The Brown-Lowery Provincial Park area of just over one square mile was donated in 1969 by Home Oil to the Government of Alberta, and named after two of its founders, Major James A. Lowery and Robert Brown Sr.
Initially it was classified as a Natural Protected Area. In 1985, it was re-classified as a Provincial recreation Area, and was used heavily by Calgarians. Wayne Meikle from Fish Creek Provincial Park, was the Chief Park Ranger, Supervisor and Park Planner. Through his efforts with other government departments, was able in 1992 to have it classified as a Provincial Park. He had teamed up with Karen Hanna, a school teacher at C. Ian McLaren School in Black Diamond (nearby) and her grade 7 and 8 class, to maintain the logging roads and seismic lines. Eight bridges had already been built and they too needed work. A large rock from the Calgary Zoo was obtained and the government added the plaque that is now on the rock beside the kiosk.
On October 29, 1992 Brown-Lowery officially became a provincial Park. D.E.Powell, then Home Oil President and CEO, wrote,” Home Oil trusts that Brown-Lowery Provincial Park will be enjoyed by all who tread these paths, and serve as a reminder of the oilmen who helped build this province”.
BLPP was a park but no budget assigned to it. Shortly after its creation, Peter and Barbara Spear started volunteering based on his experience in Peter Lougheed Provincial for several years previously. Starting with a Swede saw, loppers and his own axe, they cleared trails with occasional assistance from parks people when trees were too large. Friends assisted, particularly Bob Meyers and others. Alberta Environment and Parks eventually added funds from the Fish Creek budget to re-build Bridge 4, build Bridge 7, pay for chainsaw courses and PPE, and pay contractors to remove dangerous hanging trees. A new washroom and kiosk were added in 2018 and 2019. There were years when AEP persons never entered the park, trusting in the work that Peter and Barbara and their friends accomplished. (show washroom photo to come).
See Bruce Masterson’s book, The best places for Heading Out, by Johnson Gorman Publishers (1999) and pages 110-113. (Publishing number 0-921835-52-3)