'Relaxed and stress-free': Ring the Bow River to reconnect with nature

It runs through the heart of the city and the souls of Calgarians.

And now, the Bow River can be reached by speed dial thanks to a popular local art project offering a fresh take on our water source.

Anyone who wants to hear the Bow's rushing, gurgling and babbling can call 1-855-BOW-LSTN (1-855-269-5786).

Digital ads around Calgary are promoting the campaign.

One Calgarian who regularly walks the banks of the Bow loves the idea because of how she feels when she's near the river.

"Oh, I'm so relaxed and stress-free," said Sue Hemlow.

The art project, called Reconnecting to the Bow, was originally launched 10 years ago in 2014 under the name Varying Proximities.

The team behind it says the timing seemed right to bring it back.

"Record number of people floating down the Bow, paddling down the Bow, swimming down the Bow, connecting to the Bow, but also water is in the news – we are under water restrictions again," said Greg Burbidge with Calgary Arts Development.

Access to this water, however, is wider – the sound of it, at least.

The 2014 project primarily let people listen to the river over a landline at an art installation.

This version provides a direct line to the Bow River on any type of phone to provide even more people access to art, including those with mobility concerns.

Once again, the project is very popular.

"First 10 days, we had thousands of people call the Bow and not just local people," Burbidge said.

But dialling up digitally changes the tone of the river's rushing, gurgling and babbling.

"Cellphone technology actively tries to prevent you from listening to nature," Burbidge said.

While mobiles are created to block out background sounds, it poses a challenge for anyone accessing this art on a cellphone.

"I mean, maybe for sleeping it's white noise," said James Arrowood, visiting from Arizona after listening on a cellphone.

Yet even those with no connection to the Bow understand the appeal.

"Certainly, if it connects you audibly with a place that mentally you're already invested in, I could see a touch of home in that and it would be useful for that," Arrowood said.

As always, art is in the eye – or in this case, ear – of the beholder.

Perhaps this project is a reminder to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature more often.

You can call the Bow for the rest of 2024.

You can hear a few different versions, which Broken City Lab artists collected at different parts of the river, each on about a 12-minute loop.

Calgary Arts Development says some people have been listening for the entire 12 minutes.