2010 was the anniversary of Captain Cates’s Terminal Farms – 300 acres of agricultural land stretching from what is now the meadow all the way to Collins Farm. Since the anniversary, members of the Bowen Agricultural Alliance have been working on coming up with a plan to commemorate and honour the existence of Terminal Farms by creating something in the Crippen Park Meadow - which is, to this day, a part of the Agricultural Land Reserve on Bowen Island.
The sub-group of BAA have sought out as many community groups who have a stake in the meadow as possible (BIHORA, Island Discovery Learning Centre, BICS, BIRD, etc.) and have held visioning sessions for possible projects. They have also been working with Metro Vancouver Parks.
BAA, in conjunction with these groups, has hit upon an idea which Metro Vancouver is extremely enthusiastic about: a pollinator demonstration garden. The garden would be within the 0.7 acre area of land between the path and the dog park. On this site, the remains of the dairy farm belonging to Captain Cates are still visible. The pathway from Miller Road to the bridge was in fact a dairy road while the farm was still operational.
Pollinator friendly plants and flowers would grow in raised beds, alongside a possible lavender labyrinth, a glassed in demonstration hive, shaded areas for the public to sit and relax, an outdoor classroom, and signage to educate about healthy food systems and wild pollinators (mason bees and hummingbirds, for example).
The Bowen Agriculture Alliance and Metro Vancouver are inviting all Bowen Islanders to hear more, and to offer feedback about this proposal on the evening of Tuesday, December 9. Anyone who would like to offer comments on the plan can also write to Metro Parks at [email protected].
