Harvie Passage

Client  Government of Alberta
Location Calgary | Alberta | Canada 

Harvie Passage is a culturally, ecologically and recreationally important reach of the Bow River in Calgary. Harvie Passage Weir was constructed in 1904 to divert water into the Western Irrigation District Canal, and is a critical piece of infrastructure to the agriculture industry east of Calgary. This weir created a high level of risk to water users, which led the province to complete a project in 2012 that increased public safety through adding a side channel to circumvent the weir, and constructing smaller steps to effectively reduce the drowning hazard. One year later the project was damaged in the 2013 flood, closing the Harvie Passage to the public as a result. 

Under the Disaster Recovery Program, Alberta Transportation is repairing the Harvie Passage with O2 and consultant Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB), in collaboration with the City of Calgary Parks department to enhance the landscape and public realm surrounding the west channel. 

 

O2’s scope of work for the landscape architectural services within the site boundaries involved riparian restoration, bioengineering, trail networking, wayfinding and signage, cohesion with existing natural areas and landscape improvements adjacent to the project boundary. O2 also provided detailed designs for the Sam Livingstone Fish Hatchery cold water stream outlet, site amenities, infrastructure, beaches and placement and character of the river bank hardscape improvements. 

O2 has incorporated a trail network from Harvie Passage to Bend in the Bow, to facilitate the integration of another one of our projects. This trail network enhances the landscape and public realm surrounding the west channel.