Find out what we have been up to this Spring, get to know a founding member of the BLPA, progress on our stewardship work, the International Year of the Salmon and learn about the tracking tool, eBird.
You can read it online here.
We would like to acknowledge the passing of John Thomson, on May 29, 2018. John was one of the members of the famous Group of Ten. In 1972, this Group of Ten community nature lovers founded the Burnaby Outdoor Education Association (BOEA), the BLPA’s predecessor. Tony Fabian, another Group of Ten member, recalls John was talking about protecting Burnaby Lake for wildlife as early as 1965. Joe Sadowski fondly remembers his friend who was so willing to lend his efforts and equipment to the various projects and devoted many hours in his retirement years to the BLPA. John’s family recalls his passion for the Burnaby Lake trail system and Heritage Village (now known as Burnaby Village), as well as his dedication to the community by growing food for many local groups and being active on the Parks Commission.
View this short video about the history of the BLPA featuring these three members. You’ll see some historical photos of Burnaby Lake that you can compare to what you know if it today.
And if you find yourself at Piper Spit and need of a rest, you’ll find a bench dedicated to John and his wife Lillian, “friends of the lake, builders of the trails and bird boxes.”
Thank you, John and Lillian, for your contribution to the legacy of stewardship of Burnaby Lake.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead
Photo/Story: Metro Vancouver “Humans of Regional Parks”
“In the late 1960s, Burnaby was running into problems with disposal of garbage. So the idea was that they would use this area as a garbage dump. Our group became very active politically; our plan was to preserve this lake. Our group became known as the Burnaby Lake Park Association. I’ve been volunteering in this park for about 45 years. It makes me feel good to see how the park is being used. I could not imagine it being a garbage dump. It is a very pleasant surprise to see the number of people using it.”
Learn about the community activists who worked to clean up and preserve the aquatic environment of Burnaby Lake. Community members are invited to bring their own stories and memories to share. This talk is presented by Rebeca Salas. Rebeca Salas is a museum registrar at the Burnaby Village Museum. As an MA candidate in geography at Simon Fraser University, Rebeca is interested in the relationship between memory and place.
DATE: Wednesday, October 11
TIME: 7:00 to 8:00 pm
PLACE: McGill Branch, Burnaby Public Library – 4595 Albert Street
This event is free, but space is limited. To avoid disappointment please register online or by calling 604-436-5400.
Saving Burnaby Lake is one of eight events in the Burnaby Neighbourhood Histories Series. Presented in partnership by the Burnaby Village Museum, the Burnaby Public Library, and the Burnaby Historical Society.
