A community gathering to celebrate the Children’s Garden at the corner of Whitcomb Place and Enderby Street in Beach Grove took place on Sunday, Sept. 10.
The canoe garden was started earlier in the summer by Beach Grove children as part of Simple + Sweet’s Nature-Based Learning Summer Camp.
The founder of Sweet + Simple, Lyndsay Smith is a Beach Grove mother and teacher. The garden was created with the intention of connecting children to nature and creating a hub to bring the community together in a nature- based way.
Sunday’s gathering was opened by Nathan Wilson, welcoming families to the traditional lands of the Tsawwassen and Musqueam people.
Wilson drummed and shared words on the importance of community and how it filled his heart to see this coming together.
The Children’s Garden is now flourishing with native plants and pollinators and with the help of many Beach Grove mothers indeed became the hub of a celebration.
A chalk mandala created by a Beach Grove mother and daughter, was at the heart of Whitcomb and Enderby surrounded by stations offering nature-based activities, face painting, rock painting, story studio, puppets and storybooks.
Delta Naturalists Society joined in on the fun with nature games, natural materials to touch and feel and a wealth of nature information. Everyone was welcome and there were popsicles for all!
Smith is hoping to bring community together around the Children’s Garden seasonally, not just once a year. Thank you to Delta’s Neighbourhood Small Grants for funding this celebration.
Email [email protected] or follow on Instagram @naturebasedlearningindelta to connect about nature. If you are interested in hosting your own community event visit Delta’s Neighbourhood Small Grants at: https://neighbourhoodsmallgrants.ca/.
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