Wild in the city

Wild in the city
* This story won First Place in the Environmental Reporting category of the 2003 Suburban Newspapers of America Awards
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Aug. 3, 2003


Five years ago, reporter Dan Hilborn canoed Still Creek as experts embarked on a plan to restore the waterway to some of its former glory.
Last week, Hilborn took the same voyage and recorded the phenomenal change to the urban creek in our midst.
His special report follows.

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What was once known as one of the most polluted waterways in the Lower Mainland is slowly coming back to life, thanks to the dedicated efforts of local environmentalists and governments.

In fact, the long-term restoration of Still Creek has gone so well that one of the most renowned rivers experts in the world believes that the small channel of murky water that flows out of east Vancouver and into Burnaby Lake could well become the next great recreational playground for paddlers and hikers from throughout the Lower Mainland.

"Still Creek could be a jewel for all of Burnaby and Vancouver," says Mark Angelo, head of the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program at BCIT, and the former executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C.

Recently, Angelo and colleague Bob Gunn invited a Burnaby NOW reporter on a five-kilometre paddle along the surprisingly pristine creek. The trip was similar to a venture made with this newspaper in 1998 and was intended to show off the many improvements made on the waterway in the intervening half decade.

"There is some great potential to make this creek people- oriented," Angelo says as we begin the trip on a secluded section of water behind the parking lot of the McDonald's restaurant near Still Creek Drive and the #1 Highway.

Lowering the inflatable, self-bailing canoe into the shallow waters, Angelo points to a mass of branches and wood piled across the creek - indicators that beaver have been active here.

As we walk the canoe towards the Willingdon overpass and deeper water, we are surrounded by lush and diverse vegetation along the banks of the creek, dozens of insects skimming the water and tiny schools of minnows - most likely baby cutthroat trout - darting through the mud stirred up by our hip-waders.

"There's no question we're making some progress," Angelo says. "Water quality is moving in the right direction and coliform counts are down. But what we really need is a long-term vision. Over the next 20 or 30 years, there are going to be some incredible opportunities for redevelopment here."

And that is the crux of our journey. Angelo is hoping that the more people know about this hidden waterway in the city's midst, the greater the chance there is of turning Still Creek into a recreation destination.

Angelo points downstream and admits that, on this section between Willingdon and Douglas Road, the focus will have to be on restoration - widening the buffer zone and taking other steps to ensure nearby landowners protect the creek, its water and wildlife.

And as we paddle past the first bend, there is virtually no way to tell that the canoe is surrounded by the busiest highway in the province (Highway #1) to the south, and one of the biggest shopping centres (Brentwood Mall) in the Lower Mainland to the north.

That's when the first great blue heron is rustled out of its restful slumber and lifts its giant wings into the sky. Here, the lush vegetation is broken only by the few beaver trails that lead right to the water's edge.

River otter are the newest residents to find their way up into this section of water. And while Angelo and Gunn say they frequently see these playful mammals in the water, we are unfortunate not to spot one today. Angelo believes the otters made their way upstream from their traditional home in the Brunette River, which runs from the eastern end of Burnaby Lake to the mighty Fraser River.

We make our first stop at the outlet of Guichon Creek, which flows out of the BCIT property and under the freeway to join Still Creek. Angelo describes this smaller creek as 'off channel habitat' - a place where cooler water runs into the slower moving larger creek, providing respite for small fish during the hottest days of summer, when the low oxygen levels that are normal in warm water can spell their doom.

"As salmon stocks start to recover, habitat like this will become more important," Angelo says, as he points up Guichon Creek. "I know the city is talking about installing bio-filtration ponds on some of these smaller off-channel areas, and my hope is that they can be fashioned in such a way as to create new fishery habitat."

Angelo is also hopeful that city hall and BCIT can work together to 'daylight' Guichon Creek - open it up so that the water no longer has to travel through long portions of culverts.

As we paddle closer to Douglas Road, the creek widens and begins to straighten out, evidence of the channeling work done to stabilize Still Creek back in the early days of Burnaby.

Five years ago, when the Burnaby NOW first paddled Still Creek, this particular section of creek had several major problems related to the nearby commercial and residential development.

Businesses along this stretch of water used to store their products right up to the stream side, causing potential pollution problems and leaving little green space for any passing wildlife. Today, it appears that all the commercial neighbours have heeded the warnings from city hall, the GVRD and local environmentalists, and the buffer zone is well respected.

