Cloverdale Footbridge

8/10/2019 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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Documents

Cloverdale Footbridge