Issue 2 - Fall 2007
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Table of Contents:
Elders Council Presents Minister with 10-Point Vision For Parks System
Honouring Park Builders
Towards a World-Class Provincial Parks System
The Park Futures Committee
Park Futures Meeting at Dunsmuir Lodge
Establishing a Park Heritage Centre
Archive Collection Growing
Recording Park History
Elders Council Presents Minister with 10-Point
Vision For Parks System
Following the Dunsmuir Conference in June 2006, the Elders Council reviewed the session results and
arrived at ten key principles that were presented to the Minister of Environment.
We envisage a parks system:
1. with a bold new management model designed to engage
all British Columbians in supporting their parks system.
The government has gone it alone for too long.
2. that is enjoyed by all British Columbians through the
provision of more accessible recreation and educational
opportunities and is located appropriately within a well
planned system and in adjacent lands and gateway
communities.
3. where all governments continue to provide the legal and
policy framework for parks, make ecological protection
their priority, and resource it accordingly.
4. that reaches out to other parks systems and the
international community to gain support and to reduce
inefficiencies and overlap between park systems.
5. that establishes strong new relationships with First Nations.
6. that builds on the "natural" in Supernatural BC to showcase
BC's "green" entrepreneurial expertise and environmental
best practices through investments in park infrastructure
replacements and other improvements throughout BC.
7. that is publicly accountable and performance focused
through the development of a world class park-by-park
monitoring and reporting regime that provides an annual
public view of the state of our parks.
8. that attracts visitors from around the world to enjoy
a world class experience as a result of new trails,
educational packages, senior adventures etc.
9. that truly engages local communities and youth in park
management support roles through the involvement of
schools, local politicians, seniors outreach etc.
10. that is ready to welcome visitors to the 2010 Olympics
and to attract visitors in 2011 to celebrate the
hundredth anniversary of our provincial parks system.
Honouring Park Builders
The Elders Council for Parks in BC
held a gathering in Penticton
on May 27 and 28, 2006 to honour the
builders of BC's parks system through
the 1960s and 1970s. The Honourable
Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor
of BC and Elders Council patron
presented the awardees with rainforest
vessels created by artist Jason Marlow.
Elders Council Park Builders - back row: Bob
Ahrens (for Kerry Joy), Bob Williams, Rich
Hankin, Milt Goddard, Ken Farquharson,
Lucien Campeau (for Ian Leman), Ric
Careless, Ed Mankelow, Paul Skydt (for
John MacFarlane), Tom Moore (for Dennis
Podmore) and Derek Thompson (for Jake
Masselink). front row: David Stirling,
Suzanne Rose and Denise Velay (for Charlie
Velay), Her Honour, Lieutenant Governor Iona
Campagnolo, Heather Prittie (for Freeman
King), Harold Eidsvik, Ruby Dunstan. Download the full-size version of this picture.
The 16 distinguished members of
the Elders Council honoured at the
ceremony were: Harold Eidsvik, Bob
Williams, Jake Masselink, Charlie
Velay, Dennis Podmore, Ian Leman,
Milt Goddard, John MacFarlane, Kerry
Joy, David Stirling, Freeman King, Rich
Hankin, Ken Farquharson, Ric Careless,
Ed Mankelow and Ruby Dunstan.
In 2004, the Elders Council previously
recognized the pioneers of BC's parks
system, including Dr. Ian McTaggart-Cowan, a UBC professor who inspired
generations of students, and Dr. Bert
Brink, who persuaded the government
to legislate a Parks Act and helped
establish Tweedsmuir, Wells Gray,
Cathedral and Spatsizi provincial parks.
Those honoured as park builders
included Harold Eidsvik, one of Canada's
original national parks planners who
helped establish Pacific Rim National
Park and Nahanni National Park. Also
honoured was John MacFarlane, one of
the founding directors of Interpretation
Canada — the professional association
for heritage interpreters — who
produced the first national park
interpretation plans for western Canada.
Ruby Dunstan, the first female Chief of
the Lytton First Nation, was honoured
for her inspirational leadership of the
movement to recognize and protect the
wilderness values of the Stein Valley.
The Elders Council posthumously
honoured two of the most influential BC
park builders of the past 50 years.
Freeman King
Early conservationist, naturalist, and
legendary Scout leader Freeman King inspired many young
Victoria naturalists and was the namesake
of Francis/King Regional Park and
Freeman King Visitor Center in Goldstream
Provincial Park, where he worked as a
naturalist. The media reported that when
he reached 65, his paycheques stopped
arriving but he carried on as a volunteer.
