Join IAKS Canada for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Edmonton’s most innovative recreation facilities: Borden Natural Swimming Pool and Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre

Coronation

© Nic Lehoux

Why join?

Participants will gain firsthand insight into the planning, design, and operations of distinctive aquatic and community recreation environments, including the opportunity to tour Canada’s newest velodrome. 

Engage directly with the facility teams, project partners, and the architects, and fellow recreation professionals. Explore leading-edge approaches to aquatic design, sustainability, community wellness, and facility operations. The tour will provide valuable opportunities to exchange ideas, discuss lessons learned, and build connections across the recreation and sport infrastructure sector.

Whether you are involved in facility planning, operations, programming, design, or municipal recreation services, this event offers a unique opportunity to learn from innovative projects, gain practical insights, and connect with peers from across Western Canada.

Register for free

Facilities to be visited

Borden Natural Swimming Pool

© Raymond Chow

Borden Natural Swimming Pool

Borden Natural Swimming Pool is Canada’s first municipally operated natural swimming facility, showcasing an innovative approach to aquatic recreation through biologically filtered water treatment rather than traditional chemical systems. Located within Edmonton’s river valley, the pool combines recreation, environmental stewardship, and sustainable design. During the tour, participants will learn about the facility’s development, operations, water treatment processes, maintenance requirements, user experience, and key lessons learned since opening, offering valuable insights for communities exploring alternative aquatic solutions.

Coronation Park Sports an Recreation Centre

© Nic Lehoux

Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre: Edmonton Velodrome and Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre

Coronation Park is one of Edmonton’s premier recreation destinations, bringing together aquatics, fitness, rehabilitation, sport, and community spaces within a modern recreation campus. The tour includes a rare opportunity to visit the newly developed Edmonton Velodrome, showcasing a unique facility supporting high-performance sport and community programming. Participants will explore key design, operational, and sustainability strategies while hearing directly from project representatives about the vision, planning process, challenges, and successes behind this significant municipal recreation investment. 

 

Itinerary
 

Itinerary

(Self-arranged transportation between sites)

12:45 PM Arrival and sign-in
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Borden Natural Swimming Pool – Facility tour and presentation

  • Facility overview and project background
  • Natural water treatment and operational lessons learned
  • Q&A with City of Edmonton and facility representatives
2:30 PM – 3:00 PMTravel to Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre: Edmonton Velodrome and Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre – Facility tour and presentation

  • Recreation campus overview and facility operations
  • Q&A with project and facility representatives and architects
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Networking & social gathering

  • Refreshments and informal networking with industry peers, facility staff, and project representatives
5:30 PMEvent concludes

Who Will Join?

The event is intended for:

  • Recreation and parks professionals
  • Municipal facility owners and operators
  • Architects and designers
  • Engineers and specialist consultants
  • Aquatic facility operators
  • Accessibility and sustainability professionals
  • Industry suppliers and manufacturers
  • Students and emerging professionals
  • IAKS Canada members and guests

Representatives from the City of Edmonton and project collaborators are participating.

Register here - Attendance is for free

For any further questions please contact Benjamin Ellah: BEllah@mcw.com

Thanks to our partners

City of Edmonton Logo Blue
Borden Natural Swimming Pool
7615 Borden Park Rd NW, Edmonton, AB T5B 0E4, Canada
AB T5B 0E4 Edmonton
Canada
Event language: English
Organizer: IAKS Canada