.

Riverdale School Labyrinth

Riverdale is a charming neighbourhood down in Edmonton's river valley. Originally a working class part of the city, it has been undergoing gentrification for the past few years. On the playground of Riverdale Elementary School, some of its creative citizens have installed a Cretan-style labyrinth made out of inlaid turf stones.


The labyrinth was first constructed in 2006 using only natural plants and grasses for the unicursal walls. But by 2009, it had become overgrown with vegetation and was difficult to use. So the labyrinth walls were switched to more permanent turf stones. The stones are flush to the ground for easy mowing. A large rock marks the centre of the labyrinth.


I visited this labyrinth in the autumn of 2011 when it had just been freshly mowed. The foliage of its nearby little tree was a glorious yellow.


While I was walking the labyrinth, a large vee of Canada geese flew by overhead, honking as they headed south for the winter.


This labyrinth was designed by Sheryl Ackerman, the woman who helped create my favourite Edmonton labyrinth as well as the first labyrinth I ever walked in Manitoba. A team of dedicated community volunteers built and maintain the labyrinth. Well done, everyone!