Capilano Park – Boat Launch

Managed by North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper

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Capilano Park boasts a popular boat launch just downstream of the Edmonton downtown core. On any given summer day you will find several boat trailers parked on the road down to the launch. The launch is on the East end of Capilano Park and borders directly onto Gold Bar Park where there are several kilometres of hiking trails (and cross-country ski trails in the winter months).

There is an abundance of green space, a picnic shelter with washrooms, and a paved parking lot just up the road from the boat launch. It is also immediately adjacent to the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant and not far down the hill from several industrial refineries.

Some trails are designated off leash areas and there is a pedestrian bridge that crosses the river just above the boat launch. A second pedestrian bridge crosses the river further downstream at the other end of Gold Bar Park.

Directions:
Follow 50 St north all the way until you reach the river.

Upstream (to the West) is another beach. This island beach is known as the Capilano Beach or the Wayne Gretzky Bridge Beach due to its location beside the Wayne Gretzky Bridge.

Get directions to this beach

Water Quality

No data available
Current Status
This status is based on the latest sample. North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available.

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Monitoring Frequency

Source Information

The North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper monitors two freshwater locations along the North Saskatchewan River in the Edmonton region. Water quality samples at this beach are collected by North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper and processed by a third party accredited environmental lab, Element.

Water is monitored for Enterococci, which is a bacterial indicator of fecal contamination. The tests are conducted once a week throughout the month of September. Enterococcus is measured using membrane filtration. High Enterococcus levels can indicate fecal contamination which poses a risk to human health. The Canadian Guidelines for Recreational Water Quality recommends caution when waters exceed a geometric mean concentration (minimum of five samples) 35 Enterococci colony forming units (CFU)/100 mL or a single-sample maximum concentration of 70 Enterococci CFU/100 mL.

Five samples are collected at each beach and submitted to Element Laboratory for processing. A spatial geometric mean will be calculated and interpreted against the guideline. Results are published as soon as they are available, usually within 48 hours of sampling.

A beach is marked green when geometric mean results are below 35 Enterococci CFU/100mL.

A beach is marked red when geometric mean results are above 35 Enterococci CFU/100mL.

A beach is marked grey when no data is available.

Enterococci levels are only one of many parameters that should be carefully considered before entering the water. The data available on Swim Guide reflects water quality at the time of sampling only.

Questions regarding the Edmonton Community Monitoring Program can be directed to sadie@swimdrinkfish.ca.

Water Quality Graph