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William Hawrelak Park
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
18 reviews for William Hawrelak Park
18 reviews in English
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Review from Jacqueline S.
Edmonton, AB
8/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Best park in Edmonton? I think so. A huge park in our lovely river valley, with trails coming in from a bunch of different directions. There are all kinds of great festivals and events going on here year-round. It's also a great spot for barbecues in the summer and ice skating in the winter.
But the absolute best thing about Hawrelak? Paddleboats. I. Love. Paddleboats. -
Review from Michael J.
Edmonton, AB
8/2/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Hawrelak Park is Edmonton's park. 'Nuff said.
It's got the best festivals, the best green space, the best view of downtown, the best connectivity to the river valley trail system, the best bridges to connect with the West Side, and it has the best geese.
Seriously. The Canadian Geese at Hawrelak are the roughest, toughest Canadian geese west of Hamilton. Watch out, because they'll come over and take the bagette right out of your hands!
Central to our city, and central in my heart. -
Review from Joanna F.
8/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beautiful park with lots of space to run around, a wonderful lake to paddle boat or skate on and lots of terrific festivals year round.
Unfortunately, its advantages are ruined by two things, the lack of transit here (only two buses go near it, in a convoluted route from the university that wastes travel time and ends well before the park and its events closes at night) and the absolutely USELESS park staff.
It costs a fortune to book a site at Hawrelak Park and they usually wind up double (or triple!) booking you despite confirming multiple times with them that you have a booking. If you confront them about it when you arrive and find someone else (who also has a booking) in your confirmed site, their general reaction is 'sucks to be you'.
As such, by all means go here - it's great - but make sure you do so with friends that have a car, within bus hours, and NOT if you're trying to have a bbq in a specific spot! -
Review from Dan W.
8/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
William hawrelak park ... It's a park haha. A very nice park which boasts alot of space for great events such as heritage days! Most likely it's most exciting of events. Other then that I don't really have much use for driving all the way here just for some grass and trees. The reason I give it 4 stars and not 3 is that it does have BBQ pits so you can go on a weekend and have a family outing with a larger group and be able to cook something hot instead of eating pasta salads.
It's def a good place for kids and a good place for a run on bike ride but it's definitely the larger organized events that make this place the destination it is. -
Review from Harry V.
Edmonton, AB
10/5/2011
I've never been here sober. Shakespeare in the park was pretty fun too...
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Review from Brittany K.
Edmonton, AB
2/24/2011 5 Check-ins Here
This is by far my favourite park in Edmonton. It's got everything you could ask for in a park, especially in this city.
Summer: paddle boats, nice trails, plus Shakespeare in the Park! Killer geese aside, this a great place for a date, a family day out, a BBQ with friends, or any other outdoor activity you can imagine.
Winter: Silver Skate festival (Um, hello? Ice slide!), cross country skiing, and outdoor skating! Too much fun :)
Definitely a great Edmonton landmark to visit any time of the year. -
Review from Mike W.
2/18/2011
The Labatts Blues Festival is one the best shows Edmonton has to offer located at Hawrelak Park during August. It is a 3 day event with numerous highly talented blues artists performing each day.
This is an annual event and I have only missed one in the last 6-8 years. The beer and alcohol is cheaper then most venues and the food vendors here are always awesome. It is a relaxing event to listen to the music or you can go down to the dance floor for more excitement. The people at these events are always friendly and I have not seen any trouble here. Maybe because the independent bikers supervise the event. Hell of a fun time every year and it goes rain or shine. Get there early to get a decent spot with your small backed lawn chair though. The beer gardens are superb but you have to exit the amplitheather grounds for a smoke.
I have seen many people just coming and enjoying the music from anywhere on the William Hawrelak Park as well. Of course you do not get to see the bands this way but still a nice way to enjoy the park.
http://www.bluesintern.../Listed in: 5 Star - The WOW Factor, Good Times
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Review from Arc P.
7/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Managed to make an appearance at Heritage Days this year and I am always reminded how beautiful of a park Hawrelak is. What I love the most is the wide open spaces among the treed areas. Perfect for a game of soccer or Ultimate Frisbee on a nice hot summer day. Throw in a number of great bbq sites, a cute little lake and paddle boats and you could easily melt away a day here. Fun in the sun, enjoy it while you can!
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Review from Bradley M.
Edmonton, AB
a great park...no matter what time of year...
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Review from Nicole B.
Edmonton, AB
10/23/2009
Hawrelak Park is one of my favorite places in Edmonton. I have very fond childhood memories of family outings at the Park, and to this day, I continue to make new memories there.
My favorite thing to d at Hawrelak is just to walk. I know that sounds boring but it's not. I love admiring the scenery, feeding the ducks, and soaking up the sun (usually in the summer).
I also love people watching there. It's funny because Hawrelak Park brings so many diverse crowds together onto one piece of land. You have your families who take out the paddle boats and eat popsicles down by the water, you have have couples going for a rollerblade or bike ride, sometimes they just lay in the sun and cuddle too. You also have your young crews of 16-25 year olds barbecuing or playing volleyball or frisbee. It's really amazing to see all the different groups that come out to enjoy Hawrelak Park. I love it. -
Review from Paula K.
10/15/2008
I have been coming to Hawrelak Park since I was a child and it was still called Mayfair. My father and brother and I used to go on the paddle boats, and feed the flocks of Canada geese that would arrive every year.
Now, I still go to the park on a regular basis, especially now that there is such easy access via the pedestrian bridge linking this south side park up with the west end. The park is quite large and has a paved road running around its circumference, so I can ride my bike easily there.
