St. Patrick's Island reopens after $45M makeover

St. Patrick's Island reopened Friday after an extensive makeover that took two years to complete.

• St. Patrick's Island bridge named after Calgary's 2nd mayor

The refurbished 12.5 hectare urban park across from the East Village featureshiking and biking trails, a plaza and amphitheatre, play areas,an elevated grassy knolland restored river channels.

The island "is now more accessible to our city's residents and visitors than ever before," said the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), which was responsible for the project.

The entire project cost about $45 million, including $25 million for a new bridge linking the East Village on the south bank of the river to St. Patrick's Island and the Bridgeland-Riverside neighbourhood on the north bank.