Mind our mess. We’re improving your view.

The Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary is getting a long-awaited upgrade to one of its most impressive viewpoints. For 30 years the East Gaetz Lake viewing deck on the east side of the Sanctuary has been providing visitors with a great look at the East Lake, the forest below, and the west side of Red Deer. The viewing deck has a unique, raised platform that puts people out, over the escarpment, while making as little impact with the ground as possible.

30 years of use, 30 years of summer sun, winter snow, spring rains, and fall leaves have taken their toll on this structure. It needs to be replaced. Beginning on Sept 29 crews will start dismantling the structure. New, low-impact screw piles will be driven into the hillside, and a new viewing deck will be installed. The raised boardwalk and staircase leading to the deck will also be replaced as they too, are nearing the end of their safe, usable life.

In order to complete this work, we will need to close the Wishart Trail beginning September 29, 2016. The trail will be closed from the north end of the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary, along the east side of the loop,  through to the top of the long staircase at the south end of the Sanctuary. We will keep the west side of the Wishart trail loop open from the Nature Centre through to the staircase.
The 1 kilometre Dr. George Trail loop will be unaffected.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to phone the Kerry Wood Nature Centre at 403-346-2010.

Todd Nivens, Executive Director

Jim Robertson on his retirement

As this mere player leaves the stage …
Looking back on 31 years in Waskasoo Park

Paraphrased and cribbed shamelessly from an article by Martin Edwards

Shakespeare’s As You Like It features a speech by the melancholy Jacques on the seven ages of mankind. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” he begins, and reflects on the seven-stage journey from infancy to old age. With 31 years under my belt in my current job, I think there were also seven stages of my time at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre and with the entire Waskasoo Park Interpretive Program.

First, there was the honeymoon, when I had seemingly infinite goodwill, momentum, political support, and thus had the maximum opportunity for creating the best urban park interpretive program that I could. This was so refreshing! After leaving the oh-so-political bureaucracy of the national parks, all of a sudden the whole of my political world was in support. City Council and senior administration, even our local provincial and federal politicians loved what was happening in Waskasoo Park. Some even came to have their pictures taken here!

The second stage was resistance. Maybe I was oblivious or just lucky, but apart from the hard dollars-and-cents issues that plague anyone working in the real world, I never noticed great resistance to what we tried to do here. Going to cost-recovery programming met some opposition, but has since proved to be our salvation. Originally, everything we did in the interpretive program was free of charge. We now raise fully one third of our budget, and that enables us to do so much more than simply keep the doors open and the lights on.

After resistance came building. We did the first revamp of Fort Normandeau’s exhibits in 1990, when the park interpretive program took over the operation of the fort, and then completely replaced them in 2013–2014. We expanded the Nature Centre twice, first in 1989 and again in 2000, and did two interim exhibit renewals before completely redoing them last year. Our staff numbers have increased over the years, in part from the support of the City and largely due to our “self-generated revenue”. This is what pays for the approximately 800 programs we deliver every year.

The fourth stage has been embedding the successes. This was when achievements were fixed in place and, through policy, board development, repetition, and collaboration with our partners, became part of the organisation’s DNA and what the community expected of us.

To be honest, the fifth stage was boredom. We brought in the changes, won the battles, built and embedded. I then asked “what now?” The thought of another year of developing and monitoring our budget, supervising ordinary day-to-day operations, and changing light bulbs didn’t appeal to me. I did look around for other possible jobs, but I’m glad I didn’t leave, because I would have missed out on the sixth, innovative stage: renewal.

I was able to use this time to challenge the organisation—and myself—to reach for new heights. While I was very happy with how the Waskasoo Park Interpretive Program got started, it has been the renewal stage that I am most proud of today. We have re-invented ourselves as a stand-alone society, separate from the Museum and the City. I went back to school and—with support from the Normandeau Society (now WEES)—got my MA in Environmental Education. We have replaced all the old, outdated exhibits with ones better suited to today with modern messaging. Our programs are well received. Our nature preschool program was a cutting-edge program when it started, and is still a model for similar new programs. Our finances are sound. City Council and administration are still happy with us. The NOVA Imagination Grove and the Kiwanis Harmony Garden are amazingly successful. Structures and trails in the Sanctuary are being rebuilt, and the interpretive signage along the Waskasoo Park trails is being renewed.

