrietta
Muir-Edwards Park, another of the Famous Five. After an adrenaline rush of a Segway ride down a steep
hill, we zip along to our starting point. Back at Louise McKinney Park, we explore the well-maintained rosegardens, which nurture 30 varieties of roses with nearly 900 plants.
http://tripatlas.com/guides/Family/2167/Segway_the_Edmonton_River_Valley
The sincere words of praise for the area speak to a continuous landscape in which going, sitting and
viewing are different parts of the same park experience. No part overshadows another: instead, the two parks and
the bridge blend. Building the footbridge in its present location, close to city bus service and parking, was
propitious. Provincial planners in 1974 could never have envisioned the ideal mix of quiet and activity, of nature
and horticulture, of past and present that is wrapped around the footbridge. The area more than fulfils Todds
century-old vision of a necklace of parks, and Warwicks desire for a place where the aged, handicapped and
citizens without cars could recreate. The footbridge and the linked ribbon of green are tightropes of recreation and
relief amid the concrete metropolis, a geographical blessing for all life forms, carrying a history of positive human
activity. Like gems of nature Ottawa lays in for its visitors, the Cloverdale footbridge and environs enhance
Albertas capital cityand theymeritrecognition.
http://www.vrbo.com/330155http://www.yelp.ca/biz/louise-mckinney-riverfront-park-edmontonhttp://tripatlas.com/guides/Family/2167/Segway_the_Edmonton_River_Valleyhttp://tripatlas.com/guides/Family/2167/Segway_the_Edmonton_River_Valleyhttp://www.yelp.ca/biz/louise-mckinney-riverfront-park-edmontonhttp://www.vrbo.com/330155 -
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A.
Trans Canada Trail Pavilion
B.
Bike Path to Riverdale
C. Bike Path to Jasper Avenue (Downtown)
D.
Chinese Garden and Rose Garden
E.
Forest and Original Mill Creek Outfall
F. Edmonton Horticultural Societys Centennial Garden
G.
Picnic Area at Henrietta Muir Edwards Park
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Site Features
Physical Features of the Cloverdale Footbridge
The Cloverdale Bridge is a Warren Truss design, patented by James Warren and Willoughby Monzoni ofGreat Britain in 1848. Warren Truss bridges can be identified by the presence of many equilateral or
isosceles triangles formed by the web members which connect the top and bottom chords. These
triangles may also be further subdivided.
pedestrian/bicycle bridge
198 metres in length
open beamed
wooden deck
three concrete piers
pre stressed steel
two observation platforms with benches
only non-vehicle corridor in the central river valley
spectacular views of gleaming cityscape, riverbank, and rolling parkland
Landscape Elements connected to the Cloverdale Footbridge
Rose Garden
Edmonton Horticultural Society Centennial Garden
Henrietta Muir Edwards Park and connecting forest
Millcreek Outfall
Trans Canada Trail Pavilion
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Figure1NortheastsideoftheCloverdaleFootbridgeFall2013
Figure2NorthwestsideoftheCloverdaleFootbridgeSummer2013
CurrentPhotographsoftheCloverdaleFootbridge
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Figure4AbovetheCloverdaleFootbridge,Northend,Spring2014
Figure3SouthsideoftheCloverdaleFootbridgeSummer2013
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UsesoftheCloverdaleBridge
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Leilani Muir and the Connection to the Cloverdale Footbridge
The province of Alberta was the first part of the British Empire to adopt a sterilization law, and was the only
Canadian province that vigorously implemented it. The western provinces, British Columbia, Alberta, and
Saskatchewan, were close to the United States and highly influenced by American trends. During early debates
regarding the sexual sterilization bill in Alberta, there were many references made to U.S. legislation. As Canada
was rapidly being populated by immigrants, the eugenics movement was emerging and gaining the support of
influential sponsors such as J.S. Woodsworth, Emily Murphy, Helen MacMurchy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby,
Nellie McClung, and Robert Charles Wallace. In Alberta, eugenics supporters had seemingly positive intentions
with the goal of bettering the gene pool and society at large.
In 1928, the Alberta government passed eugenics legislation that enabled the involuntary sterilization of
individuals classified as mentally deficient (now known as persons with a developmental disability or mental
disorder). To implement the Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta, a four-member Alberta Eugenics Board was created
to recommend individuals for sterilization. In 1972, the Act was repealed and the Board dismantled. During its 43
years in operation, the Board approved nearly 5,000 cases and 2,832 sterilizations were performed. The actions of
the Board came under public scrutiny in 1995 with Leilani Muir's successful lawsuit against the Alberta government
for wrongful sterilization.