"It's not that these people were deliberately using up the buffer zone. They were just unaware," says Angelo.

Another new addition to Still Creek is the construction of several small patios or docks along the water's edge - built by local businesses as a place where their employees can enjoy their breaks amid the natural surroundings.

This section of water was also home to a leaking sewer when the Burnaby NOW last paddled down Still Creek in 1998. Thankfully, the leak was quickly fixed and has not reappeared.

Beside the Douglas Road overpass, we pull the canoe out of the water to carry it over a 'trash rack,' which collects debris or garbage that floats down the river. Angelo says the device provides a valuable service, but its location, right next to a busy road, often gives passersby the false impression that the creek is unusually dirty or polluted.

And Angelo says the final section of Still Creek, between Douglas Road and Burnaby Lake, provides some of the most beautiful natural features in the entire city.

"I can see the day when this will become a popular canoeing spot," Angelo says. "Here, the water is open and wide, we have beaver runs all over the place and there is lots of diversity.

"On a good day, you can see coyote and pheasants here," Angelo says as bullfrogs jump into the water with every stroke of the paddles.

Angelo also applauds the many community groups and businesses which have helped to cleanup the water in this area. He specifically mentions the Eighth Northview Scouts who have spent years working on Beecher Creek, and the SkyTrain construction crew who helped preserve the cutthroat trout population in little-known Cranberry Creek.

Gunn points out a large, grassy yard which used to be a foraging ground for a group of three or four coastal blacktail deer.

In this area, we also hear the distinctive high-pitched screech of a red-tailed hawk. Gunn says the hawk's cry is probably the best-known bird call in the world, because Hollywood producers tend to use the more stirring hawk's voice in their movies to replace the less majestic call of the bald eagle.

As we near the Kensington overpass, a belted kingfisher skims the water in front of our craft - heading towards the trees in the 300- metre buffer zone that separates the creek from the nearby Burnaby Lake sports fields.

This portion of the creek, which is accessible by walking trails from the Burnaby Lake sports complex, has a mix of outdoor activities. Besides being one of the most popular carp fishing spots in the Lower Mainland, it is also home to a makeshift kayak course, where red and green gates hang from wires over the water.

And finally, three hours after we first set the canoe into the water, we pull the craft out of the creek at the most western end of Burnaby Lake, at the start of the Cottonwood Trail.

"My classes come down here a lot, and we've paddled this creek dozens of times," said Angelo, who has traveled around the world in his efforts to protect rivers. "Sometime I'm surprised that Still Creek just never gets the focus of other creeks in the region."

CREEK NEEDS PUBLIC INPUT:

It's time to encourage more canoeing on Still Creek, says Mark Angelo, a recent Order of Canada recipient and one of the most renowned rivers experts in the world.

And the best way to promote more paddling is to get the public involved in the ongoing debate over the future of the stream, he said.

A series of public meetings on the future of the waterway is planned for this fall, and Angelo is hoping that canoeists, kayakers and other fans of outdoor recreation make their voices heard.

"I think there is great potential to make the creek more people- oriented," Angelo said during a July 23 paddle down a five- kilometre stretch of the creek.

And to demonstrate the kind of positive changes that are possible, Angelo pointed to a small section of the creek closest to Boundary Road and Vancouver. Just five years ago, this area had no fish, and few wild plants other than blackberries would grow along to the polluted banks.

After years of hard work and the cooperation of at least three levels of government, this small section of creek has blossomed into new fish and wildlife habitat.

"Here, the creek opens up and it literally springs to life," Angelo said as he pointed to the now thriving native plant life along the banks.

"Everything you see here has been planted," Angelo said, naming the redozier dogwood, salmonberry, wild rose, red-flowering currant, cascara and western red cedar. "And as these plants mature, you'll get a range of heights that will make the area more attractive to wildlife and songbirds."

This stretch of water, which was once virtually lifeless, is now home to a small group of cut throat trout, even though they still have to travel through culverts to their newfound habitat.

Even this, probably the most neglected and once the most polluted section of the water, is coming back to life.

Angelo said he will advise the public when the next phase of the consultation process moves forward this fall. One thing he's definitely unhappy with is the unwieldy name of the process, which is known as the the Integrated Storm Water Management Plan.