This autumn, in partnership with the City of Delta, volunteers from the Rotary Club of North Delta rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty helping build a new park under the BC Hydro towers along Westview Drive in North Delta.
According to Susan Gage, a local Master Gardener and Rotarian, the club’s Rotary Club Action Team explored several projects and, in consultation with the municipality and community groups, decided to develop an ecological park for children of all ages. This past summer, the plan for the park was approved by the City of Delta and BC Hydro.
Gage, who was involved in the park design, said the park will include a Children’s Discovery Garden, a rain garden, and a pollinator meadow. A trail with interpretative signage will wind around several gardens with environmental and indigenous themes, including an ecological discovery garden for children to learn about native plants of our region. A fairy garden and drought resistant eco-lawn are also planned.
Over the past month, volunteers worked hard each Saturday.
After the city removed the sod, Rotarians, clad in long sleeved shirts, thick pants, and heavy gloves, cut back blackberry bushes along the edges of the park and around a large glacial erratic boulder. Large rocks and boulders were removed from the planting area in backbreaking work, leaving the garden ready for organic soil.
After two weeks of rest and recovery, Rotarians were back onsite, to haul dozens of wheelbarrow loads (21 yards) of soil up from the road and spread it in the planting area. Help was provided by a group of volunteers including a couple of residents, one with a strong back and another with a stronger tractor.
The big day was Saturday, Oct. 22, when Rotary volunteers and members of the community which included several young athletes, planted more than 250 plants in the field using wheelbarrows, gloves, shovels, rakes, trowels, until the task was done. The plants will attract Beneficial’s such as insects and birds to the area.
In the spring, the development of the Fairy Garden and associated signage will begin.
For more information on how you can join Rotary and help make your community and world a better place, Google “North Delta Rotary Club” and visit either the club website or Facebook page.
