Yellowknife’s first Pop-Up Park is now officially open.
In less than two months, a formerly empty lot between the Gold Range Hotel and the Raven Nightclub on 50th Street has been transformed into a park. Ecology North and the City of Yellowknife launched a pop-up park competition in early June, the public voted on the best five ideas and the winners were announced just over two weeks ago.
There were five plots available for community groups and individuals to build on, which now feature Aurora Seating by Katharine Thomas, Mini-Golf, by Jessica Bruhn, a Learning & Literacy Garden by the NWT Literacy Council, an Indigenous Languages Mural by Jacey Firth-Hagen of #SpeakGwichinToMe and a Tire(d) Garden, by Harrison Roberts.
Their five plots take up about half of the site, and the other half of the park has semi-permanent landscaping by Ecology North and the City of Yellowknife.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” says Anika, who is 12. “It’s pretty good for little kids because there’s a lot of things for them to learn about.”
She says her favourite part of the park is the climbing structure. “I like going on top of it and jumping down,” she says.
She says she thinks she’ll be visiting the park quite a bit now.
“I live near here, so I’ll probably come here with my brother,” she says.
