Whether it's a safe playground for kids or our natural playground that you want to protect, two outdoor events this Saturday, Aug. 25, offer the opportunity to act.
. Ride For Our Future Metro Vancouver youth have organized a bike ride for people of all ages to the provincial legislature in Victoria to call for action on climate change. Participants will deliver a petition that calls for the government to reject proposals for the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and tanker project, the Kinder-Morgan Trans Mountain expansion project and other fossil fuel exports, and to commit to meet B.C.'s legislated target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020.
School board spokesman Kurt Heinrich recently came across secondary students behind Ride for Our Future who were soliciting signatures and handing out cookies on the 10th Avenue Bike route.
Prince of Wales mini-school Grade 11 student and organizer Sam Harrison told Heinrich his parents are political scientists, so politics, the environment and the responsibility to act have been dinner conversation at his home for years.
"Standing by and watching is an unacceptable stance when countries like Canada have the money and the power to make a serious difference," Harrison told Heinrich in an email. "We must fulfill our moral obligation to future generations to tell our government that we need action on this issue-now."
I was unable to reach Harrison by the Courier's press deadline.
Groups Kids for Climate Action, Youth for Climate Justice Now and Get it Done have co-organized the relaxed 70-kilometre ride that starts at 7: 30 a.m. at the Scott Road SkyTrain station in Surrey.
Organizers expected 30 to 50 riders to participate as of last week. For more information, see rideforourfuture.ca.
. Work for play
More than 20 years old, the dilapidated wooden playground at Champlain Heights Annex needs to be replaced. The neighbourhood's children will be able to climb and slide on new equipment starting this Saturday after KaBOOM!, Foresters and school and community volunteers construct a new playground within six hours.
This is the second time the parent advisory council at Champlain Heights has partnered with Foresters and KaBOOM! to replace an aging playground. They replaced the playground for the main school last year. The PAC is pitching in $8,500 to replace the annex's old playground with one that's based on drawings created by children who participated in a design day event in June, according to community member Arlene Vanderhoeven.
Foresters is a life insurance company that has invested millions in non-profit KaBOOM! to build playgrounds across Canada and the United States. With their help, volunteers will erect a playground starting at 8: 30 a.m. at 7835 Champlain Cres. with a ribbon cutting at 2: 30 p.m. Foresters will provide a family fun zone featuring arts and crafts, games and activities for families and children throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, water, gloves and tools will be provided. Volunteers are asked to bring a reusable water bottle.
To volunteer, contact Arlene at [email protected] or 604-431-6625.
[email protected] Twitter: @Cheryl_Rossi
