William Hawrelak Park

Description:

William Hawrelak Park is a large park, covering 130 hectares. It is a beautiful park situated in Edmonton's river valley.

The park includes many walking trails with pedestrian access to many other city parks and attractions, including the Valley Zoo.

You and your family can enjoy a picnic and a walk along the river, lake, or through the trees. There is also a playground for your children to enjoy.

Location: 9930 Groat Rd.

Overall Rating: 5 star

Go Again? Definitely! A beautiful, clean, spacious park with a variety of things to do.

Parking: Lots of parking available with easy access, however parking is limited during festivals and events.

Dogs: No dogs allowed when the park is hosting festivals.

Special Features

Festivals:

Because of its location, large size, and beauty, William Hawrelak Park is home to many of Edmonton's major festivals and events throughout the year.

These festivals include the International Blues Festival, Heritage Festival, Pets in the Park, River City Shakespeare Festival, and Symphony Under the Sky.

Facilities:

• Sheltered pavilion with indoor washrooms
• Picnic sites
• Food concession in the main pavilion
• Footbridge to Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park
• Wheelchair accessible washrooms and pathways (limited accessibilty to picnic sites)

Things to Do:

• Heritage Amphitheatre: enjoy music and special programs
• Lake: feed the ducks, ice skate, try out a paddle boat
• Playground: "Early Settler" Theme
• Trails: enjoy running, hiking, biking and cross-country skiing

Our Visit to William Hawrelak Park

This was one of the first places that our friends took us to visit after arriving in Edmonton. As soon as we parked and I looked over the lake, saw the beautiful big trees, and wide grassy areas - I knew this was a place that I would want to visit again and again.

We walked along the lake and the kids enjoyed all the honking Canadian geese and the active seagulls along the waters edge.

For lunch, there were plenty of picnic benches available, but we chose to sit on a bench beside the water while the kids ate their lunch picnic style on a blanket on the ground.

While we ate our lunch, we got to experience the wildlife in the park. Not only did we enjoy the ducks and the geese, but a gigantic dragonfly came for a visit and landed on my friend's shirt.

Throughout the meal, a friendly squirrel kept the kids entertained by trying to enjoy a little bit of our lunch with us.

After lunch, we enjoyed a walk through the park - the kids excitedly looking at all the dogs out with their owners for their daily stroll.

We walked across the large bridge and the kids enjoyed picking up sticks and leaves and watching them fall down into the river far below.

Of course any trip to the park with kids is not complete without a visit to the playground - so we stopped at the Early Settler themed park.

The park includes a "General Store," some native looking climbing structures, and even a dinosaur head peeking out from the sandbox area.

The kids were sad to leave the park...but after a full morning of fun - they sure napped well that afternoon!

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