Coquitlam residents can celebrate the return of salmon to local creeks this fall with free, fun and educational self-guided activities.
COQUITLAM, B.C., Oct. 21, 2020 – Coquitlam residents can celebrate the return of salmon to local creeks this fall with free, fun and educational self-guided activities.
To help guide your family fun, the City has posted a downloadable map of salmon-viewing locations, along with a scavenger hunt designed to help families explore nature, at coquitlam.ca/salmoncomehome.
While exploring the community this fall, residents are encouraged to support Coquitlam’s businesses by shopping, enjoying a meal out or picking up takeout.
While the traditional Salmon Come Home event at Hoy Creek Hatchery will not take place this year, residents are encouraged to plan their own outings to watch the salmon battle their way back to their spawning grounds. Coquitlam has several salmon-viewing spots, with one of the best being Hoy Creek Linear Park, where new interpretive signs have been installed.
Celebrate the Life Cycle of Salmon
After spending their adult lives at sea, salmon return to the creeks where they hatched to spawn and then die, continuing the cycle.
Fall is prime viewing time for salmon, with Chinook salmon returning from the end of September to mid-October, chum salmon from early October to mid-November, and coho salmon from late October to mid-December. Pink salmon also return in the fall, but typically only on odd-numbered years in this region.
In Coquitlam, salmon can be spotted at:
- Hoy Creek close to the hatchery or along the trail in Hoy Creek Linear Park;
- Scott Creek near Runnel Drive or Guildford Way; and
- Coquitlam River at the Oxbow Side Channel, Galette Park and Hockaday Park.
Coquitlam also has many other parks and trails to discover on those crisp autumn days – visit coquitlam.ca/parkfinder and coquitlam.ca/trails for information.
New Interpretive Signs at Hoy Creek Linear Park
Eight interpretive signs were recently installed along the flat, well-used 2.8-kilometre trail that runs through Hoy Creek Linear Park and connects to the Hoy Creek Hatchery and other City Centre destinations.
Designed in consultation with the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, the colourful and informative signs are intended to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of the various facets of the park and watershed. This project was funded in part by a grant from Trans Canada Trail to enhance our local section of The Great Trail.
As they walk the trail, visitors can learn about park wildlife such as black bears and squirrels, bugs and slugs, the park’s history, trees and the salmons’ dependence on forests, and the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society.
Hoy Creek Linear Park stretches between Barnet Highway at the south to Walton Avenue and Pinewood Avenue at the north, and is walking distance from the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station, City Centre Aquatic Centre, Pinetree Community Centre and Town Centre Park. See coquitlam.ca/parkfinder for a map link.
For more information about the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society and its work, visit hoyscottcreeks.org.
Help Protect Fish and Aquatic Life
Did you know that storm drains – and anything poured into them – empty directly into local creeks and streams?
Pool and cleaning chemicals, pesticides, paint, oil, fertilizer and other toxins require careful disposal. Using storm drains to dispose of them is not only harmful to fish and other wildlife – killing thousands of fish in local waterways in recent years – but could lead to penalties.
Do your part:
- Fix oil and transmission leaks in your car and recycle all used oil and antifreeze;
- Do not use pesticides on your lawn or gardens – find safe alternatives at coquitlam.ca/pesticides;
- Dispose of chemicals and home renovation materials safely – visit coquitlam.ca/wastewizard or rcbc.ca for options; and
- Volunteer to paint yellow fish near storm drains in your neighbourhood. Contact waterconservation@coquitlam.ca to borrow a storm drain marking kit for free.
Media contact:
Caresse Selk
Manager, Environment
City of Coquitlam
604-927-3536
cselk@coquitlam.ca