Pearse Estate Park is a beautiful place to spend a day or just a few hours. And a person to thank is William Pearce, who donated a lot of land to the City of Calgary in 1929, 21 hectares of which later became a park named after him.
We love this place for its unique location and many lovely spots for lifestyle photos. On the east side of the park, there are ponds with cattails and wooden decks. On the west side of the park, there is a rock formation and a small pond. North of the park borders with the Bow River and has a unique public artwork - Bow Passage Overlook.
Park location
The park is situated east of Calgary downtown along the Bow River and is quite close to Inglewood Bird sanctuary. It has a large parking lot and visible signs on the road to follow right to the park gates.
Birdwatching in Calgary
The park itself is a reconstructed wetland bordering the Bow river with an interpretive trail going through it. It was quite a recent addition, opened to the public in 2004. There are ponds and a stream with different waterbirds and many more shore and marsh birds that prefer riverine forests and wetlands. The Ducks Unlimited "Webbed Foot Lane" will give you even more options to observe birds from well-maintained platforms built in the marsh. In addition, interpretive signs will help you identify plants and animals you may encounter.
Picnic Area
You can have a picnic during the day with the whole family - there is a playground for the younger generation, a washroom for all :)
You can also visit Bow Habitat Visitor Centre and Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery to see various aquariums with different local fish species. A great kids' favourite is a catch-and-release trout pond.
Rafters and Kayakers Favourite Place
Harvie Passage is an area of the river popular with rafters and kayakers. It was closed since the 2013 city flood but re-opened again in 2019. There's a high water channel used by skilled paddlers and a lower water channel for people just enjoying water activities.
Get Your Lifestyle Photos in Pearce Estate Park
This is a perfect place for those couples who would like to have their lifestyle photos taken in this beautiful location.
