PORT MOODY – Cougars, bears, raccoons, dogs, deer and a river otter have all visited the new Mossom Creek Hatchery in Port Moody, according to web camera footage, and now it's time for two legged creatures to get a look at the new building and education centre.
This Saturday, May 23, the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society is inviting the public for tours of the hatchery that was rebuilt after a December, 2013 fire. Visitors will get an up-close look at the coho smolts swimming in the Capilano troughs, learn about hatchery processes and the latest technology to ensure the health of fish.
There will also be crafts for kids and refreshments.
"We want people to come out and look around and see what we've got here," said Ruth Foster, one of the co-founders of the Mossom Creek Hatchery, which got its start as a Centennial secondary school project in 1976.
And there is a lot to see: state of the art sensors measure temperature and water quality, an astronomic timer turns lights on and off in the hatchery by gauging light levels outside, mimicking earth's daylight cycles, and web cams monitor wildlife at the hatchery and fish in the creek.
New Mossom hatchery ready to become an education centre for the environment in the Tri-Cities
The web cams have already proven to be useful, recording visits of bears, a sea otter and even a trio of three cougars which hung out at the hatchery for a period last Wednesday.
"What a bonus to be able to show people what goes on here," said Pat Dennett, volunteer project manager who oversaw saw construction for the project and whose experience in the construction industry enabled the society to get good deals or fully donated materials and services from contractors.
(For a full list of building "heroes" visit www.mossomcreek.org)
Construction started only last fall, after months of planning, but the two-storey building came in on budget at about $1.2 million. Fish hatchery operations have already begun and an occupancy permit was finalized in April.
Now, Dennett is following through on the final details and finishing touches, with the support of his volunteer team, including Mel Steemson and Neil Laffra, BIMES president Kyle Pilon, Rod MacVicar, Tracy Green and many others.
A wetland with water supplied from the creek, funded in part by Vancity with support from Burnco and No Limit Landscaping, will allow children to watch tiny pond creatures. It should be nearing completion and might be ready in time for the open house.
On the main floor, the hatchery is open for visitation, with its incubation room and tanks for fish. A handicapped accessible path takes visitors to the second floor, where there is an education centre with views of the forest and creek, high ceilings finished in hemlock and a brand new kitchen with fir cupboards and modern appliances.
New shelving is about to be installed and donated but still attractive and sleek office furniture gives the place a lived in look. The walls will have pinable surfaces and a giant screen hooked up to the web cam shows activity in the creek.
"This is a key part of the education piece," Dennett said.
There will also be a place for microscopes and for collaboration, because BIMES hopes Mossom becomes a community facility for providing information and lectures about the environment and the importance of salmon to the ecosystem.
Funding by way of grants or donations is now being sought to pay for maintenance, operation, programing and upkeep of the building, which is so much more than anyone dreamed of when it was first conceived about 17 months ago.
Dennett is also proud of the many environmental features of the building — the green roof which cuts down on energy consumption, a permeable concrete called Hydromedia, which allows rain water to percolate into the ground gradually, used for the building apron and pathway, the use of local wood, such as fir and hemlock as both a construction and design element, and the fact that the project achieved a 95% recycling rate on demolition and an 85% recycling rate during construction.
"We want to tell everyone how sustainable this building was in its planning and construction," Dennett said.
The public will be able to learn all this and more at Saturday's open house between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Parking is limited and the gravel road, off Ioco Road, is narrow, so be careful, or carpool, bike or walk if possible.
Learn more about the project at www.mossomcreek.org
