Under this new name, we are freer to expand the narrative of this place to encompass the many diverse histories of the land. Stories of the North-West Mounted Police and Fort Calgary help to define this place and will always be a part of the narrative here, but there are other important stories to be told, too. At The Confluence, storytelling is liberated and history is an open and welcoming book.
Flowing Together Change begins at the point of confluence. It’s the place where two rivers – flowing in different directions – inevitably meet. It’s messy and unpredictable. But it leads to a powerful transformation. Charting a new path, the rivers unite and become stronger. Every day, the Bow and Elbow rivers that converge here remind us of this truth: different perspectives can co-exist and flow together.
The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland is home to many stories from diverse people. Long before the North-West Mounted Police arrived in 1875, Indigenous peoples have been gathering on this land from time immemorial. The shift from colonization to industrialization also brought a new wave of settlers with different worldviews. While some celebrate this land as the birthplace of Calgary and an icon of national pride, others recount stories of hardship under colonial rule.
This is our layered history, and every story makes it complete. Today, The Confluence serves as a gathering place to share the full history of this land through diverse voices. Like the rivers that meet here, different worldviews and perspectives collide. But as we recognize the truths of our past, we can make sense of our collective identity.
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