Freeman King with a group of children.
Charlie Velay
Charlie Velay personally recruited and led
the teams that developed and managed
an enormously expanded provincial
parks system and their recreation
facilities through the 1960s and 1970s.
His personal stamp remains on many of
the campgrounds and facilities in parks
throughout the province. Charlie's career
spanned a period of enormous change
and his insight, experience and counsel
was sought by all those with whom he
worked.
Towards a World-class Provincial Parks System For British Columbia
Elders Council meets with Budget Consultation Committee
Last fall, the Elders Council made a brief presentation to the
Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government
Services. We proposed that BC create and develop a world-class management system for BC's Provincial Parks — to be
completed by 2010 — one year before the 2011 centenary of
the establishment of BC's first provincial park.
For British Columbians to realize the potential of our provincial
parks system, the government needs to:
- Publicly advance a practical, comprehensive, principled
and visionary plan for future stewardship, public recreation
services and societal partnerships for this system.
- Put in place within government a reinvigorated,
entrepreneurial-based Parks organization that has deep
connections with British Columbian society.
- Provide significant new funds (that are targeted to achieve
the first two steps and address the vision we are proposing).
Then to challenge all parts of society to enter partnerships
to contribute more resources and become fully engaged in achieving our collective "Made in BC" world class vision
In the past fifteen years, our provincial parks system has
expanded and is now a world class system. Twice the size it
was in 1992, the BC Parks system is treasured for its natural
wealth, its landscapes and for its species already lost in many
other parts of the world.
British Columbians are proud of this outstanding achievement.
However, our parks system currently lacks the management,
governance framework and resources to allow us to capitalize
on it as a world class asset and to provide the management
and protection necessary to retain the value of its natural,
cultural and built assets.
Now is the time to work together to implement a new "Built
in BC" vision to make our provincial parks the best managed
in the world. This vision requires significant new multi-year
investments:
1. to develop a new BC Parks organization designed to
implement the vision,
2. to upgrade and construct new park
infrastructure,
3. to create and provide better, more exciting recreational
and educational programming, and
4. to provide trained staff and resources to better preserve and protect all park assets.
A recent economic study of BC Parks suggests that an
investment in BC's provincial parks generates a sevenfold
return in economic benefits to the province. This is a
reasonable return on public investment and we are confident
that British Columbians will support new investments in their
parks system.
The Park Futures Committee
Helping to enable a Sustainable Provincial Parks System:
The Elders Council at work
by Colin Campbell, Chair Park Futures Committee
December 05 – The Elders Council makes an offer to MOE
A key strength of the Elders Council is that we draw from
members who have numerous years of experience as
managers and staff of national, regional and provincial parks
and as long-term park advocates.
Early discussions determined that the provincial parks system
was in most need of support. As a result, the decision was
made to develop an advocacy strategy that was based on "aggressive enabling and support". The purpose was to
see how far we could advance an agenda to help create a
sustainable provincial parks system.
We contacted the then newly appointed Minister of the
Environment, Barry Penner, and Deputy Minister, Chris Trumpy,
and offered to work with them and with the Ministry to build a
sustainable provincial parks system by 2011.
January 2006 – MEC Joint Committee established
A committee of three Council Members and three
representatives from the Ministry of Environment worked for
six months to organize the Dunsmuir "Parks Futures Dialogue"
Conference in June 2006.
June 2006 – The Dunsmuir Conference
Roughly thirty people with a wide variety of experience and
a demonstrated interest in parks were challenged during
this two-day event to discuss the changes needed to create a
sustainable provincial parks system. A copy of the conference
report has been posted on the Elders Council website.
Conclusions of the Dunsmuir Session were:
- The BC Government needs to adequately invest in the parks
system
- The main expansion phase of provincial parks has largely
been completed
- There is a need to focus on long-term stewardship of this
remarkable world ecological treasure
- New focus must be placed on encouraging more British
Columbians to enjoy and appreciate their provincial parks
system
- The government must reach out to foster greater community
involvement and engage in building lasting partnerships
that can benefit parks
- Non-government sectors must now step up to the plate and
become fully engaged in supporting the parks system in
collaboration with the Government.
