Meet the Fish at Bow Habitat Station!

promotional content

Calgary’s streams and rivers are an essential part of the delicate foothills ecosystem. Beyond providing the city with some of the world’s cleanest drinking water, they’re also home to dozens of indigenous fish species! These fish play an important role in sustaining wildlife, contributing to natural water filtration and lots of fun for local fishers.

If you haven’t been to Bow Habitat Station and the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery with your kids before, this is the perfect time of year to visit. The indoor Fish Hatchery is warm and sheltered from the winter weather, so it’s a great activity for mucky days or cold snaps! The Discovery Centre has a massive aquarium with over 20 local fish species and lots of great information about wildlife and conservation.

The newly reopened hatchery features indoor ponds which house up to 20,000 rainbow trout at a time. Visitors who attend their fish feedings each get a small bowl of fish food to throw into the pond – kids love watching the fish jump over each other to get their share! The educators who run these feedings can answer any questions you or your children might have about these special fish and their role in Alberta’s wider ecosystem.

If you’re looking for a longer visit, a homeschool field trip or a unique birthday party idea, Bow Habitat Station offers hatchery tours. This is a really special way to get up close and personal with the fish at every stage in their life cycle, learn more about how the hatchery works and where the adult fish go when they’re fully grown.

Bow Habitat Station also hosts one of our favorite winter festivals here in the city! Don’t miss FISHtival on February 15th – play outdoor games, practice your fishing technique, roast marshmallows, explore the facility and more for only $5 a person! Kids 3 and under are free.

Teach your kids a little something about the world around them and keep them busy – win-win!