The Bowen Island Fish and Wildlife Club will welcome up to 200 participants of the Salmon Enhancement Program (SEP) Community Workshop over the Victoria Day long weekend. Tim Pardee, president of the club, wants to encourage the visitors from different areas in B.C and the Yukon to "stay and play." At the very least, he plans to show off what Bowen has to offer, including the work of his organization, Bowen's food and pottery and local musicians. In short, Bowen's hospitality will be on display and he hopes to make a good impression.
"The SEP Community Workshop will be held from May 17 to 19," he said. "It's a chance for Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Pacific Streamkeepers Association to say thank you to the volunteers who work in salmon hatcheries and streamkeeping."
Jim Bydak is a member of the Fish and Wildlife Club who specializes in streamkeeping. He added that the event will also include training sessions and practice opportunities. "There will be hands-on workshops in the creeks and the hatchery," he said.
On the weekend of the workshop, the parking lot at the Bowen Island Community School as well as the strip of parking near the entrance to Crippen Park at the hatchery will be closed to the general public. "We need to reserve that space for deliveries, bus turn-around and participants' parking," Pardee explained.
The event is not open to the public but Pardee stressed that community involvement has been foremost in his mind during the planning phase. "It is important to us that local businesses and service providers benefit," he explained. "We asked Peter King to provide the bus service from North Van. Sarah Curry and Joan Hayes from The Snug Café are doing the catering and Sue Clarke will provide the mugs." The mugs are an important part of the gathering, according to Pardee, who says, "Since 1991, the mugs have been the big give-aways of the event. I hear that one participant has collected the mugs from all the years and has them all lined up."
Entertainment will be provided by local musicians. Friday night, the stage will belong to Bowen's "wild cellist" Corbin Keep. On Saturday, the Buff Allan trio will perform.
"And Eddie Weismiller will provide extra biffies," the Fish and Wildlife Club's past president Bill Newport added.
Interpretive tours will be led by Mike Von Zuben to explore the club's rehabilitation projects, including the wintering pond, the fish ladders and the spawning beds at the lagoon.
Naturalist Alan Whitehead will take a group on a bird watching excursion and Metro Vancouver Parks is responsible for organizing an interpretive walk though Crippen Park.
"It's a community workshop and we want to make it very Bowen," Pardee says. "We want the delegates to come and see the best of the island. And we hope they'll spend a bit of money."
The Fish and Wildlife Club wanted to ensure that the flow of money is only in one direction. "We haven't askes for a dollar from the community," Bydak explained. "The workshop is funded by corporate sponsors, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the Streamkeepers Federation." Corporate sponsorships come from Vancity, Fortis BC, Dynamic Aqua Supply and Pacific Western Brewery.
Pardee added that the registration numbers for the workshop are well ahead of previous years. He added that he doesn't know of any other event attracting that number of visitors to Bowen Island.
