MAKE A DONATION
Martin Family Legacy Garden
Canada’s First Dementia-Inclusive Park
20,000 Calgarians are living with dementia right now. By 2030, this number is expected to reach 34,000. Despite the large number of Calgarians impacted both directly and indirectly, there are no public outdoor spaces designed to meet the unique needs of those living with dementia and those who love them.
Parks Foundation, in partnership with our donors and community members, has pioneered Canada’s first-ever dementia inclusive park, and it is setting a new standard for truly inclusive public spaces. Through a collaborative design process, we brought together leading researchers, healthcare professionals, community advocates, and families impacted by dementia.
Get Involved
Park Features
Martin Family Legacy Garden design elements have been carefully chosen based on dementia research. Park features will include sensory gardens, ample wayfinding signage, wide colourful pathways, seating and shaded areas. The park will also include a children’s playground, which will be especially welcome for caregivers who are in the “sandwich generation” where they are caring for children and aging parents.
Martin Family Legacy Garden will serve as a healing sanctuary where individuals living with dementia, their caregivers, and families can escape societal barriers and immerse themselves in the therapeutic benefits of nature.
DESIGN SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Safety
Use of landscape materials as natural containment, employ flat terrain, allocate ample seating and shade structure
Sensory
Including sensory features such as colour contrast and a variety of plant materials to help stimulate cognitive function/memory; encourage intergenerational connectivity by incorporating a playground in the design
Signage
Features more signage than standard parks to support wayfinding and interpretation; designing color coded pathways to help visitors explore routes
Support
Located adjacent to Greater Forest Lawn 55+ Society and Bethany Riverview, the park will allow for a range of programming, building a beacon for Calgarians and creating a sense of belonging of for residents living with dementia nearby
Park Location
Martin Family Legacy Garden is location in Southview Park – Dover, SE Calgary. This location was chosen for several reasons including its proximity to seniors residences and support programs, transit options and accessibility.
The Groundbreaking Event
On May 29, 2025, we celebrated with over 70 donors, parnters and supporters as we officially broke ground on Martin Family Legacy Garden, Canada’s first-ever dementia inclusive park.
GIVE TO OUR PARKS
Parks Foundation is currently accepting donations on an ongoing basis, as continued funding is essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of this transformative park.
A Place for All: Martin Family Legacy Garden
A Place for All shares the stories of people and communities who helped bring the dementia-inclusive park to life. Through these videos, hear how thoughtfully designed parks can foster connection, support well-being, and create a sense of belonging while harnessing the power of nature and green spaces.
Episode 1: CANADA's FIRST DEMENTIA INCLUSIVE PARK
In this first video of our A Place for All series, Sheila Taylor, former CEO of Parks Foundation, shares how the community has come together to bring this vision to life.
EPISODE 2: Pioneering Inclusive Design
This video explores the vision behind the park, the innovative features that support people living with and impacted by dementia and the collaborative design process that sets a new national standard.
EPISODE 3: A JOURNEY OF CARE
In this deeply personal segment of A Place for All, we hear from Lisa Poole, a care partner who shares her experience supporting her father through dementia.
EPISODE 4: Alzheimer Calgary
Barb Ferguson from Alzheimer Calgary explores why Martin Family Legacy Garden matters so deeply for people living with dementia, their care partners, and the wider community.
THE DEMENTIA INCLUSIVE PARK
Alan Rae, a caregiver for Joan Connor, and Milena Asghedom from Dementia Network Calgary share their hopes about this first-ever park in Canada.
Project Updates
Construction is underway! Martin Family Legacy Garden is expected to complete in fall of 2026.
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS – SEPTEMBER 2025
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS – SEPTEMBER 2025
Our Major Donors & Partners
This project was made possible through the generosity and support of our donors and partners:
Greg & Joanne Martin
Community Partners:
- The University of Calgary
- Dementia Network Calgary
- Greater Forest Lawn 55+ Society
- Dover Community Association
- Southview Community Association
- 12 Community Safey Initiative
- International Avenue BRZ
- Southview Fire Station No. 23
- Bethany Riverview
- Dr. Michael Giuffre
- Dr. Pamela Roach
- Dr. Dallas Seitz
- Dr. Jaya M. Holroyd-Leduc
- Dr. Erica Smith
- Dr. Sonya Jakubec
- Dr. Jim Silvius
- Dana Penner
- Darrel Gregory
Made possible through the generosity and support of many other dedicated community members, partners, and donors.
The Martin Family Legacy Garden project is brought to life by Parks Foundation Calgary.
Give To Our Parks
Parks Foundation is a civic partner and qualified donee, which makes your donation eligible for charitable tax credits. For more information, please see our Receiving Donations and Issuing Tax Receipts Policy.
$50
$150
$250
$500
Other
Get In Touch
Parks Foundation is a civic partner and qualified donee.
225 – 13 Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2R 1N8