Parking Information

The Calgary Zoo has two public parking lots. See below for scheduled lot openings and restrictions.

North Lot:
The main zoo parking lot and entrance is located off St. George’s Drive, just north of Memorial Drive with zoo access through our north gate. A $7.00 daily parking fee is in effect. Engage and Inspire Members receive FREE parking after 8:45a.m.

West Lot:
The zoo's other parking lot is located at the west end of St. George’s Island near the zoo's west gate. Please note lot has limited capacity and on busy days often fills up by mid-morning. A $7.00 daily parking fee is in effect. Engage and Inspire Members receive FREE parking after 8:45a.m.

The West Gate and adjacent parking lot will be CLOSED October 9, 2012 to March 21, 2013 inclusive for the winter season. Please use the zoo’s North Gate and main parking lot. The zoo is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm every day except Christmas Day.

*Inglewood/Ramsay community citizens with a valid zoo membership may contact Ward 9 at Ward09@calgary.ca for further details on the winter season pedestrian access pass for use when the West Gate is closed.

PARKING QUICK FACTS

Members: Engage and Inspire Members receive FREE parking after 8:45a.m.

Non-members: A nominal $7 daily fee per vehicle is payable upon exit at the north lot at: Guest Relations, Pay-on-foot stations or at the exit (credit card only at exit). At the west parking lot visitors pay for parking at the gate upon entry to the zoo and show their parking receipt or membership card upon exit.

Grace Period: There is a 30-minute grace period for drop-offs including LRT Kiss & Ride, Zoo Camps, School Programs and zoo visitors.

LRT Parking: 500 of the 1800 total parking spaces in the north lot are designated for LRT commuter use until 8:45 a.m. at a $7 daily parking fee per vehicle.

Parking Lot Renovations:
Construction began in June 2009 on significant improvements to the north parking lot. The lot was reorganized and upgraded over approximately a year with the end result being separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic and a safer environment for zoo guests. The result is a parking lot with improved sight lines, wider pathways, improved lighting, better access and an increased security presence.  The nominal $5.00 daily fee helps the zoo to pay for these improvements without impacting other zoo programs.

The north parking lot has 1800 parking stalls – an increase of 500 stalls from previous capacity. Based on past use studies, 500 stalls are currently designated for LRT commuters reserving the balance of 1300 stalls for zoo visitors.  The $7 daily parking fee per vehicle applies.  After 8:45 a.m., all unused LRT stalls become available for zoo visitors.

The west lot, when open seasonally, is gated until 8:45 a.m.

Many people have historically assumed incorrectly that the zoo’s parking lots are public city-operated lots. For more than twenty years, the Calgary Zoo has paid for all maintenance costs from its operating funds – including snow removal, repairs and upgrades, landscape maintenance, garbage collection, and security. Zoo visitors have therefore subsidized the use of the parking lots by commuters who have not purchased zoo admission. Now zoo members receive FREE parking after 8:45 a.m. as part of their member benefits and other lot users pay a daily fee for use.