In October 2011 the Cloverdale Footbridge was unofficially dedicated to Leilani Muir. Muir's advocacy sheds
light on eugenics, institutionalisation, and human rights for persons with a disability, and self-advocacy. Ms Muir
was the first person to file a successful lawsuit against the Alberta government for wrongful sterilization under the
Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta. Her case led to the initiation of several other class action suits against the
province for wrongful sterilization. Artist Kay Burns presented a participational performance walk called
Perambulate: Louise McKinney Park, for the Works Art and Design Festival. At each end of the footbridge, Kay
attached a brass plaque engraved with the words Leilani Muir Footbridge.
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InsomewaystheCloverdaleFootbridgeisALoversLaneduetothelargenumberofcarvings
thatdecoratethebridgesrailings. Beginningshortlyafteritsopeningin1978couples,fuelledby
romance,engravedmessages,lovehearts,datesandnamestothisscenicandpopularfootbridge.
Whenwalkingalongthebridgeitshardnottofeelthepassageoftime.
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Conclusion
As this information package demonstrates, the Cloverdale Footbridge and environs are rooted in the
Commonwealth Games excitement, a defining time for Edmonton, and yet they represent a century of planning.
Flower gardens at each end of the bridge suggest the place inspires people to create beauty. The bridge also
moves people to dance. It is Edmontons Ferris Wheel, a viewpoint for visitors, and a place for friends and lovers.
Some see the bridge as a symbol of social justice. It is easy to access. The forested side remains a refuge for
wildlife, a sanctuary for walkers, runners, and cyclists. It signals fresh air and quiet. The footbridge and environs
continue to evolve, supporting the vision of multiple generations. Mostly, its a place of purity, where people come
back to nature. Thats its tradition.
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Sources
City of Edmonton Archives
http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/city-of-edmonton-archives.aspx
Flickr Photo Sharing
https://www.flickr.com/
Glenbow Museum
http://www.glenbow.org/index.cfm
Kathryn Merrett
Edmonton Horticultural Society
10028 119 St NW Edmonton
780-452-2420
Email:[email protected]
Jan OlsonOral historian, community consultant, researcher
9756 89 Edmonton
780-433-2490
Email: [email protected]
Provincial Archives of Alberta
http://culture.alberta.ca/archives/
Strathcona Community LeagueMill Creek Ravine History
http://strathconacommunity.ca/community/history/ravine/
Tingley, Kenneth W. A History of Cloverdale, From Gallagher Flats to Village in the Park. Edmonton: Cloverdale
Community League, 2005. Print.
Dr. Ross W. Wein,
Professor Emeritus, University of Alberta
Northern Forest and Fire Ecology, Urban Ecosystems, Tropical Ecology
7135 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2A4
780-436-0141;
Email:[email protected]
http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/city-of-edmonton-archives.aspxhttp://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/city-of-edmonton-archives.aspxhttps://www.flickr.com/https://www.flickr.com/http://www.glenbow.org/index.cfmhttp://www.glenbow.org/index.cfmmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://culture.alberta.ca/archives/http://culture.alberta.ca/archives/http://strathconacommunity.ca/community/history/ravine/http://strathconacommunity.ca/community/history/ravine/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://strathconacommunity.ca/community/history/ravine/http://culture.alberta.ca/archives/mailto:[email protected]://www.glenbow.org/index.cfmhttps://www.flickr.com/http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/city-of-edmonton-archives.aspx -
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Photo Credits:
Anthony Jones
Bill Hately
Black Bird Photography
Bob MatulaChris Anderson
City of Edmonton library
Corriegirl
Edmonton Horticultural Society
Eric Bland
Eric Gormley
Gillian Austin
Google Maps
Heidi G
IQRemix
Jesse Therrien
Jim Johansson
Jimmygster
JM Wispinski
Jodine Chase
Joyce Van Der Linden
Kathy Drouin
Klem
Living Archives on Eugenics in Western Canada,CURA
Mac Sokulski
Mack Male
Michael
Olson Photography
Paula Kirman
Randall Talbot
Robert Cross
Sangudo
Scratch
Segway Tours, Edmonton
Shauna and Renee
Sheryl Macri
Snow Pea Portraits
Tom Young
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