A river runs through it

Golden’s new Spirit Square reflects the Kicking Horse River

The proposed site plan for Golden’s Spirit Square has several features that reflect the natural surroundings. —Image courtesy of Urban Systems

by Tanya Laing Gahr

The provincial government’s Spirit Square program has inspired dozens of innovative designs that reflect the personality and natural surroundings of the individual community—and Golden is no exception. The proposed Spirit Square incorporates the iconic timber frame pedestrian bridge that crosses the Kicking Horse River and promises to reflect the natural flow of the river to the downtown core. “Blue pavers (represented in the image in dark blue) will represent the Columbia and Kicking Horse rivers,” said Cleo Corbett, the manager of development services and planning for the Town of Golden. “The green aspects will be all of the landscaping. We’ll have an ice rink in the winter time and a reflecting pool…and a stage area for public events.” The entrance to the space will be timber-framed, inspired by the strong tradition of European-style timber framing in the area. The urban park area will be used for farmers’ markets, town functions and celebrations, said Corbett. “This is an idea that came out of our official community plan,” said Corbett. “We really wanted something to focus on our river.” Corbett said the Kicking Horse River, one of the four most important waterways in North America, is often overlooked as a feature in Golden. While the main vehicle bridge through town crosses the river, there hasn’t been much effort until recently to incorporate the river into urban planning. “The next phase is a seawall-type walk from the pedestrian bridge to the highway bridge,” said Corbett. “Right now, that area is mainly a back alley, so we want to beautify that as well as upgrade the dike for flood protection.” Corbett said the Spirit Square will be complete by October, 2009.

Key Golden contacts

Richmond, BC

PHONE: 1-800-663-2872

Pacific Coastal Airlines Ltd

www.pacificcoastal.com
Golden, BC

Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre

www.northernlightswildlife.com