Riel Recreation Park - St. Albert, Alberta

Charles R.

Watched a High School football 🏈 match at Larry Olexiuk Field in St. Albert , AB; on Friday 18 October 2024.

O' Leary SPARTANS @ Bellerose BULLDOGS.

It was a playoff clash.

PlayOff FaceOff:
BULLDOG vs SPARTAN.

My camera 📸 captured a faceoff between the respective #9s; at the snap.

Pixel Poetic....

Family-friendly event.

🤜 Memorable.

Julia D.

In winter it is an unforgettable sight. Every day there are a lot of cars, you drive through a fabulous atmosphere, there is a festive mood here.

Don R.

Nice place for a walk picnic tables and bbq s available. access to sturgeon river for kayaking ect. We'll kept soccer fields.

Anathan M.

Went for the Borealis Light and had good experience of different types of lighting setup. It's worth the money. The greeter was standing in the cold and collecting donations. I assumed as there was a bucket beside him, but I did not bring anything. I will for sure bring some can items and a hot coffee for him.

ML

Such a beautiful place to go for a walk, really hear the sounds of nature, boardwalk is amazing, just gets you back with nature. So relaxing. Highly recommend

Rural R.

This is the only "official" boat launch that gives you quick and direct access to Big Lake - unless you want to paddle upriver from downtown St. Albert or portage from other spots.

The actual address is :

2 Rodeo Drive, St. Albert, Alberta, T8N 0Z8

Once you arrive, the boat launch itself is located behind the BLESS cabin at the end of the parking loop - look for the short dirt path leading down to the river across from the paved trail.

The Launch is an aluminum rolling dock which stays at the same height throughout the season - they sometimes adjust it according to the water levels. The path down there/area itself is all dirt so expect it to be mud on rainier days - why they haven't thrown some rocks down there yet is beyond me.

This launch can definitely get busy during the Summer months so come prepared to wait in a "launch" line during peak hours so keep that in mind for parking as well. If you can't find parking in the roundabout, you may have to drop your boat off and park in the gravel parking lot across from the RV park - its a short walk.

Bylaw has also been known to sometimes ticket vehicles that park on the side of the road in front of the RV park and Soccer/Rugby Fields - so be advised.

The conditions on Big Lake and the Sturgeon river are highly dependent on precipitation year round. Conditions later in the paddling Season (August, September) will usually be worse than May/June - however that can change if we receive decent rain. Plant life and low spots can cause extreme difficulty when the water levels are low.

Its a lovely beginner paddle with lots of wildlife and at times mosquitoes. People leaving bad reviews about the conditions of the water have no idea how much it can actually fluctuate from year to year and month to month - but don't expect Lake Louise out there it's mainly a marshy wetland!

You can check out our website/socials for updates as well as boat tours and rentals! @ruralrivers

Have fun paddling!

Snake P.

We were very fortunate to meet with some very friendly park organizers who took the time to explain park origins and many goals and purposes. There were many other hapy friendly people. It was a pleasant walk, though the boardwalk is a little treacherous this time of year if you are movement disabled. We can't wait to come this summer with some looking glasses.

Shane C.

Beautiful but a wee bit cold today.
Nice to have such nice walkways
Dog friendly
Even have picnic tables with bbqs for wood or charcoal fire. Also have alcohol areas around the table area to enjoy a beer (byoa) with your bbq'ed steak ect.