Residents came together at George Moss Park in Ogden to celebrate the official opening of George Moss Park.
“It's like nothing you've ever seen in Calgary, and it's really bringing this community together,” said CEO of the Parks Foundation Sheila Taylor.
The park features a full-size basketball court and two half courts painted by local muralist Cassie Suche. It also includes a playground, a community plaza picnic area, and additional green space. It is located at 74 Ave SE, Ogden.
It was made possible by several donors.
“These things don't happen unless you have a real coming together of politicians, but more importantly, community interests,” said City of Calgary Councilor Gian-Carlo Carra.
At the grand opening on Saturday morning, Phase 2 for the park was announced. It will feature a pump bike track, skate park and family gathering area.
“We're going to have something for everybody. For those skateboard enthusiasts, for people learning to bike as young as two years old, we'll use a pump track all the way to people who are trying to learn how to be even competitive bikers. Here in this space with the new amenities, the basketball, the play, and what's currently here, I think you have maybe one of the most diverse parks in the whole city,” said Taylor.
Construction for Phase 2 is expected to be complete by the end of next summer. The new reconstructed area is something the Parks foundation says the neighborhood needs.
“This project was many years in the making, and we heard from people right in the community that they dreamed of having a space for kids to play. While there's a lot of green space in this area, there's not a lot of park amenities. There's nothing to really do and it was a huge need,” said Taylor.
It has a budget of $2 million.