It is called ‘Sun Life Musical Instrument Lending Library’ and only available at Memorial Park Library. It has to be picked up and returned to the Memorial Park library. It is free with your Library card and a photo ID for 3 weeks. About 150 instruments and accessories are available for rental. Available instruments are guitars, bass guitar, soprano ukulele, banjos, mandolins, violins and violas, backpack percussion kit (xylophones), keyboards, bongos, djembe drum, dumbek drum, and cajon box drum. Please visit their page to find out more.

Community focused Toy & Game Lending Library that offers quality toys and games for members to borrow, enjoy and return. Sunalta’s Toy lending library is intended to be inclusive and accessible for all Sunalta residents and Calgarians.

An active Sunalta Community Association membership is required to borrow items, or volunteer 4 hours of your time for the membership. You may borrow two items per child for up to two weeks at a time. Browse around the inventory and contact.

This is the program run by Primary Care Networks in Calgary. Basically it was made to help Calgarians to try being more active. You can visit your family doctor and received the ‘prescription to get active’. And you can visit their website to see what access you would like to receive. You can look up by location/type. Most of the facilities give out a free one month pass or 10 times coupon etc. Please visit to find out more.

Alberta Health Services program that is designed to help improving health for those living with a chronic condition.

1) Free education classes – have various online education classes available for any Albertans, just need to register and go online. Topics are around chronic conditions and healthy lifestyle. Please visit their website and click on ‘class description handbook’ or ‘class schedule guide’ and register by clicking on the title of the topic.

2) Free exercise classes – have many health professionals that will help you to be more active and exercise with your condition in mind. By going to weeks of the exercise twice a week, you will be able to follow the routine at home afterwards. Some are offered virtually and in-person.

This is one of the resources that Alberta Health Services developed, to help people getting more active. Try partnering with others to complete a full row of activities.

Calgary Parks has over 8,000 hectares of parkland, as well as 800km of pathways for citizens to enjoy. The City manages Calgary’s public parks, pathways, civic cemeteries and open spaces. Many parks’ summer programs are free for the whole family to join.

Nose Hill Park is a natural environment park that lies in the northwest part of the Calgary and is surrounded by 12 residential communities and covers 11 square kilometers. Nose Hill Park has numerous hiking trails and dedicated off-leash areas.

All Sports One City lets adults can try a new sport or get back into sports they’ve been away from such as parkour, wheelchair
basketball, fencing …etc. Over 6 days and 60 activities for adults to get active, have fun and make new friends.

Calgary and area have 3 days on walks, bike rides, and wheelchair journeys throughout the city during the annual Jane’s Walk festival weekend. More than 65 free tours on topics as diverse as historical neighborhoods/buildings, the human health benefits of walking our dogs, how new suburbs can build their sense of identity, the main street urban design framework, and the murals of Chinatown.

FREE sport sessions for a day for Calgary children and youth to try. Parents or guardians can enroll children ages 6 and above in one or two of 70 sports at 17 facilities across Calgary. Registration starts in late May and ends in early June.

Free admission in specific hours on Stampede Family Day. Free Family Day breakfast while quantities last. Tickets distributed at Stampede Park entrances and tickets are required to receive free breakfast and free admission.

Over 70 events across Calgary and the region that bring the past to life. Walk in the footsteps of pioneers on a historic site tour. Visit a park or museum or street accompanied by a knowledgeable volunteer. Most events are free, but donations are appreciated. Some events require pre-registration and preferences given to individuals that have not had the opportunity to visit in previous years.

Free guided tours to sites in and around the city on history of Calgary, enhancement of Calgary’s environment and quality of life, Calgary’s most impressive buildings, Calgary’s latest innovations, and some equipment used in everyday operations. This event offers a range of activities for the entire family to enjoy.

Glenbow Museum is under renovation to become the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture. However, their temporary location : Glenbow at the Edison is available for viewing for free.

Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, opens from Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 5 pm. Admission to Studio Bell is offered at a pay-what-you-can rate.

There are many other museums in Calgary that are unique and worth a visit. Most of the museums’ admissions are quite low in price. The Military Museum provide details on roles’ that the Canadian military has played on the world stage.
The Hanger Flight Museum features the history of aviation in Western Canada.
Bow Habitat Station & Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery helps understanding the fish and habitat of the Bow River

Search for Museums in or near Calgary and visit one to discover more about Calgary/Alberta.

The Canoo app lets newcomers discover our rich cultural history, world-renowned artworks, historical figures and stunning parks. A gift to each Canadian citizen during their first year of citizenship, and it has 1400+ arts and cultural partners. Canoo membership is offered to Permanent Residents in their first 5 years of residence, and to Citizens in the first 12 months of their citizenship, and who are 18 years or older. Download the app on your phone.

• Canoo members get to visit national parks, national marine parks and national historic sites for free.
• Free admission to the Sikome Aquatic Centre, Writing-on-Stone Provincial park, and free family Dino stomp tour and admission to the visitor centre at Dinosaur Provincial Park (find out more here for booking instructions)
• One free ski pass for new citizens and their family members at Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park.
• Get 50% off on a trip with VIA Rail for yourself and up to 4 dependents under the age of 18.
• Free tickets/discount tickets to see live dance, theatre or opera, check out a film festival, attend the best local arts and
  culture events, and more best local arts and culture

The library card gives you access to 300+ free online courses, programs, print or electronic collections. Family meets the requirement can receive.

Fee assistance can be used for recreation programs (summer camps, swimming/dance lessons) offered by The City of Calgary and partners (Calgary Zoo, Heritage Park, TELUS Spark…etc.)

Call 311 to ask about the City’s recreation programs and Fee Assistance Program. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with over the phone interpretation.

Park Events for Newcomers

Everyone is welcome at all interpretive programs in Alberta’s parks. There are also special events in parks.
• Canada’s Parks Day – third Saturday in July
• Family Fishing Weekends – no fishing license required, one designated weekend in February and one in July
• Check the events listing for activities and events happening that are specifically designed to help newcomers experience the outdoors

Goals of the JumpStart program is to enrich the lives of kids by offering fee assistance in registration, equipment and/or transportation when participating in sports and physical activity.

KidSport provides grants to children from families facing financial barriers so they can participate in registered sport programs.

Go to Directories and search for “Calgary Youth Recreation and Leisure Guide”
Recreation, sports or leisure activities that offer a special pricing structure for their own or a broader array of options. Some may be free, or may charge on a sliding scale.

You can find the right community and social services by calling 211. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with over the phone interpretation services for free.