The Friends Of Mary Burlie Park

The Friends of Mary Burlie society sole purpose is to protect Mary Burlie's legacy as well as protecting and preserving The Mary Burlie Park

Born in Arkansas to a family of 13, Mary knew the hardships of being black and poor -- as well as the love of a strong family. When her first husband was killed, she was left with four young children and later trained as a nurse's aide. She married a Canadian and moved to Edmonton in 1969. Over the years, in addition to working at Boyle Street Co-op, raising her six children and several foster children, she was president of the Alberta Black Women's Association, and of Change for Children, an international development agency. She had a broad range of interests and commitments -- local and global.

Once you met Mary, you never forgot her: the warm, genuine smile, the motherly hug readily offered, as well as her clear and poetic ability to speak the deeper truths, analyze the causes and consequences of poverty, and mobilize others to action. In 1993, Mary attended the Canadian Women's Health Network founding meeting in Winnipeg because, as she said, "I believe in networking" and was appointed to the Coordinating Committee. Her words inspired us: "We might have a different color of our bodies, we might have different shape of the eyes. But we are all the same. We grow in skills and understanding. We grow in appreciation of each other and of this global community. . . . We do have a big task ahead of us, but I have no doubts when I look into the eyes and hear the hearts and touch every one of you that we can achieve the goals no matter how difficult it may be. "Mary was a woman who never stopped learning, who embraced life and people with passion and tolerance, and gave the best she had to others. She leaves a rich legacy for us all. three years after her death in 1999 the City of Edmonton honored her memory by Awarding Mary with the Mary Burlie Park.

Mary is the first African American woman to have a park in Alberta.

Lets make sure we honor her legacy by protecting The Mary Burlie park from being removed or dismantled.