Loading, about as long as a coffee at the Lion’s Head.
Loading, about as long as a coffee at the Lion’s Head.
From the riverside loop at Millennium Park to the suspension bridge to Zuckerberg Island, Castlegar's parks shape how people live here.
100 5th Street. Millennium Park & Ponds features three swimming ponds, beaches, soccer fields, a volleyball court, a pavilion with a concession and picnic tables, paved walkways, a bike park, a dog park, and a walking trail. Year-round washrooms are available at the Pavilion. The park is also home to Canada's tallest play structure, which opened in June 2024. It's the City's most-used outdoor space and the obvious answer for “what should we do this evening?”
901 7th Avenue. One of Castlegar's signature attractions. Cross the suspension footbridge onto a wooded island at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers, with wooded pathways, benches along the riverbank, and the historic Chapel House, now operated as the Station Museum. The island was the long-time home of Alexander Zuckerberg, the local schoolteacher whose chapel-residence still stands. It's the place every Castlegar local takes out-of-town visitors.
Good to know
The bridge is part of the experience
2501 14th Avenue. Kinnaird Park anchors the Kinnaird neighbourhood, with washrooms and year-round community use. The City's seasonal outdoor skating rink is on the back side of the park.
Brandson Memorial Park is named after Bob Brandson, age 21, who drowned in the Columbia River in 1958 while swimming across to Zuckerberg Island. The original Bob Brandson Memorial Pool opened on the site in 1962 and was officially named in 1967; it was filled in when the new Aquatic Centre opened in 1990. The park remains as a playground and picnic area, with public consultation for a renewal beginning in 2024.
Castlegar maintains the following City parks:
Plus Brandson Park (renewal in progress) and trails including the Greenline Bike Network.
Sports field rentals (soccer, baseball, multi-use) and the Celgar Pavilion Concession at Millennium Park are administered by the Castlegar & District Recreation Department (RDCK), not by the City of Castlegar directly:
For weddings, parades, or special events on City park property, you’ll need a Park Use, Parade, or Special Event Permit under Bylaw 1410.
Heads up
Budget for insurance before you plan the guest list
The core requirements:
Permit applications go through Corporate Services. Start with info@castlegar.ca or call City Hall at 250-365-7227, staff will route you to the right person for your event type.
Pack out what you pack in. Keep dogs on leash unless you're in a designated off-leash area. Open fires are allowed only in designated firepits and during periods when no fire ban is in effect. The Parks Bylaw (Bylaw 698) sets the formal rules.
Still need help?
Faster than calling for non-urgent issues. We respond within one business day.
Park rules are governed by Bylaw 698 (Parks Administration) and Bylaw 1410 (Special Event Permits).