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One of many scenic views; my wife Shirley AND River Park (photo courtesy of Bryon Howard)

How do you relax after a hard day’s work? Well, after a busy day helping people buy or sell Altadore real estate, I take a walk in the park. I’m pretty lucky to live in a neighborhood that has one of the most beautiful urban parks in Calgary: River Park. (In fact, it’s why Altadore was voted one of the Best Neighborhoods in Calgary.) River Park is a wonderful place to unwind because there’s lots of green space where you can have a small picnic, engage your family (and your dog!) in some outdoor fun, or just plain chill out. That’s why if Altadore’s our “hill of gold,” River Park is our “green gold” – our green patch of heaven in our neighborhood!

Adventures at the park

I love to run at River Park in the early mornings. I’ll run down to Sandy Beach, then back up and down the trails to below the Reservoir… climb again and perhaps take the bridge over the Glenmore Reservoir past the Rockyview Hospital all the way to Heritage Park.

My wife, sister and brother-in-law also frequently walk our dogs with their kids along. After a nice dinner at home, we take a walk out to the ridge, then down to the river, and just enjoy the evening. Every once in a while too, my son and I would have some father-and-son bonding there, like during that winter when he learned how to drive by going round and round the park.

On my more adventurous days, I participate in races there like the Calgary Roadrunners Series (I’m running at the River Park Classic Cross-country Race on October 5). Or I go mountain biking underneath the reservoir where there’s a picture-perfect waterfall. There are really nice quieter trails there that not many people visit. And for super-fun family adventures, the Foothills Wanderers Orienteering Club often holds orienteering events in the park for all ages.

Dog alert!

One thing River Park is known for is its off-leash area for dogs. It’s a great place for dogs to socialize with other dogs. (Tips to dog owners: don’t bring toys or your dog will just play with them and not socialize; and if you forget your poop bag, you’ll find lots of them hanging around in the park.) Sometimes, though, my dog has other ideas of fun. Once, he decided to go for a swim in the park all on his own and ran down ridge to the river. Then he ran back all the way to our house and shook his wet, muddy fur — I guess he thought the sign said ‘off and running’!

Let’s keep River Park beautiful.

We always have such a great time at River Park and we felt sorry to see the pedestrian bridge damaged after the record flood in June. But the city is hard at work to rebuild the bridge, and in fact, has great plans to make River Park even more beautiful and fun! Now if all of us residents will keep the park clean and do our share to support the plan (share your ideas!), I won’t be surprised if Altadore real estate would soon be the greenest property in Calgary!

Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.

About Bryon Howard

Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of one home a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 8% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.