On Sept. 25, Bulkley Valley residents are invited to celebrate our local waterways with BC Rivers Day. This free, family-oriented event kicks off Sunday morning with a Bulkley River float to Telkwa, where the afternoon continues with games, music and a barbecue.
“Rivers are a key part of the quality of life we enjoy in the Bulkley Valley,” said Taylor Bachrach, one of the Rivers Day organizers. “They give us opportunities to fish and paddle, and they attract people here from around the world.”
The day begins at 10 a.m. with a community canoe, kayak and raft float from the Quick Bridge to the Telkwa Bridge. Anyone without a boat or with limited paddling experience is encouraged to come, as there will be extra spaces in rafts and canoes.
Around 1 p.m. there will be a free wild salmon barbecue at Telkwa’s Eddy Park, followed by live music with Chicken Creek and Jenny Lester and friends. Events include games, prizes and much socializing, Bachrach said.
“Rivers Day is a time when we can get together and reflect on the fact that we live in a place that still has clean, free-flowing, wild-salmon-bearing rivers right out our back door.”
Established in 1980, BC Rivers Day is an annual, province-wide event that seeks to raise public understanding of rivers and their many benefits. More than 75,000 people attend more than 100 events held every year across the province. Its success recently led to the establishment of National Rivers Day.
The Bulkley Valley Rivers Day is sponsored by the Telkwa Community Initiatives Society, Bulkley Valley Canoe and Kayak Club, SkeenaWild, Interior News, Friends of Wild Salmon, and the Bulkley Valley Credit Union.
For more information, call Taylor at 250-847-9293. If you wish join the float but don’t have a boat, call Gladys at 250-877-2290.
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