CALGARY — A Calgary group advocating for clothing-optional recreation has put a planned protest at Prince’s Island Park on hold while it seeks legal advice regarding a letter from the Calgary Police Service (CPS).Calgary Nude Recreation had planned to hold an unclothed demonstration at the downtown park over what it describes as public-safety concerns and disagreements with the police service’s approach to public nudity.The group’s leader told Postmedia the protest has been put on the back burner while organizers have the letter from CPS reviewed by a lawyer. The protest has not been permanently cancelled.The development comes after Calgary Nude Recreation notified CPS earlier this month of its plans to demonstrate at Prince’s Island Park.In its notification, the organization said it was protesting what it described as CPS’s refusal to engage with the group about public-safety concerns at clothing-optional recreation areas..“People are afraid to call the police when enjoying Calgary's nude beaches for fear of calling the police on themselves, even for issues involving weapons,” the group previously said in a statement to the Western Standard about the planned demonstration.The organization has pointed to an August incident at the Weaselhead area as an example of its concerns. According to Calgary Nude Recreation, a visitor contacted the group about an incident involving alleged sexual assault, a knife and other aggressive behaviour because they were initially afraid to contact police directly. The group says both it and the individual later filed police reports.Calgary Nude Recreation argues that uncertainty surrounding the police service’s position on public nudity ''could discourage people from reporting crimes or safety concerns.''The group says it believes there is also a difference between the approach of frontline officers and CPS management, claiming officers it has spoken with have emphasized that their priority is ''public safety rather than nudity.''"As of July 2026, the Calgary Police Service insists that all public nudity is banned without any explanation as to how two clothing-optional areas exist in their jurisdiction," they stated on their website."They are incorrect according to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, the Attorney General of Canada, and the Supreme Court of Canada, as demonstrated in this section.".The group began organizing outdoor activities in Calgary in 2019, including nude hikes and beach days. It describes itself as an advocacy and community group focused on what it calls “contextually appropriate” clothing-optional recreation.Section 174 of the Criminal Code makes it an offence to be nude in a public place, or nude and exposed to public view while on private property, without lawful justification. The provision also gives provinces and territories authority to designate certain conduct as lawful in particular circumstances.Calgary Nude Recreation argues that the law does not mean every instance of public nudity automatically results in criminal enforcement and has cited previous discussions with CPS concerning clothing-optional recreation.The group says its activities are non-sexual and describes its goal as establishing what it considers "appropriate settings" for nude recreation.
