Once again, Summerland is celebrating Earth Day in a big way—with a full week of activities around Earth Day Canada’s 2017 theme: Earth Play for Earth Day.
The Summerland Earth Week Committee, made up of community volunteers and district staff, has scheduled many events. All of them are free, although advance registration is required where indicated.
The week kicks off on Tuesday, April 18 with a Philosophers’ Café — Being One with Nature: The Benefits of Spending Time in Our Natural Environment. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at the upper level of the Summerland Arts and Cultural Centre, 9525 Wharton St.
The District of Summerland is offering two dates for tours of Summerland’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. Works and utilities staff will offer the one-hour tours on Wednesday, April 19 and Friday, April 21, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Meet at the plant at 7630 Dunn St. Advance registration is required.
Also on Friday morning is A Model for a Native Plant Garden, a presentation and discussion sponsored by Friends of the Summerland Ornamental Gardens. Due to limited seating, advance registration is required.
Project Wild Thing is a film by David Bond described as a gripping story about his strategies to reconnect his children with nature. Join us at the lower level of the Summerland Arts and Cultural Centre from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Family-focused Earth Week events take place on the weekend of April 22 and 23, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday. Team up with your neighbours and spend a couple of hours making your neighbourhood garbage free. The District of Summerland provides vests, bags, and bagged trash pick-up. Register your neighbourhood clean-up crew at climate.action@summerland.ca or call 250-404-4068.
On Saturday afternoon, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Summerland Branch of ORL, 9533 Main St, is hosting Simply Play on Earth Day. This event offers self-directed play.
Also on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., Imagination Station invites youngsters and the young-at-heart to join their Earth Play for Earth Day activities. Imagination Station is held in the upper level of the Summerland Arts and Cultural Centre.
Join ecologist and author Don Gayton Saturday from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on a Prairie Creek Tour. The tour begins with a short slide presentation at Giant’s Head School about his proposed daylighting project on Prairie Creek. Gayton will then lead you along the creek identifying and mapping vegetation, wildlife species, and features of the creek. Please dress appropriately, including waterproof footwear.
Sunday, April 23 is another busy day.
Participate from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Summerland Neighbourhood Garage Sale. Make some cash on what you don’t use and do the Earth a big favour by recycling and reusing. Advertise your sale by emailing climate.action@summerland.ca or call 250-404-4068.
After the garage sales, join environmental biologist Lisa Scott and other community members at the annual Earth Day Celebration. This year, the project is the enhancement of the natural creekside habitat in the Adams Bird Sanctuary off Peach Orchard Road.
Finally, Summerland Earth Week includes three week-long activities: the Freshette Contest; an Electronics Recycling Station; and Earth Week at True Grain.
Can you guess when the Thirsk Dam will stop spilling this year? If you’re right, you’ll win a cornucopia of locally farmed products. Call Denise at 250-494-1347 for more information.
Recycle small electronics in the parking lot bins at Municipal Hall at 13211 Henry Ave. Visit www.summerland.ca for acceptable items.
And don’t forget to stop in at True Grain to enjoy coffee and a baked treat while learning how Summerland’s Business of the Year works year-round to reduce its environmental footprint.
Whether your love is for art, film and conversation, a guided walk, habitat restoration, recycling … there is something for everyone at Summerland Earth Week. Join us as we celebrate!
For more information, check out https://www.facebook.com/SummerlandEarthWeek/.
Coun. Toni Boot is a member of the Summerland Earth Week Committee.