Stories
The Legacy of the Borden Park Zoo
by Arden Mills
The Borden Park Zoo is a notable part of Edmonton’s history and is remembered as a popular attraction which brought many people together to see the flora and fauna within the park. The zoo has since closed, but its legacy lives on through the Edmonton Valley Zoo that opened in its place.
The enduring memory of the Borden Park Zoo can be recovered with a dive into the archives. These articles within the archives detail the arrival of new additions to the animal community, along with the expansion of the zoo, which was only possible because of the united effort of all those involved. Concordia students are amongst those who volunteered their time to assist in the development of the zoo. Notable among those who contributed to the development of the zoo was its founder Dr. Alfred Rehwinkel, also one of the founders of Concordia College in 1921, now known as Concordia University of Edmonton. The connection between the Borden Park Zoo and Concordia University of Edmonton runs deeper than just sharing a founder and is still relevant to present students. The university is continually developing and expanding, a recent example being the Allan Wachowich Centre for Science, Research and Innovation, which enriches the education of students. Additional developments include the establishment of the first doctoral program and the launching of the Speak Science Simply program, demonstrating that the university is looking towards the future, aiming to provide a high standard of education and create opportunities for students to succeed. Similar to the Borden Park Zoo, the university is only able to undergo such developments with the united effort of the faculty, students, and community support. The essence of the school is its community, and humorously, like the animals in the zoo, we all come from different backgrounds which creates the diverse learning environment that Concordia University of Edmonton thrives in today.
About Arden Mills
Arden Mills is a 4th year Bachelor of Science student at Concordia University of Edmonton. Her degree focus is in biology, and her minor is in psychology. In addition to school, Arden volunteers within her community at Canadian Blood Services and the Canadian Cancer Society. She has also previously been involved with the 1000 Donors Campaign and the Misericordia Hospital.
CUE Students and Alum to Make Their Own History
Concordia’s CUE 100 committee is very excited to feature the written work of several students and alumni as part of its centenary celebrations. As these celebrations continue, you can look forward to reading short articles by these writers on interesting aspects of Concordia’s history over the past century. Writers were given access to archival documents on particular topics which they were asked to summarize and personally respond to. You’ll be able to discover much about Concordia’s history and how it still resonates among us today. We hope you find these articles both informative and entertaining. Happy 100, Concordians!