We talked to Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway Committee Co-chairs Dave Mowat and Carolyn Patton to learn more about this terrific new initiative in Edmonton’s River Valley.

The Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway is a 10km path that stretches from Government House to the Funicular, with 30 Walkway medallions (markers) along the way, and features an accompanying, interactive app with over 60+ stories about Edmonton’s rich past and vibrant present. Visitors can choose to walk the whole Walkway or portions of it.

Edmonton’s Commonwealth Walkway is part of a global network of walkways located in Commonwealth countries around the world, providing safe, accessible and practical opportunities for people to become more active, preserving and protecting physical and mental health, advancing education of natural and cultural heritage, and promoting conservation, protection and improvement of historical and natural environments.

Edmonton is the first Capital City in Canada to unveil a Commonwealth Walkway. It is the second Walkway in Alberta (the first was unveiled in Banff). Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, has given her support for the Walkway projects, allowing each Walkway marker to display her personal EIIR Royal cipher and crown.

The Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway sits on Treaty 6 territory, and we acknowledge and thank the Nehiyaw (Cree), Denesuline (Dene), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Anishinaabe (Ojibwe/Saulteaux), Nakota Sioux (Stoney) and Metis, whose ancestors’ footsteps have marked this territory for centuries. The Walkway committee worked closely with the City of Edmonton Indigenous Relations Office and held Indigenous consultation sessions as part of the project development. We also worked with Elder Jerry Saddleback to write and record Indigenous stories for the Walkway. Currently, even more Indigenous stories are being developed to be added to the Walkway app!

Edmonton’s Commonwealth Walkway is also the only Walkway in the world that includes an interactive app experience. Not only will taking a stroll along this path connect you to others enjoying the enduring beauty of the river valley, but you’ll also encounter stories that will connect you to the city’s history, stories that connect us all to the greater idea that we are writing our own chapter in history—together.

There are currently four ‘storylines’ within the Walkway app: History, Indigenous, Family and River Valley. Each storyline contains a number of text, image, and audio each featuring unique perspectives, stories of place, and the city’s rich history. These stories are just the beginning! More will be added and we also welcome the public to share their stories through the app as well.

The Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway project is led by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Lois Mitchell.  Edmonton’s Commonwealth Walkway was created by a committee of passionate Edmontonians, co-chaired by Dave Mowat and Carolyn Patton, and would not be possible without the support of our partners.

We acknowledge and thank: Dave Mowat, City of Edmonton, Commonwealth Walkway Trust, Edmonton Heritage Council, Government of Alberta, Indigenous Communities of Alberta, Lift Interactive, Naheyawin, River Valley Alliance, ATB Financial, Blue Cross, Canadian Western Bank, Capital Power, EPCOR, Mitchell Legacy Foundation, Servus Credit Union, Edmonton Tourism, Travel Alberta, Patton Communications, Jon Manning, Julia Lipscombe, Linda Hoang Digital.

Experience the Walkway and our Stories of Place: Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway mobile app (FREE download) available September 7, 2019. To download, go to the App Store or Google Play – search Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway or find the app link on www.edmontoncommonwealthwalkway.com.