Breathe helps guide city planning to ensure all neighbourhoods are supported by high-quality, accessible, connected open spaces.
Edmonton offers an integrated, multi-functional network of parks and open spaces that is renowned as an iconic and defining feature of Alberta’s capital city.
Green Network
The green network supports healthy ecosystems and diverse wildlife habitats, and meets the needs of communities present and future by connecting people with year-round opportunities to learn, commute, recharge, recreate, gather and celebrate. Edmontonians are proud of their green network and enjoy sharing the diverse environmental, economic and quality of life benefits the green network provides.
Strategic Goal
The main goal of Breathe is to plan and sustain a healthy city by encouraging connection and integration of open space at the site, neighbourhood, city and regional levels. As Edmonton grows to a city of 2 million people, every neighbourhood will be supported by a network of open space.
Parks and open spaces are vital to a community’s health. These spaces provide places for people to play, gather, grow food, learn about nature and celebrate. Residents share these spaces with wildlife and plants.
Breathe will guide the planning of the city’s green network to meet the needs of growing communities.
Breathe aligns with the goals of The City Plan, in particular improving Edmonton’s livability, preserving and sustaining the environment, transforming urban form and encouraging use of public transit, walking and cycling.
Breathe Themes
Three overall themes help to frame how we think about the green network and why it is important to people, the city and the ecological system:
- Ecology: Open space protects the environment. By working with our ecosystems, we support natural ecological processes, save our riverbank from erosion and build habitat for animals such as birds, fish and moose, as well as plants and trees.
- Wellness: Open space supports health and well-being, and offers places for people to be physically active and recharge mentally.
- Celebration: Open space connects people to each other and builds a sense of place. These are key places for communities to thrive, gather and celebrate.
What is the Green Network?
The green network is all of the city’s outdoor land and water that is publicly owned and/or publicly accessible. Some examples of open spaces include:
- Parks and plazas such as Churchill Square, William Hawrelak Park and John Fry Sport Park
- Main streets, such as Jasper Avenue, Whyte Avenue, and 124th Street
- Natural areas, including the River Valley and ravine system, Poplar Lake and Hodgson Wetland
- Corridors and linkages, such as Mill Creek Ravine and Wolf Willow Ravine
- Active transportation routes, including the Strathcona Garneau Bike Routes, shared use paths and trails
- Green infrastructure, including bioswales such as at the Ellerslie Fire Station, publicly accessible green roofs, and bioretention/rainwater gardens like Government House Park
Breathe Implementation Project
The City is working to implement the vision identified in Breathe. This work includes replacing the Urban Parks Management Plan, which guides the City’s investment in parks and open spaces, from acquisition and development to operation, maintenance and service delivery.
River Valley Planning Modernization
River Valley Planning Modernization will renew our strategic planning, processes, and regulatory tools for the River Valley and Ravine System.
Past Engagement
Throughout the development of Breathe, 47 engagement events were held to connect with communities on their ideas about our parks and open space system. Through these opportunities:
- 1200 people engaged in discussions about the city’s open space system
- 2500 people were engaged through online surveys
Breathe and Open Space Policy C594 were approved by City Council on August 23, 2017 (Report CR_4551).
What We Heard Reports
Draft Strategy
Two public events were held at City Hall to share the highlights of the draft Breathe Strategy where a presentation was delivered at each event.
Where We're Going
Learn about the 10 Strategic Directions that guided policy development leading to the completion of the draft Breathe Strategy.
Public Engagement
Throughout the project, 47 engagement events were held to connect with communities on their ideas about our parks and open space system.
Contact Us
Email breathe@edmonton.ca