The Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C. is asking people to keep the last Sunday of September free on their calendars.
B.C. Rivers Day, the largest river celebration of its kind in Canada, will take place on Sunday, Sept. 29. This year will be the 22nd year in a row of annual celebrations honouring B.C.’s rivers.
This year the council wants more participants and more events than ever before.
To that end they have issued a number of challenges this year to encourage participation and event diversity.
Challenges include:
• The most events held in one community;
• The smallest community with the biggest event (most participants);
• The most creative event;
• The event that involves the most youth in planning and participation.
Winners will get front-page exposure in the council’s newsletter, The Outdoor Report, as well as a full-colour B.C. Rivers Day poster.
Planned events on the rivers celebrate the following river values: cultural, ecological, historical, aesthetic and recreational.
Last year there were more than 80 events across the province, attracting 40,000 participants.
Whistler got involved in Rivers Day 2001 with a clean up of the River of Golden Dreams, a river which is heavily impacted over the summer months by canoes, kayaks, anglers, pedestrians and dogs.
There was also a community festival including face painting, a barbecue, scavenger hunt and fly fishing demonstrations.
B.C. Rivers Day involves activities ranging from stream clean-ups and paddle trips to community festivals and stream stewardship groups showcasing their work to the public.
For more information call the council at 604-737-3058 or visit www.orcbc.ca