Fall 2006 – Advocating for Parks funding and a new
approach
Following the June 2006 Dunsmuir session, the Elders Council
made a presentation to the 2007 Special Budget Review
Committee to increase funding and to build a world-class
management system. The Council then met with the Minister
of the Environment and emphasized that in order for BC's
provincial parks system to be world class, development of
a clear vision, a multi-year strategy with full accountability
measures and a celebration of the parks centenary in 2011 is
required.
The Minister encouraged the Council to work with MOE
officials to achieve these goals.
Spring 2007 – Some positive signs of progress from the
Government and Ministry
This spring the Council met with Ministry staff and was pleased
with a number of developments that occurred over the winter:
- The provincial government has provided some new funds
for additional operational support and has made a major
investment in turning around the long-term challenge of a
deteriorating infrastructure.
- The Environment and Stewardship Division has been reorganized
to give parks more profile.
- In March, Victoria successfully hosted a four day conference
that involved all parks staff and included a new focus on
community engagement.
While we have yet to turn the corner, significant progress
has been made and it is very important that we continue to
support the momentum that has been generated within the
Ministry.
What's ahead?
Over the next few months, we will be working directly with
Ministry staff to develop a practical long-term parks vision, a
multi-year strategy for sustainability and special initiatives to
celebrate the 2011 centenary of the provincial parks system.
We will also be building on the development of a number of
initiatives to develop new partnerships and new opportunities
for community involvement along with discussions on how
parks can play a strong role in the government's climate
change strategy.
Some additional Elders Council related initiatives
Elders Council Members have been active in stimulating
initiatives to complement government-based programs.
Bob Peart is playing a leadership role in developing the
new "Child in Nature" initiative that targets the creation of
a national movement to encourage the re-engagement of
children with nature – to tackle the "nature deficit disorder"
that Richard Louv popularized in his book Last Child in the
Woods.
Colin Campbell, working with John Restakis, Executive Director
of the BC Co-operatives Association, is seeking national funds
to test the feasibility of developing a new co-operative – the
BC Parklands Co-operative – to engage youth leadership in
parks and protected areas and in promotion and stewardship
at the community level.
Conclusion
We are making progress. However there is a long way to go
to ensure that the provincial parks system will be sustained
for the benefit of generations to come. The Elders Council is
concerned about creating a bright future for parks as well as
celebrating our many accomplishments.
If you have any thoughts about the approaches we are taking,
we would love to hear from you.
Park Futures Meeting At Dunsmuir Lodge
A committee was established to work with BC Parks to
host a conference to explore possibilities for designing a sustainable parks delivery system by the year 2011, the
100th anniversary of the Provincial parks system. The purpose
was defined as: "to have an open and politically non-partisan
dialogue for developing a set of wide-ranging and non-binding
ideas on the future of the parks."
Co-hosted by the Elders Council for Parks and the Ministry of
Environment, the conference was organized by a committee
comprised of: Jim Barlow, Colin Campbell, Ric Careless, and
Bob Peart from the Elders Council and Nancy Wilkin, Lynn Kennedy and Scott Benton from the Ministry of Environment.
Conference participants represented a broad spectrum of view
points including NGOs, First Nations, the general public, Park
Elders and Ministry Staff. Participants were selected for their
extensive knowledge, insight and experience in park planning
and management.
Opening the conference, Colin Campbell introduced the
Elders Council and described the event as an experiment in
collaboration aimed at exploring positive and constructive
solutions for a sustainable BC Parks system. Chris Trumpy
reinforced that the conference was not necessarily about
obtaining consensus. Rather, it was about developing a set of
wide-ranging, non-binding ideas.
As a result of this conference, BC Parks' Treasury Board
submission was full of excellent and thoughtful parks
strategies.
Establishing a Park Heritage Centre
The Elders Council has established a five-year agreement
with BC Parks to use the Mount Seymour Provincial Park
Ranger Station in North Vancouver as a heritage centre. The
natural setting of the station provides easy access, making it
a suitable destination for all Lower Mainland
users interested in learning more about the
importance of BC Parks.
The establishment of the Parks Heritage Centre
will contribute towards the Elders Council's
objectives by:
- offering free access to the public and schools,
- providing safe storage of archival and
research materials,
- offering information on upcoming projects
and events regarding BC parks,
- acknowledging those who built the provincial park systems
and,
- delivering programs in support of the Council's objectives.
