Birken, BC – Located on the shore of Gates Lake near the small community of Birken, Gates Lake Community Park will see 21 Douglas maple trees and 243 shrubs and ground covers planted during a community work bee on Saturday, August 27 between 9am and noon. The planting is being made possible through a $9,768 grant awarded to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) in May from the 2016 CN EcoConnexions – From the Ground Up Program, with matching funds provided by the SLRD.

Volunteers are invited to roll up their sleeves and bring gloves and shovels, to help make light work of the planting, following a 9am orientation. (Landscapers from the Gardener’s Yard Inc. will have started the holes and located the plants before the planting bee gets underway.)

At 10:30am, SLRD Electoral Area C Director Russell Mack will officiate a welcome and thank you to community volunteers and program funders. Special guests will include Emile Scheffel, CN Rail’s Community Affairs Lead for BC; François Boucher, CN Rail’s General Superintendent for BC South; Doug Buchanan, CN Rail’s Assistant Superintendent; Bart MacMillan, CN Rail’s Community Services Officer and Berta Briggs, a National Judge from Communities in Bloom.

Refreshments will follow the official ceremony, to recharge the volunteers. It is anticipated that the planting will be complete by noon.

What:             Gates Lake Community Park Planting Project

Where:            Gates Lake Community Park (9184 Portage Road, Birken)

When:            Saturday, August 27, 2016 (9:00 am – 12 noon)

The SLRD has worked closely with Tom Barratt Ltd. Landscape Architects to create the planting plan to enhance the park. The Gates Lake Planting Project is the final stage of landscaping improvements planned for this community gathering and greenspace; aerating and top dressing the grassy field areas was completed earlier this summer. The second phase of the project is the planting of native species—the grant requires that the work be completed with the help of community volunteers. Happily, Gates Lake Park boasts a supportive community whose energy is being invited to bring this project to fruition.

Learn more about Gates Lake Community Park: www.slrd.bc.ca/GatesLakeCommunityPark