Dividends
and improve physical activity levels in the community. A similar model has been used in the borough of Hillingdon, London: Healthy Hillingdon is a partnership between the parks department and the local primary health care trust, pooling resources to encourage greater use of green spaces to promote public health and prevent illness. 13 In Birmingham, Alabama, the Red Rock Trail System was developed with a blend of funding sources and partnerships from civic, environmental and health organizations. The 750-mile bike and pedestrian path system was funded through grants from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and investment from the local Department of Health. 14 As additional pilots explore how this innovative model can be implemented, it appears that using public budgets in partnership with health programs/providers can deliver greenspace with cross-sectoral benefits. 15
ENMAX is a City of Calgary-owned provider of electricity, natural gas, and renewable energy. Since 2003, a dedicated portion of the annual ENMAX dividend has been directed to a capital funding program used to enhance existing parks and acquire and develop new parks. 16 Funds in this account are earmarked for regional parks that serve multiple communities and large catchment areas and are not acquired, funded, or constructed through the development and subdivision process. In 2022, $71 million was earmarked for new regional parks over a 5-year period to 2026. To date, Council has invested over $136 million through the ENMAX Legacy Parks Fund through projects including: • Enhancement of the 100-year-old Bowness Park with a new central square, wading pool, washrooms, change rooms, miniature train, river access, parking lots, winter skate rentals, summer boat rentals, bridge, interpretive signage, and historic elements a year-round facility for summer boating and picnicking as well as winter outdoor skating • Renovation of Devonian Gardens, North America’s largest (1 ha/2 acre) indoor public botanical gardens • Modest enhancements to 50 small projects in community-level parks in older communities, dedicating a $3.25M budget toward updated site furniture, plant materials, local pathways, irrigation
13 https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/fileadmin/ uploads/dc/Documents/paying-for-parks.pdf
14 https://givingcompass.org/article/how-to-secure- new-funding-for-parks-and-green-space
15 Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. (2006). “Paying for Parks: Eight Models of Funding Urban Green Spaces.” Retrieved from https://growgreenproject. eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Working- Document_Financing-NBS-in-cities.pdf
16 https://www.calgary.ca/planning/parks-rec/ enmax-parks-program.html https://www.cbc. ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-s-parks-wish- list-exceeds-available-money-1.6425419
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Appendix D
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