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01

Aug
2014

In Inspiration
Place
Research

By Admin

Lost Salmon Streams of Vancouver

On 01, Aug 2014 | In Inspiration, Place, Research | By Admin

Pacific Salmon once thrived in the many creeks and streams that flow through the area now known as Vancouver. This iconic species connects the land, water, people and animals and has always been an integral part of the life and culture of the people of Canada’s West Coast. Legends tell us of the determination and persistence of the Salmon and how they serve as symbols of abundance, wealth, prosperity, dependability and renewal. Facing the threat of extinction the Pacific Salmon were formally designated BC’s official fish in 2013.

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 Pacific Salmon – Official Fish of British Columbia

Brewery Creek, one of Vancouver’s most important creeks, once flowed openly from what is now 41st Avenue down St. George Street and into False Creek along with dozens of other nearby creeks and streams. It was named Brewery Creek by settlers because it provided water and energy to a number of small breweries established along its banks around the turn of the 20th century.

Heather-9thAve_creek

 Waterfall on Heather St at 9th Avenue c.1909

A working-class neighbourhood grew around these breweries and factories at Main St and Kingsway.  Connected to downtown Vancouver by new streetcar routes, ‘Mount Pleasant’ became Vancouver’s first suburb. By the 1950s many of the smaller breweries along Brewery Creek had been bought out by larger companies and relocated elsewhere.  The creek, and many others like it, were thought to be no longer important and as the area developed for residential and commercial use the creeks and streams were covered or filled and eventually built on top of.

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View of Vancouver from Mt. Pleasant c.1892

Vancouver’s impressive annual rainfall (1153.1 mm) however, still drains through this entire watershed. Although the ‘lost’ streams are mostly hidden from view, they are definitely still present, diverted below the surface of the city in culverts and pipes, many of which follow the course of the original streams.

‘Daylighted’ stream at Ontario Street and 1st Avenue

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01

Jul
2014

In Inspiration
Place
Research

By Admin

Richmond Barn Owl Nestboxes

On 01, Jul 2014 | In Inspiration, Place, Research | By Admin

GardenCityLands

Garden City Lands. Richmond, BC.

The 55.2 hectares (136.5 acres) Garden City Lands, located between Westminster Highway, Alderbridge Way, Garden City Way and No. 4 Road, is within Vancouver’s protected Agricultural Land Reserve and plays a crucial role as a wildlife refuge in the City of Richmond. The green spaces like is an incredible amenity for the people of Richmond and is also a vital habitat and hunting ground for several rare or threatened species including the Barn Owl.

barnowl

Barn Owl

Barn Owls can and will cohabit with other owls, bats and small birds like doves and sparrows. Barn Owls prefer quiet cavities to nest or roost either in trees or tall structures with multiple openings. They easily take to nest boxes placed on poles or mounted on modern barns as long as the box is at least 3-4 m above the ground and safely out of reach from raccoons and other predators. Once Barn Owls discover a nest box it will normally be used every year.

Art Documentation

spacemakeplace – concept rendering

Research shows that even a single nest box can mean survival for local Barn Owls and can help increase threatened populations significantly. The Richmond Nature Park, located only a short distance from the Garden City Lands, manages a Barn Owl nest box program with seven nest boxes installed around Richmond on behalf of the City. The three nest boxes located at Terra Nova Rural Park all reared young in 2014!

There is potential for at least one more Barn Owl nest box at Terra Nova and several other suitable locations have been identified around Richmond and earmarked for funding when it becomes available.

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05

Nov
2013

In Inspiration

By Admin

Viaduct Curtain FOUND!

On 05, Nov 2013 | In Inspiration | By Admin

Viaduct Curtain Found Infrastucture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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