Battalion Park is a City of Calgary park on Signal Hill, known for large stone numbers that commemorate First World War battalions. You can take in the historic formations and lookout on a short visit, with a hillside pathway connecting the park’s main features.
- Location: 3001 Signal Hill Drive S.W., Calgary
- Park hours: Open daily
- Key features: a pathway, lookout landing and historical stone formations
Where is Battalion Park, and what is the setting?
Battalion Park sits on Signal Hill’s south-facing slope in southwest Calgary. The City of Calgary describes the park as 93 hectares, giving the site a broad hillside setting rather than the feel of a small monument plaza.
From Red Carpet’s rooms, the park is about 13 minutes by car. The address is 3001 Signal Hill Drive S.W.; use it to plan your approach.
What historical features and viewpoints should you look for?
The stone numbers are the park’s defining historic feature. Members of the Calgary, Lethbridge, Central Alberta and Edmonton battalions hauled 16,000 stones in sacks onto the hill. The formations are 137, 113, 151 and 51, the regiment numbers of those battalions.
The Alberta Register of Historic Places describes the Battalion Numbers as white-painted fieldstones forming the numerals 113, 51, 151 and 137. Originally placed in 1915–16, each numeral measures up to 36.5 metres long and 3.7 metres wide. The formations are the focal point of a 3.9-hectare parcel within the park.
The site was originally known as Camp Sarcee in 1915 and opened as a First World War commemoration on November 3, 1991. Veterans Affairs Canada records an entrance arch erected in 1991, inscribed “1991 BATTALION PARK.” A lookout landing is among the park’s features, offering a natural stopping point as you take in the hillside setting.
What are the paths and walking conditions like?
The park has a pathway linking its main features, but its surface and walking conditions call for sensible footwear.
The City describes its trails as unpaved, typically made of granular material or compacted dirt; regional pathways are generally paved with asphalt and located off-street. Those are general descriptions, so don’t assume every path at the park has the same surface.
Stay on designated trails, keep pets leashed unless signs say otherwise, and clean up after them. Calgary pathways are for non-motorized use, except for powered wheelchairs.
What should you know about access and parking?
Battalion Park is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The City’s general guidance says parks are open daily during those hours unless signs indicate otherwise; gates lock at 11 p.m. and reopen at approximately 5 a.m. If you park inside a lot with a gate, a vehicle left there after closing remains until the following day.
The Battalion Park page doesn’t specify a parking location or arrangement, admission fee, or visit duration. Check the official site before you go for park information and any current pathway closures or detours; the City also recommends its pathway and bikeway map or mobile application for route updates.
Calgary’s public transport includes CTrain and bus services, covered in this guide to CTrain and bus basics.
What can you pair with a visit to Battalion Park?
Keep the outing focused on the park’s history and hillside setting: visit the stone numbers, continue to the lookout landing, then follow the pathway back.
Edworthy Park is another Calgary park with trails, access and parking information in this guide to Edworthy Park.
FAQs
Is Battalion Park a heritage site?
The Battalion Numbers are recorded in the Alberta Register of Historic Places. The park commemorates First World War battalions.
Are the stone numbers visible from the park?
Yes. The large stone numerals are the focal point of the historic park parcel on Signal Hill’s south-facing slope.
Does Battalion Park have a lookout?
Yes. A lookout landing is one of the park’s features.