St. Patrick’s Island is one of Calgary’s oldest parks, on an island in the Bow River near the confluence with the Elbow River. A redevelopment emphasized connections with the ecology of place, including the role of flooding.
The site has spiritual significance to the Siksika as the location of one of their creation stories, which is retold with permission. Elders provided Blackfoot names for all of the plant and animal species on the signs. Wayfinding and regulatory signs use the same palette for a consistent look and feel.
Role: Interpretive planning, research, writing, project management, Elder consultation
Awards:
“Joan possesses an instinctive responsibility to detail, listening and relaying exact information from what we shared with her. We especially were impressed when it came to inclusion regarding accurate cultural information as the voice of the Blackfoot people to the non-Native sphere of modernized advancement.”
Stewart Breaker, BA Comm, Culture
Siksika Knowledge Keeper