Hawrelak Park is where I attend the Heritage Festival, my favourite Edmonton festival each year featuring ethnic foods and dance. The park is host to other events and festivals, and those geese still hang out there. -
Review from Mo H.
Edmonton, AB
4/17/2010 1 photo
William Hawrelak Park is one of Edmonton's most used parks, and used by me and my family on a regular basis. The park is named after a former mayor of Edmonton and the site used to be an old gravel pit. My, much has changed over time!
The park is situated just off Groat Road with the North Saskatchewan River running by it's side. The park has many amenities available from picnic areas, public washrooms, amphitheater, playground, and of course the lake. Regardless of the time of year you go to Hawrelak Park there is always something to do - skating, cross country skiing and snow shoeing in the winter to flying kites, paddle boats, wildlife watching and chilling out in the summer. Some of the larger picnic areas need to be booked in advance and to do so you need to call the City's Parks and Rec division. Regardless of the time of year you'll see people running through the park as part of the trail system goes through it. It's also a hot spot for wedding pictures.
Hawrelak Park has been the location of many events from the annual Heritage Days Festival, Edmonton marathon route, the now defunct Bright Nights Festival, Terry Fox Run, Symphony Under The Stars, sporting events and Silver Skate Festival, to name a few. -
Review from Francesca K.
Edmonton, AB
2/18/2010
This park is really beautiful and there are always wonderful things going on here.
You can rent picnic sights, you can lounge on the grass, or you can come and sit under the stars and watch Shakespeare in the park.
When the weather becomes cold, there is a skating rink ready for you to come and enjoy.
The only thing I really don't like about this park is that they do not allow pets. I understand that they are trying to keep the park clean, but if people pick up after their pets it wouldn't be a problem.
I would go here a lot more if I was allowed to bring my dog here. -
Review from Kerri W.
Banff, AB
10/13/2008 1 photo
This is likely the most popular park in the city. Many festivals are held here throughout the year - including my favourite, Symphony Under the Sky. In the winter they have Bright Nights where they have different lit-up winter and Christmas themes and you drive through it.
There doesn't have to be an event happening to enjoy this beautiful park. There's a lake with paddleboat rentals in the summer and skating in the winter. There are several sites available to rent. I've been here for work BBQs in the past.
One thing I recently discovered is that there's free Wi-Fi available in the park. I was told that it was throughout the park but my laptop only picked it up when I was near the amphitheater. Still, very cool.
Dogs are only allowed at the park one day a year when they have Pets in the Park. Otherwise, leave them at home. The park has gates and hours - they're open 8am - 11pm. -
Review from Maria F.
12/24/2009
I am sure that William Hawrelak Park doesn't need to be reviewed since everybody knows what this place is and has to offer, but here we go anyway... During winter it is THE place to come to skate. There is a frozen lake right in the middle in the park where you can skate in circles for hours! Both adults and children, good skaters and novices are guaranteed to have lots of fun here. Also, there is an event called "Bright Nights" going on around Christmas time. For a fee (which is $15 for a car full of people) you get to drive around and look at the lights shaped like people, animals and things: )
In the summer Hawrelak is the best spot for playing badminton or soccer, feeding ducks, taking a nap in the sun (with SPF cream on, of course!) or just taking a stroll along many walking trails. Hawrelak is also a place where Heritage and Blues festivals take place. I am sure there are many other festivals going on in Hawrelak during summer but unfortunately I have never been.
The park gets extremely, insanely, tremendously busy during summer months. On those hot sunny days which are such a rarity in Edmonton, it is virtually impossible to find parking or an empty spot to lay or sit down. All vitamin D starved Edmontonians head here. It can be a beautiful thing or can get really annoying when you make arrangements with friends but either running late because you can't park the car, or can't find your friends at all! -
Review from Mike M.
Chemainus, BC
6/6/2010
One of the best parks in the city if not the best.
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Review from Jack G.
Edmonton, AB
11/11/2009
Hawrelak Park is a cool place to go on a hot summer day. The best way to describe it is a beach without sand or an ocean. People are suntanning in bathing suits, throwing frisbee's and just relaxing. If you want to get together with a bunch of friends on a hot afternoon this is the place to meet up and have a BBQ.
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Review from Jennifer P.
Edmonton, AB
11/11/2008 1 photo
I originally started going to this park to roller blade when I first moved to the city. It was a safe place to get some exercise and learn how to skate on pavement. It was nice to be out around lots of green in a public space, but the terrain wasn't that great. The pavement was fairly rough and bumpy. If you talked to a skating companion while in motion, your voice vibrated. Also, you pretty much just has to go around and around in circles, which got boring after awhile. I went to Hawrelak a few other times for arts events, like Shakespeare in the park and to ice skate on the pond during the winter. That was lots of fun, and they had a little hut where you could sip hot chocolate and take a break. In the summer, I've suntanned on the lawn a few times in the grassy areas. Lots of people come here for picnics and barbecues. I've always planned to but never have. It's mostly large ethnic families who still know how to spend time together regularly. Oh yeah, and I've been to Bright Nights, the city's Christmas lights festival, but thought it was a complete rip off. You drive in a circle but you're behind a bunch of cars and they take something like $15 from your car window at the start, then 15 minutes later you drive out. It's just lights, most set up by corporations. I'd rather enjoy the living ambiance of driving or walking through Candy Cane lane, where other people are out and about in the neighbourhood and there are lots of unique, individual touches.