With the assistance of Capilano College's Outdoor Recreation
and Tourism Program, three students, Lisa Briscoe, Valerie
Loxterkamp and Matt Petranic, have prepared a draft business
plan for the Centre. The vision for the Centre is:
The Parks of British Columbia Heritage Centre is dedicated
to the provision of public education on why regional,
provincial, national and international parks are important
to society, how they are created and how they are managed.
The Centre will serve as the staging ground for numerous
educational and interpretive programs designed to carry out
the Elders Council's objectives.
The draft plan identifies five programs for the Centre:
Youth Programs
Programs will be designed to educate youth on the
importance of parks and nature. Material will focus on
getting kids outside into the environment.
Initially, some 3,000 students are expected to
participate.
Adult Programs
Programs will be designed to educate adults on
the importance of parks with a focus on healthy
living, having low impact on the outdoors, how
to get outside, where to go, how to get there
and what to do once you are there. Initially,
some 2,000 adults are expected to participate.
Research
Opportunities will be provided to hold historical information
and to receive and store park research material including
photos, slides and documents. Space will also be provided for
students and interested individuals to review the material and
conduct research.
Artifact collection and display
Opportunities will be provided to collect, interpret and display
important pieces of park history.
Heritage Designation
As one of only two original ranger stations in British Columbia's
Provincial Park System, the Centre itself has important heritage
value. Programs will be designed to showcase and maintain
the heritage significance. The Centre will be recommended for
designation as a District of North Vancouver Heritage Building
and as a Provincial Heritage Site.
Archive Collection Growing
In cooperation with the University of Victoria Archives, the
Elders Council for Parks in British Columbia has developed
a policy to assist in gathering and maintaining a specialized
collection of original documents illustrative of the historic
development of parklands and associated public landscapes in
British Columbia. Housed at the University of Victoria Archives,
the collection will preserve valuable records and make them
available to interested students and members of the general
public.
An archival
photo taken at Alouette Lake,
showing the
construction of
the youth crew
camp.
The emphasis of the collection will be on the following types
of material:
(a) primary documents generated by persons or organizations
instrumental in the identification, planning, assembly,
development, management, operation, documentation
or interpretation of parklands and related landscapes in
British Columbia. Documents will include original letters
and correspondence, working papers, diaries, notebooks,
reports (in manuscript or printed form), and memoirs.
Documents will not include property belonging to any level
of government. Questions concerning the proper ownership
or origin of documents will be investigated.
(b) Maps, plans and charts illustrative of the items in (a)
(c) Photos, slides and art work illustrative of the items in (a)
(d) Sound recorded interviews of persons relevant to (a)
(e) Audio-visual materials relevant to (a)
(f) Rare books, articles, reports and draft journal articles
relevant to (a)
The temporal scope of the collection will cover material
generated from the period of the Colonial Government in British
Columbia (1858) to the present.
The geographic focus of the collection is on Regional,
Provincial and Federal Parklands in British Columbia.
If you have valuable archive material, please contact Graham
MacDonald at macdongr@telus.net.
Recording Park History
Documenting Park History
J.D. (Jim) Anderson continues his documentation work on the
history of the provincial park system. A near-final version of
many chapters is under review. Jim is enthusiastic about this
project and encourages all Elders to contribute their ideas and
opinions to him at Anderson.jd@shaw.ca.
Videotaping Park Pioneers
Rick Searle is leading an important project to video archive the
stories of our park pioneers. Over the past two years he has
videotaped Bob Ahrens, Yorke Edwards, Ian McTaggart-Cowan,
Bert Brinks, John Woodworth, and others.
Rick and his colleagues are asking participants about their
most memorable experiences, biggest accomplishments,
challenges, and what they would have done differently.
"We interviewed Bob Ahrens for three hours and have barely
scratched the surface," says Rick. "There are so many important
stories that need to be captured about the history of our
parks."
Rick still has many more questions and would like to
speak with more Elders.
These valuable stories will be used in a variety of ways such as
for the 100th anniversary of BC Parks or as a learning resource
for schools and universities. A copy will be kept in the Elders
Council archives at the University of Victoria.
More parks people should be interviewed — they are an
invaluable resource to the Province of British Columbia and to
its citizens. Anyone interested in providing financial assistance,
or wishing to be interviewed as an Elder should contact Chloe
O'Loughlin at CPAWS: (604) 685-7445.
Questions?
You might find the answer you're looking for on our Q&A page. If not, please contact the Elders Council at: info@elderscouncilforparks.org or call 604.685.7445.
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