Cake, a historical talk, walking tours and a First Nations honouring of the land will be among the highlights Sunday of the 25th anniversary of Treefest, the annual event that celebrates the trees on the Riverview Hospital grounds.
Marilyne Anderson, vice-president of the Riverview Horticulture Centre Society (RHCS), said she expects a good turnout, rain or shine, for an event that recognizes the importance of trees — culturally, physically and spiritually.
"It's well documented that trees are important to our mental health," said Anderson, a retired Centennial secondary teacher who was also a school counsellor. "This is something we have come to recognize, especially among our group, whose aims are to promote the environment."
RHCS has long advocated for the preservation of Riverview for its trees, famous as they were planted over 100 years ago by provincial botanist John Davidson, and as a site for mental health services.
Over the years, group members have promoted letter-writing campaigns to keep Riverview in public hands, held walking tours and even participated in singing protests to raise awareness about their concerns.
To maintain public interest and support, and to provide education, monthly tree walks are held in the spring, summer and fall. They are popular, Anderson said, drawing as many as two dozen people or more who wander among the trees and listen to history and botany lessons from local experts.
"People mob the arborist," Anderson said with a chuckle. "They want to know about pruning and information about planting."
Over the years, the group has remained strong, and includes board members whose ages range from 20 to 90 years, as well as more than 100 members who pay $5 for an annual membership.
"I joined about six years ago," Anderson said, and today she is taking a lead role in helping organize Treefest.
And that's not an easy feat: Funding is limited, government control of the property is extensive to protect people with mental health concerns who live there and minders have to be hired to make sure visitors don’t stray from the festival grounds and sidewalks.
Still, continuing with Treefest is important given the group’s hope to keep the public involved as stakeholders in the ongoing deliberations about what to do with the property.
This year's event will have the hallmark talking and walking tours led by arbourists, naturalists and historians, with the keynote speaker being noted heritage consultant Donald Luxton. He will deliver his talk at 12:15 p.m., which will be followed by a cake cutting at 12:45 p.m.; at 1:20 p.m., Luxton will take visitors on a walk to look at the heritage buildings.
Other walks will take visitors round the site where participants will learn about the history of the trees and John Davidson's efforts to create western Canada's first botanical garden in 1912. At the time, the idea was to collect trees from all seven continents, and their mature foliage today give the property a pastoral quality and attract a wide variety of birds and wildlife.
Also that day, which will run from 10:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., the SPARC Antique Radio Museum and the Coquitlam Amateur Radio Club will be open for tours.
As well, the Kwikwetlem First Nation, which has a claim on the Riverview lands as part of its traditional territory, will be holding an opening prayer and will have a tent on site, as will RHCS and the Burke Mountain Naturalists.
Anderson said the location of Treefest will be different from last year but will be mostly contained to the arboretum area, with plenty of free parking. The public is encouraged to enter the property via Colony Farm Road at Lougheed Highway.
• Maps and more details about the event are available at rhcs.org/treefest. Watch for banners and signs to mark the way to the festival site.
• For more information, visit www.coquitlam.ca/treefest or here or call 604-927-3583 or 604-290-9910 or email [email protected].
