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 you 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 the 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 they recognize the truths of their past, they can make sense of their collective identity.
