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.