Albertans celebrate Canada's Parks Day

Posted on July 15, 2006

A variety of local groups come together with the nation for our natural heritage

All across Canada, urban, provincial and national parks staff, environmental groups and communities are celebrating our national and provincial parks, protected areas and national historic sites. In the Edmonton area, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) and the Friends of Elk Island National Park are joining together on Canada's Parks Day - Saturday July 15th - to celebrate not only Parks Day but also the park's 100th birthday. The event coincides with over 10 other Parks Day events across Alberta. The event will feature fun for the whole family including films, guided hikes, face painting, games, dance performances and much more. It will all begin at 10am at the Astotin Lake Parking Lot in Elk Island National Park and is free to the public. Canoes will also be available at no cost, thanks to the Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). Celebrations will run until 5pm.

Canada's Parks Day was first celebrated in 1990 and since has grown into a national event honored by thousands of Canadians in every province and territory. Parks are a part of our natural and cultural heritage and are places that are cherished by residents and visitors to Canada alike. In 2003, a public opinion poll found that Canadians indicated that National Parks play a more important role than hockey to Canadian identity (Association for Canadian Studies). "Parks Day is a day to celebrate Alberta's, and Canada's true advantage - our diverse, globally recognized Parks. These natural spaces offer us limitless recreation, health, education, economic and natural values," says Rebecca Reeves, coordinator of CPAWS Edmonton's ParksWatch Program. The program, sponsored by Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, aims to ensure the ecological integrity of Alberta's Parks and Protected Areas, and their preservation for future generations. For a list of events happening across the nation, visit the Canadian Parks Council's Parks Day web page at www.parksday.ca.

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, along with many other environmental organizations, typically focuses its efforts on the issues affecting our parks and protected areas and advocates for their increased protection. Yet on Canada's Parks Day, groups across the nation are taking the time to celebrate what is protected, and are eager to share, educate and encourage other Canadians to do the same. "Parks Day is a day to be thankful for those areas that have been set aside by our ancestors for our generation and the next. While these areas provide Canadians with exceptional venues for spending time with family and friends in the great outdoors, they are also essential areas for the protection of wildlife and the habitat that they depend on," adds Reeves.

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For more information, contact: Rebecca Reeves (780) 913-937