Run, Don’t Walk, to the BC Rivers Day StoryWalk®

For over 30 years, BC Rivers Day has been a Township of Langley tradition. This year, to celebrate local rivers and streams, to educate the public about the need to protect our environment and to raise awareness about the importance of ecosystems and wildlife habitats, the Township of Langley and Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) are pleased to present a StoryWalk® along the Salmon River in Williams Park, located at 68 Avenue and 238 Street.

The storybook featured in the park is Bobs & LoLo’s Run Salmon Run, a fun and easy-to-understand explanation of the life cycle of wild Pacific Salmon, from tiny eggs to adults and back again. Over the course of the StoryWalk®, the trail will display the storybook’s bright illustrations, designed to engage and charm readers of all ages.

“While the BC Rivers Day Festival of years past may not take place this year, we’re pleased to offer an activity that families can enjoy on their own time,” says Township of Langley Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Meghan Woods. “The Run Salmon Run StoryWalk® provides a fun learning opportunity about the amazing journey of salmon and the critical habitat that rivers provide.”

This StoryWalk® is the first of its kind for the Township. The idea, originally developed by Anne Ferguson in collaboration with the Kellogg Hubbard Library in Vermont, aims to promote family time, early literacy, and time in nature, all which complement the goals of BC Rivers Day. By tying in a storybook about the importance of ecosystems and habitat, visitors to Williams Park will be able to learn more about what happens in rivers around Langley.

BC Rivers Day takes place annually on the fourth Sunday of September and is part of the international World Rivers Day celebration. Festivities happening around the world, and in your own backyard like the StoryWalk®, encourage people of all ages to become good environmental stewards and promote the importance of protecting waterways and ecosystems.

“The Salmon River hosts the largest wild pacific salmon run in Langley, and the prime spawning areas are located in Williams Park,” says Nichole Marples, LEPS Executive Director, “Bobs & LoLo have been staple performers at past BC Rivers Day Festivals with their nature-forward songs. Being able to display Run Salmon Run in this location is a fitting way to commemorate World Rivers Day and raise awareness of the important salmon habitat that’s right here in Langley.”

The StoryWalk® display is in place through mid-October on a flat, accessible, stroller-friendly trail in Williams Park, suitable for all-ages and abilities.

Learn more about being water conscious in the Township at tol.ca/waterwise. To learn more about the StoryWalk® installation, visit tol.ca/runsalmonrun.