Society attends Coquitlam Earth Day event

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Alex, Tyler, Matt and Thomas of Hoy/Scott Watershed Society

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society took part in a City of Coquitlam Earth Day event on April 22 at Town Centre Park, adjacent to the Inspiration Garden.

A big part of what we do is public education and bringing awareness to the local environment and to the fact that we have salmon-bearing streams in the midst of an urban setting.

The event provided an opportune occasion to highlight the challenges the Society faces, most often caused by man. Things like trash along the trails and in the streams, pollutants being dumped down storm drains, as well as natural challenges like invasive species.

Five-month-old coho fry were also on display providing a glimpse of how precious and fragile this species can be.

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The Society would like to thank all of our volunteers who took part and answered questions from the public.

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Left to right: Fin Donnelly, MLA, Coquitlam-Burke Mountain; Tyler Storgaard, Hatchery Manager; Matt Djonlic, Coquitlam Councillor; Maya Uno, HSWS volunteer; and Thomas, HSWS volunteer.

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Volunteers clear trash from Hoy and Scott Creeks at Aberdeen Avenue

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Fast food containers were the most common trash items collected.

Our annual summer stream clean was held on Aug. 29 and Sept. 5 and was focussed on Aberdeen Avenue, an area not necessarily noted for close proximity to nature due to it being an industrial area.

in fact, this busy street in Coquitlam has two streams running below it. Both Scott and Hoy Creeks flow under this avenue and converge where the SkyTrain crosses over just south of Aberdeen. Once the two streams converge, they eventually meet the Coquitlam River before joining the Fraser River. The Fraser River flows into the Straight of Georgia (Pacific Ocean), a total distance of 78 km.

In preparation for the work, the Society provided notice to the surrounding businesses. The notice also served to remind on the delicate ecosystem along the street which is often seen dotted with semi-trucks making pickups or deliveries.

View our photo album on Facebook.

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Hoy/Scott Watershed Society volunteers gearing up at the start of the day on Aberdeen Ave.

“Each year we focus on one area of Scott or Hoy Creek as a summer activity,” said Society president, Robbin Whachell. “It’s important that we do this work in the late summer as not to disturb salmon in the creeks. This year, our vice-president, Tyler Storgaard scouted several areas and we agreed this industrial business location would be optimal as we’d not focused work in this area before, and the streets were not marked with storm drain fish decals.”

In less than three hours on each day, the work of HSWS volunteers was evident by the piles of trash removed from the banks of both Scott and Hoy Creeks and along the street between the two streams.

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Kim clearing an area that appeared to be frequented as a lunch and/or smoke-break spot by local workers.

“We also cut back the invasive blackberry, which often grows over and hides the stream,” said Whachell. “We hope that less littering will take place if people see that the creek is just right there, a few meters from where they walk past.”

Some of the most common items picked up during the clean were face masks, cigarette packages, fast food and drink containers, bottles and cans, and small plastic bag packaging for earplugs.

Most unusual finds were toys still in good shape, clothing, bedding, footwear, car parts, a dining tabletop and railing.

View our photo album on Facebook.

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Items removed from Hoy Creek on Aberdeen Ave.

Lani holds up some of her finds from Scott Creek along Aberdeen Ave.

Ririka pounds down a fish marker near a storm drain while Robbin clears rubbish above Scott Creek on Alberdeen ave.

Paint Reported in Hoy Creek

Photo: Wayne Noble

On June 17, 2020, the Society was alerted to a spill report made by a resident. The substance smelled like and appeared to be white paint. The Society check two spots along the creek between the spill area and the hatchery, as well as hatchery fish, and all appeared well and isolated to the inflow area east of Walton School on Hoy Trail.

The Society was advised that City of Coquitlam staff were dispatched just after 6 p.m. to the spill site. They reported that the spill appeared small, and City staff checked the outfall and pulled the street manholes in an attempt to get a direction of the paint but neither showed colour.

The sweep of the area did not indicate the source. City staff also check the site at the same time the following day (June 18th) for more evidence in case the activity continued but there was no spill identified.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which includes paint.

To report a spill in the creek click here.

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