How do we build the kind of city we want for ourselves and our children?
Ride, Float and Stroll The Bow
by Noel on June 2, 2009

Fresh off the presses, the newly minted Bow River Flow Organizing Committee has come up with a vision for the event-formerly-known-as Memorial Drive Festival or Closure. So if you come across friends or neighbours who’ve only heard about this event through the curmudgeonly  media and Aldernimby’s  you can let them know where to find the real story on the event. 

Incidentally, I ran the Calgary Half Marathon on Sunday morning (beat the Mayor’s Police Half Marathon time by 10 minutes! - take that Bronco! - the Mayor wagered his June 23rd PLAN IT vote that I couldn’t beat his time, so one vote in the bag) and it was a glorious day. The entire 4 lanes of Memorial were given over to runners for most of the day, as were portions of 11 Ave SW, 12 Ave SW, 17th Ave SW, 14 ST SW, Spiller Rd SE, etc. etc. etc. 

Guess what? The world did not end. Mass panic did not ensue. The city did not grind to a halt. Economic prosperity was not endangered. But, oh the sound of silence along the Parkway, music to my ears.  Imagine standing on Memorial Drive and being able to hear the river flowing and the red-winged blackbirds whistling. With over 8000 runners I think Memorial Drive moved more people that day than on most Sundays when people are only allowed to use cars to move. Remember its people we want to move, not cars. The machines have not taken over our cities quite yet. So on August 23rd, Get With the Flow!

A Vision for The Bow River Flow

The Bow River Flow is an occasion for Calgarians to gather and celebrate life along the Bow River and the Memorial Drive Parkway. Imagine a great flowing commons through the heart of our city – an event that is inclusive of and accessible to all Calgarians - an invitation for individuals, families, after-church congregations, tai chi enthusiasts, to come together to mingle, and to enjoy a leisurely walk or ride along Memorial Drive, or a float or paddle down the Bow River.

It is an occasion for Calgarians to take some time on the last Sunday in August to slow down and collectively reflect on our good fortune - to leave behind the hustle and bustle of our busy work lives and the noise and hassle of our cars and traffic and simply relax, and enjoy Calgary’s beautiful Memorial Parkway, one of the gems of our city.

The Bow River Flow will not compete with the great festivals already taking place in our city. It is an occasion to celebrate healthy active lifestyles - a non-commercialized, non-motorized celebration where one day of the week we share the road and allow excess lanes to be enjoyed by people in a safe, car-free environment.

It’s an opening, not a closure. The event simply opens space for Calgarians to stroll the historic Memorial Drive promenade, relax, unwind, breathe in some fresh air, perhaps take in a yoga session, or just enjoy the cool breezes off the river.

The Bow River Flow celebrates our future and our past. It is an occasion to enjoy the natural beauty of our River Valley. It is a natural evolution in the process of creating a healthy, vibrant, sustainable city. It is the embodiment of our city’s new transportation vision that recognizes the importance of promoting active modes of travel. It is a coming-out event for the newly designed Parkway. It is an opportunity for all Calgarians to remember those for whom the Parkway has been named and to share in this ‘Landscape of Memory’.

The Bow River Flow is Calgary’s answer to similar events that have blossomed in cities all over the world – Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Bogota and more. It is part of a world-wide renaissance of cities built for people.

In its first year, the Bow River flow will take place adjacent to the community of Hillhurst-Sunnyside. In future years, we envision communities all along the riverfront co-hosting the event.

So join us on August 23rd. Bring your family, your neighbours, your grandparents, your pets, your bicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles, your bicycles built for two, your in-line skates and skateboards, your wheelchairs, your scooters, your yoga mats, and your picnic baskets. Join the Flow - roll, float and stroll the Bow.

For more information contact the organizing committee: bowriverflow@gmail.com