Building resiliency towards Climate Action
In taking action towards climate change, Inglewood is building sustainability efforts towards increasing biodiversity and working with the business community to reduce carbon footprint impacts. We have been increasing education and awareness with the Calgary Green Economy, Calgary's Circular Economy, and local environmental initiatives.
Zero-Waste, Repurposed and Recycled Shopping
Inglewood is a thrift and vintage cultural hub with many zero-waste shops and thrift store businesses supporting the circular economy. Spend a day exploring Inglewood's diverse thrifting boutiques and shops scattered throughout the commercial area.
Bringing Nature-Based Solutions to Buildings and Public Spaces
The commercial district of 9th Avenue SE and surrounding areas focus on increasing the biodiversity with trees, native species plants, bees, and insects. Through urban forests, pollinator gardens, and insect homes, Inglewood is advancing the goals of biodiversity conservation supporting native and non-invasive species.
-
Pollinator Park - Urban beekeeping and bee homes on commercial building roofs
-
Native Species - Planting drought-resistant native species perennials and shrubs
The History of William Pearce
William Pearce was a visionary “city builder” who advocated for both development of the region’s natural resources and conservation of its public lands. In 1889, Pearce built a grand, sandstone home—affectionately named “Bow Bend Shack”—within the floodplain on his riverine property. The home was named for the distinctive bend in the river at this location in Inglewood.
Pearce had moved from Ontario to Calgary in 1884 to become the Superintendent of Mines, charged with regulating all resources in the Northwest Territories. He qualified for the role based on ten years of experience as a professional surveyor, during which time he inspected and regulated Western lands, gaining recognition as a protector of land and water resources for the greater public good. A decade of severe drought in the prairies led Pearce to advocate to protect Calgary’s water resources for public use. His work led to the passage of the Northwest Irrigation Act in 1894, resulting construction of agricultural irrigation canals and the Bow River Weir. After he left civil service, he spent his last days at Bow Bend Shack and was laid to rest at Union Cemetery. His land was donated to The City of Calgary to become Pearce Estate Park. The house was demolished in 1967. Its former site is currently occupied by the SoBow condominium development.
Experimental Trees
William Pearce imagined Calgary as a “city of trees.” On his property at what is now Pearce Estate Park, he created Western Canada’s first irrigated demonstration farm with a canal and windmill-powered pump drawing water from the Bow River. Here he conducted trials to test the hardiness of extensive species of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants and pioneered bioengineering with the use of bank-stabilizing trees and shrubs along the Bow River. Pearce developed a nursery on his property and worked with his neighbor, Colonel Walker, to try various plantings to improve their properties. Walker also experimented at his estate with plants at his orchards and gardens. To help realize his City Beautiful vision (a turn-of-the-century planning philosophy to introduce beautification and grandeur to urban areas to improve social harmony and quality of life), Pearce advised fellow Calgarians to plant trees on their own properties. In 1899, his influence led The City to take up a pro-tree stance, establishing tree protection laws and street tree planting programs that led to Calgary’s urban forest. Today, the use of trees for phytoremediation in the Wildlands continues this tradition of experimenting with trees in the urban landscape.