We didn’t know what Sien Lok meant until we read it off a sign in the park itself, a few minutes after leaving the Cultural Centre. “Happiness comes through good works,” it said, or something close to it, and we didn’t think much more about it at the time. It turns out that phrase is doing more work than a passing translation. It’s the whole reason this small park exists.
A Name That Explains the Park
Sien Lok comes from an old proverb, roughly translated as “to be charitable gives one of the greatest happiness.” It sounds like the kind of line you’d expect on a park sign and then forget. But it’s also the name of the Sien Lok Society of Calgary, and the Society’s own existence traces back to something a lot more concrete than a nice sentiment.
02:54 – Sien Lok Park
In 1965, the City of Calgary proposed building a twelve-lane freeway, the East-West Penetrator, straight through Chinatown. It would have wiped out the neighbourhood’s third location in the city, which is worth sitting with for a second: this wasn’t Chinatown’s first close call, it was the third time the community had been pushed somewhere new and had to start over. A group of young Chinese-Canadian businessmen and professionals formed the Sien Lok Society in 1968 specifically to fight that plan, and they won. The park came later, in 1982, built on part of what had been the neighbourhood’s only green space, less a garden than a monument to that fight. Knowing that changes how the name reads. It’s not a slogan so much as a mission statement that happened to succeed.
What’s Actually There
The park is small, 5.8 acres, split by Riverfront Avenue into two halves that don’t feel much alike. The south side is the practical one, a playground and a concrete tai chi area. The north side is where the park earns its name, winding paths running down to the Bow River with benches and a couple of monuments worth actually stopping for rather than walking past.
The one you can’t miss is In Search of Gold Mountain, a roughly fifteen-tonne granite sculpture by Chu Honsun, carved from stone brought over from Hebei Province in China, depicting the history of Chinese railway workers and early settlers in Canada. It’s a serious piece of work for a park this size. Nearby is the Wall of Names, which commemorates the Chinese immigrants who came to Canada between 1886 and 1947, the years bracketed by the country’s Chinese Immigration Act, when entry was deliberately restricted. Between the two, the park says more about Chinese-Canadian history in a few square metres of granite than most plaques manage in paragraphs.
We were there in the middle of summer, hunting for shade as much as history, and the north side delivers on that too. Trees, a breeze off the river, and enough bench space that you’re not fighting anyone for a spot to sit. The park sits directly on the Bow River Pathway, and Prince’s Island Park is a short ride further along the same stretch of river, so if five minutes here leaves you wanting more time by the water, a Bow River bike tour that includes Prince’s Island Park is a natural way to extend the day.
Is It Still Chinatown’s Only Green Space?
That’s the other thing the sign told us, and it holds up. Every account of the park’s origin describes the site as Chinatown’s lone green space before it was formally preserved in 1982, and nothing suggests a second one has appeared since. It’s a small claim to make about a small park, but it explains why five acres carries this much symbolic weight for the neighbourhood. There wasn’t a competing spot to build it instead.
Is It Worth the Stop?
Yes, for exactly as long as it takes to actually read the monuments rather than photograph them from a distance. The park is free and open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a seasonal water station if you need a refill on a hot day. It’s not a destination you’d plan a special trip around, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But if you’re already walking through Chinatown, five or ten minutes here gets you closer to understanding why the neighbourhood looks the way it does than almost anything else nearby will. If you’re staying nearby rather than just passing through, the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire is close enough to fold this into the same walk as the rest of Chinatown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Sien Lok” mean?
It comes from an old proverb roughly translated as “to be charitable gives one of the greatest happiness,” commonly shortened to “happiness comes through good works.” It’s also the name of the Sien Lok Society of Calgary, the group behind the park.
Why was Sien Lok Park created?
The Sien Lok Society formed in 1968 to fight a 1965 city proposal to build a twelve-lane freeway through Chinatown. After winning that fight, the Society developed the park in 1982 on part of what had been the neighbourhood’s only green space.
What’s inside Sien Lok Park?
Two named monuments stand out: In Search of Gold Mountain, a roughly fifteen-tonne granite sculpture depicting Chinese railway workers and early settlers, and the Wall of Names, which commemorates Chinese immigrants who arrived between 1886 and 1947.
Is Sien Lok Park still Chinatown’s only green space?
As far as I can tell, yes. Every account of the park’s origin describes the site as Chinatown’s lone green space before it was preserved in 1982, and nothing suggests a second one has appeared since.
Is Sien Lok Park worth visiting?
Yes, for exactly as long as it takes to actually read the monuments rather than photograph them from a distance. It’s not a destination to plan a trip around, but if you’re already walking through Chinatown, five or ten minutes here is worth it.
What are the park’s hours and is it free?
It’s free and open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a seasonal water station if you need a refill on a hot day.
How big is Sien Lok Park?
It’s small, about 5.8 acres, split by Riverfront Avenue into two halves: a practical south side with a playground and tai chi area, and a north side with pathways, benches, and the park’s monuments running down to the Bow River.
This guide is also available in Spanish. [Leé la versión en castellano: Guía de Sien Lok Park: una parada verde y tranquila en el Chinatown de Calgary]
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