Get Your Hands Dirty - Celebrate Earth Day!

April 10, 2007 - What better way to celebrate the wonderful parks that make our city one of the most livable in the world than to join in one of this year's local Earth Day events? Every year on April 22nd, people across Canada get together to celebrate Earth Day. We make up only a small part of the 500 million people from 180 countries around the world that organize and participate in a wide variety of Earth Day activities.

The Park Board has a number of partner groups around our City bringing people together in our public greenspaces in new and exciting ways through festivals and community celebrations, tree planting, invasive plant removal and clean-up programs. We value the efforts of these groups to "make a difference" in their community and support their efforts through our ParkPartners program.

Earth Day celebrations organized by our ParkPartners honour this planet on which we all live through environmental endeavours and celebrations at the local level. There are a number of Earth Day events taking place on our parks this year. Here are the highlights.

Everett Crowley Park
Saturday, April 21st - 11am to 3pm
This annual Earth Day celebration has been happening for many years and has become a popular community event. This year they are planting 700 trees and organizing invasive plant removals in the park. Once you've done your part to help out, you can reward your efforts with food and refreshments, nature tours, music, entertainment, and lots of activities for the kids. The Champlain Heights community organizes the event through the efforts of the Everett Crowley Park Committee with the help of the Park Board and a host of community sponsors. The community group has taken a leadership role in stewardship initiatives in the park for more than 15 years. http://www.vcn.bc.ca/ecpc  for more information.

Hastings Park
Saturday, April 21st - 6am
The Hastings Park Conservancy is offering a different way to celebrate Earth Day this year. You are invited to join with the Hastings Park Conservancy to enjoy nature's daily miracle, the DAWN CHORUS, in the Sanctuary at Hastings Park. With the guidance of noted naturalists Al and Jude Grass you will encounter a wide variety of birds that call the Sanctuary home and learn how to identify the songs of these amazing feathered friends. Dress warmly and bring binoculars (if you have them) but please leave your dogs at home. Visit www.hastingspark.ca for more information.

Jericho Beach Park
Saturday, April 21st - 11am to 5pm
The Jericho Stewardship Society works all year to remove and control the spread of invasive species and reintroduce native plants to this 54 hectare park. This year Earth Day celebrations are organized by Evergreen, with the support of the Park Board, Jericho Stewardship Society, the Natural History Society and a number of community sponsors. This fun for the whole family "environmental extravaganza" includes nature walks, invasive species removal, planting native species, plus loads of things to do, learn and enjoy. Music, food and entertainment round out a fun-filled day at the park. For more information go to www.evergreen.ca 

"Earth Day Canada" includes a broad network of organizers in youth, community, schools, businesses and organizations. To find out more about Earth Day and ways in which you and your neighbourhood could get involved in this annual celebration, visit the Earth Day Canada web site at www.earthday.ca  . You will find lots of information and a wealth of ideas for communities, groups and individuals to celebrate this important "worldwide" holiday. It is an opportunity to encourage community celebration and stewardship for Vancouver's wonderful parks and greenspaces.

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