Finally, there is a seventh stage. I’m unsure what it is yet. I would like to think that I could cycle past boredom again into another time of renewal, thus delaying the final stage. There is still so much to be done. The interpretive signage in the Sanctuary and throughout Waskasoo Park has to be replaced. Our programs always need to be tweaked, and sometimes need wholesale replacement as Alberta Education changes its curriculum. Parts of our new exhibits could be improved upon. I’d love to see our self-generated funding increase further, so that we could expand the operating season at Fort Normandeau and bring in some special expertise at the Nature Centre.

But I could be wrong. It might be the seventh age according to Jacques: decrepitude, when the years of toil have taken their toll on the player and it is time to leave the stage and go without fear into the calm pastures beyond. Everyone has a “best-before” date. I see that we now have a strong team in place to continue to build on the foundation we’ve created since 1985. I’m happy to step aside and watch where fresh new ideas and energy take the Waskasoo Park Interpretive Program. Besides, I still have things to do, places to go, and people to see. I’d better get on with it before decrepitude seriously sets in.

There will be a goodbye drop-in reception for Jim from 3:00 to 5:00 on Friday September 2nd in the 
Nature Centre.

Jim at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre opening in 1986.

Coming up in January

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour may have sold out, but there are still plenty of things going on in around around the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Here are some highlights:

• There's still just time to sign up for our Youth Survival/Leave No Trace workshop on Saturday the 9th. Registration closes on Thursday the 7th for this fun and informative look at winter camping for youths ages 11 - 15.
• Learn about the winter sky with Family Planetarium on Sunday the 10th. $3 person/$10 family. Show starts at 1 pm.
• Kids 5 years and under and their caregivers can learn about nature through songs, hands-on exploration, and interactive walks on Earth Play Saturday, January 16th. Things start at 10:30 am; $5 per couple/ $10 family of five.
• Learn to repurpose sweaters with our Fantastic Felt Workshop on Sunday, January 23rd. Preregistration is required by January 21. 1 - 4 pm; $15 + GST members/ $17 + GST non-members. All materials are provided.
• Feel like just getting out for a stroll? Come down For Random Snowshoeing on the 17th and the 30th. 1 - 4 pm; $3 person/$10 family. Dress for the weather, and please no high heels on boots.

Have questions about our events or workshops? Call us at 403-346-2010, drop us an e-mail at general@waskasoopark.ca, or as us on Twitter (@NatureCentre) or Facebook!

Myrna Pearman book signing

Backyard Bird Feeding-An Alberta Guide;
Book signing by author Myrna. Pearman
Sunday, December 20 at 3:30 to 4:30 pm
Kerry Wood Nature Centre.

Meet Myrna and have your copy of
Backyard Bird Feeding- signed by her.

 

Once again, the Kerry Wood Nature Centre is taking part in Bower Place's Red & White Night charity shopping event this year. On the evening of November 22nd, the mall will only be open to people who have bought tickets to the event. It's a great way to do some Christmas shopping without fighting the crowds.

Charities receive a percentage of all the tickets they sell, so we ask that if you are interested in going, please pick up your tickets from us at the Nature Centre, or call 403-346-2010. Thanks in advance!

New Exhibit Update

As of today, our thirty year old permanent displays have been closed down and will be dismantled to prepare for the construction of new displays. The building itself, including the Bookstore, Theatre, and Discovery Room, will still be open, and of course the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary is always available for quiet nature observation.

Our new displays are scheduled to open October 31st, 2015. Watch this space, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on construction progress!

Our summer team

Yes, that was our summer staff for Kerry Wood Nature Centre and Fort Normandeau that you may have seen taking pictures (and, um, doing performance art) around the park system today. Looks like a great team this year, and I think we're all raring to go...

Concern, Care, and Communication

Here at the Nature Centre we recognise that we are extremely fortunate to work adjacent to 300 acres of stunningly beautiful, natural habitat. We also recognise that the students at the local schools, and our neighbours in surrounding neighbourhoods share in this good fortune.

Imagine if you as a kid, had access to a place like the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary. There are cool, dark forests; wide-open, bright grasslands; and of course the two lakes. All of these habitats work together to provide food, shelter, and habitat for the plants and animals that share them. You would have access to a place that has the ability to be either peaceful and serene, or vibrant and dramatic. It is a place that is good for nature, good for the community, good for the soul.

