William Reader, Superintendent of the City of Calgary’s Parks Department from 1913-1943, was a garden innovator. He was responsible for all of Calgary’s parks and cemeteries, the municipal nursery, the first municipal nursery and the first municipal golf course.

His personal passion, however, was creating the “rockery” on the steep north slope of Cemetery Hill (just south of the Calgary Stampede Grounds), now know as the Reader Rock Garden.

Mr. Reader was also one of the Society’s founders and ensured the Society and the City worked closely together. For example, in 1914, over 10,000 trees were planted through the efforts of the Society and the City planted another 10,000.

The Reader Rock Garden was built from 1922-1929. Over the years, the garden had almost disappeared behind overgrown shrubs and weeds when funding became available to restore it.

Over the past three years, the Reader Rock Garden Society has restored and replanted the garden, returning it to its original beauty.  The Reader home has been rebuilt and now houses a lovely restaurant. 

A visit to the renewed garden, and lunch or dinner in the Reader house should be on your must do list this summer.