Stop and smell the roses, or in Regina’s case, stop and immerse yourself in all the green space our City offers to residents and visitors alike. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of daily life and forget to take time to enjoy Regina’s parkland.
Regina is plentiful of urban parks and green spaces. A recent report by Municipal Benchmarking Network Canada indicates Regina is ranked among the highest of cities in Canada when it comes to the amount of parkland. It reports that Regina’s parkland makes up 9.0% of its municipality, well above the national average of 6.5%. This is good news for residents.
Regina has long planned its green space and continues to evolve plans to ensure Regina is a healthy, livable, sustainable and attractive city to live in.
Wascana Centre is the jewel of Regina’s green space. Its beauty is no accident. Its early beginnings started with the development of the first design of Wascana Park in 1907 by Canadian landscape architect Frederick Todd (who studied with the famed designer of New York’s Central Park). He was instrumental in the trees and bushes to plant, his call for an established nursery and the concept for a romantic landscape. In 1961, a long-term master plan was completed and has continued to evolve over the years to the current Wascana Centre – which is 2,300 acres of park space making it one of the largest urban parks in North America. It is larger than Stanley Park in Vancouver and Central Park in New York combined! Wascana Park offers an abundant of play areas, pathways, picnic spaces, event spaces, public art and galleries, natural areas as well as Wascana Lake which is a world class venue for rowing, canoeing and kayaking competitions.
New Communities, New Green Space
In addition to Wascana Centre located in the heart of Regina, there are many additional green spaces and parks through-out all of Regina to enjoy. The focus on green space is not going away. New communities are designed around open spaces making it appealing for New Home Buyers to live and play right in their own back yard. For example, Regina’s neighborhood of Harbour Landing offers 120 acres of parks and over 16 km of pathways.
To assist with the development of new parks and open spaces, Design Regina outlines a framework. It ensures the spaces are livable and enjoyable for all. The new community of Westerra follows Design Regina’s Complete Neighborhood framework. Not only does it includes parks and open spaces, it also includes inter-connected local and regional pathways designed to promote a healthy lifestyle by making it possible for residents to walk or bike to and from work, shopping and other amenities.
If you want to stop and smell the roses check out City of Regina’s interactive Parks Map to find a green space near you.