We take our stewardship of the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary extremely seriously. We are charged with ensuring that the environments remain healthy, that the plants and animals are free to live their lives with minimal interference, and that the activities that take place in the Sanctuary are complementary to its well-being. We also strive to get as many people as possible outside and in nature.

We also want to ensure that as many people, of all ages, from all walks of life have the chance to enjoy the Sanctuary. We want people walking the trails. We want people using the viewing decks and the bird blind. We want people taking pictures, recording sounds, drawing and painting what they see, and immersing themselves in the experience of being in nature.

Over the past week one of our structures, the south viewing deck located behind Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive Highschool, was extensively vandalised. Beginning on Monday April 20, graffiti began to appear. We started photo-documenting the damage and posted the images to Facebook and Twitter; being very careful to not jump to conclusions about who may or may not be creating the damage. On Thursday morning April 23 we installed a motion-detecting, wildlife camera in a tree, overlooking the south viewing deck. At that time we again documented the existing graffiti.

On Friday, April 24 we took down the camera, documented the new graffiti that appeared while it was in place, and went back to the Nature Centre to look at the images. What we saw was a number of groups of teenagers, on the viewing deck, during school hours. These groups of people were the only people recorded on the deck during the period when new vandalism appeared. When we zoomed in on the images we saw scenes of people stashing things under the deck - we have since recovered a pipe used to smoke marijuana - and scenes of people using these items to smoke something, on the deck. Again, all during hours that school is in session.

On Monday of this week, we met with the LTCHS administration team to show them the images and try to work a solution to this problem. One of our larger concerns - and theirs - was that kids have been recorded breaking the law and then returning to class under the influence of an illicit substance. The Thurber team identified the people in the images as Thurber students, agreed that this was a serious issue, and that these actions, combined with the vandalism showed that the school wasn't being a good neighbour. Sadly the actions of a few kids were making 1700 students, their teachers, and the administration look really bad.

We left the meeting with assurances from the admin team that they would deal with the issue appropriately, have meeting with the students who were recorded on the deck, and set some ground rules for what students can and cannot do during school hours.

Please understand, this isn't about the Nature Centre staff trying to get people in trouble. We deliberately decided not to release the images we recorded, to the public. We don't want to shame people publicly, or have anybody take it upon themselves to deliver reprisals. This is about keeping the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary as a place where everybody can go to enjoy nature. Preschool children from our preschool and the two neighbouring preschools use the Sanctuary during school hours. Seniors walk the trails during the day. We want all our visitors to use the Sanctuary appropriately and not put other users in an comfortable, dangerous, or adversarial position.

We are not in a position to comment on the announcement from Thurber admin. We appreciate them taking the situation seriously and attempting to assist us in solving this issue. If you would like to help us, please talk to your kids, to your friends and family, and to us about how best to enjoy the natural jewel that sits in the heart of our community.

And if you have any sandpaper, give us a call. We have some clean-up work to do.

All the best
The Kerry Wood Nature Centre team

Spring thoughts turning to gardening

Now that spring is struggling its way through again, like many of you we're thinking of gardens -- in this case, the Busby Legacy Gardens at the Allen Bungalow across the parking lot from the Nature Centre. Two years ago we started recreating gardens at the Bungalow, but we're still looking to add new plants and maintain what's there.

To help raise money for the Gardens we're once again selling leaves for $1. Come down to the Centre and purchase a leaf, and all money raised stays in our gardening fund.

If you'd be interested in sponsoring the Gardens by purchasing a plant or other garden items, contact Darlene at 403-346-2010 ext 120, or e-mail darlene.kranenborg@waskasoopark.ca.

Come build a bird house

Looking out our back door

Here are a few quick shots from outside our back door on this fine afternoon. That latest snowfall is melting fast, and Imagination Grove is starting to look ready for some spring fun. See you there!

An interesting visitor

This Varied Thrush was photographed by Anna Robertson at their home east of Red Deer. Jim says that there is a reported sighting south of their home/east of Innisfail as well.

Varied Thrushes are fairly early migrators, but they're rare visitors to our area. In Alberta they're more usually found in damp-ish conifer forest in the mountains.

If the body shape looks familiar, it's because our more usual Robin is also a thrush.

For more information, check out the Varied Thrush page at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It's a great site for loads of bird information.

Looking for a wedding venue?

Come have your say on our new exhibits

Some of you may already know that work has begun on the designs for our upcoming new permanent exhibits. Well, we now have a final draft and will be holding an open house preview on March 9, 2015 from 4:30 pm to 8 pm. It's your chance to come down, have a look at the drawings, and let us know what you think. Everyone's welcome!

Here's the City's press release for more information.

Seen in the Sanctuary:

 I took advantage of the nice weather to get out on the Dr George Trail to see what's up at the moment. Some things were neat:

Deer trail through the trees

Moose trail on the bird blind. I wonder how ticked she was when she realised that it's a dead end.

 Some things, though, didn't make me as happy:

Human use of deer trail

Snowshoe tracks amongst the animal tracks on the West Lake

Boreal Chickadee obviously used to being hand-fed. Thanks to the visitor who's name I didn't get for assisting me with this picture!

We ask our visitors to please remember that there are rules in a wildlife sanctuary, and in a heavily-used urban sanctuary those rules become especially important. Enjoy your walk, but try to stay on the existing (human) trails rather than making your own.

Also, if you notice people feeding wildlife in the sanctuary, please let our staff know.

We're Hiring

Kerry Wood Nature Centre

Open Competition:
Visitor Services Staff

The Waskasoo Environmental Education Society, a non-profit charitable society which operates the Waskasoo Park Interpretive Program on contract for The City of Red Deer, has one or two part-time positions available for the coming summer for Information Attendants.

Based at Red Deer's Kerry Wood Nature Centre, the successful applicant(s) will provide natural history and tourist information to the general public and deliver interactive programs to the public. The position also entails operating the building when other staff are away, retail sales work, light clerical duties (word processing, poster-making etc.), assisting the Park Interpreters with their programming, and related duties such as program preparation/cleanup and building & animal maintenance.

Essential Qualifications:

·     Excellent public communication skills and experience / love for working with the public (including children);

·      A good working knowledge of the natural history & ecosystems of Central Alberta

·      An excellent knowledge of the sights, attractions, major events, roads, and parks of Red Deer, including the bike trails of Waskasoo Park;

·      Current first aid / C.P.R. certificates;

·      A valid driver's permit and reliable transportation;

·      A neat appearance and the willingness to wear the Park uniform, and to abide by the Normandeau Society’s smoking and other policies;

·      Willingness and ability to stay the entire term of this position;

·      Willingness and ability to work most weekends and evenings;

·      Good health: some lifting is required;

·      Good organizational skills and the ability to plan your schedule and workload;

·      Reliable and trustworthy, punctual and conscientious;

Desirable Qualities:

·         Post-secondary schooling in western Canadian natural history, biological sciences education, or interpretation;

·      Retail sales experience;

·      Experience in art or graphic design;

·      Experience with computers (Windows environment) and basic word-processing, spreadsheets, database and desktop publishing; experience working on a computer network;

·      Basic knowledge of the human history of central Alberta.

Term and Conditions of Employment:

·      Training/work to start immediately.

·      This is a part-time position (weekend days, some evenings);

·      Four positions are available;

·      Accommodation is not provided;

·      Regular evening and weekend work is required.

To Apply:

Apply in writing by ASAP (postings will remain open until suitable candidates are found) to:

Human Resource, Waskasoo Environmental Education Society

6300 - 45th Avenue

Red Deer, AB, T4N 3M4

Fax: 347-2550

e-mail: hr@waskasoopark.ca

Include a résumé outlining related experience and references, and
a brief letter explaining why the position is of interest to you. No phone calls, please.

Imagination Grove -- Opening Soon!

The time's almost here, everyone! And yes, it's definitely worth an exclamation point because we're pretty excited. Imagination Grove, our new outdoor classroom and natural learning space,
 will be officially opening on Monday, October 6, at 1:00 pm. Following one last work-bee on Saturday, everything should be ready for lots of fun and free play. You can find more information on this page, but in the meantime here's a bit of a preview:

Radical Reels - An Action Sports Film Fest

Imagination Grove

Work is well underway for Imagination Grove, the new nature playground here at Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Here's a quick look at what's going on today.

Some of the materials that go into a nature playground

This should be quite the climbing structure

Our new amphitheatre in the works

No more turnstile gate

Things are coming along nicely, with more on the way. Watch for the upcoming announcement of our opening in October. Then be sure to come down and play!

Mushroom Day -- Change of Date

I have a correction to the date for our mushroom evening with Dr. Lou Piening. The program will be moving from Thursday to Friday, September 5th. The time is still 7:00 pm, and everyone is welcome.