Waters muddy between river and ocean at Fraser River Park

Fraser River with Mount Baker in background

The Fraser River starts as a trickle of glacial water near the peak of Mount Robson and rumbles speedily downward towards the Pacific Ocean. One of the fastest flowing rivers in the world, the Fraser takes an average of one week to travel 1375 km from its pure mountain source to its swift flowing salty and silty end, and is home to some of the largest species of sturgeon and the world's largest population of wild Pacific salmon.

Boardwalk over tidal marsh

As the Fraser meets the Pacific Ocean tide, the fast moving currents deposit silt and sediment it has gathered from its long journey to form ever expanding marsh lands with a very unique and rare ecology. Islands are constantly being created or expanded only to give way to the high tide and frequent dredging necessary to maintain safe shipping lanes on this major waterway.

In the early 1980s a study showed that due to pollution caused from agriculture and industry, the Fraser was on its way to being depleted and would eventually be unable to sustain much of its marine ecology. The Crown responded by restricting further development and acquiring land along the riverbanks so that much of the remaining land became parkway and protected habitat.

Creation of the City of Vancouver's Fraser River Trail is ongoing. Once completed, the trail will extend from the City of Burnaby's Fraser River Trailways system to the University of British Columbia's Pacific Spirit Park. Previous AccessEco blogs have covered other parts east of Fraser River Park.

Fishing from the shore

Ocean's beginning

Great views

Fraser River Park is best accessed by car or taxi but can be reached by transit. See www.translink.ca. The main entrance at West 75 Ave and Angus Drive is a mix of industrial park and housing and there is no sidewalk or crossways along this area of West 75th. There are designated parking spots in the parking lot with ramp access to the the trails. The trails are wide, flat and firm. There is also a great wooden boardwalk plenty big enough for chair scooters and walkers. Expect a few stairs at some lookout points along the boardwalk. This is a natural area with views of the river , Richmond's south shore and Sea Island, a designated bird sanctuary. There are many grassy fields but no children's play area. There are many benches and picnic tables adapted for wheelchairs and numerous plaques and information kiosks featuring interesting history and nature facts.Washrooms are only open in the summer months and are big enough to accommodate a wheelchair or scooter but not wheelchair accessible. There is a public telephone at the park's main entrance.

Wheelchair accessible information kiosk in Fraser River Park

For more information on the park check out the City of Vancouver Parks Board website at www.vancouverparks.org. While you're there you can download the Parks Board's new I phone app, a fantastic guide to city parks. Sadly us Android users will have to wait.

Next time: we enter the Year of the Dragon and get a do over for any of those broken resolutions. Gun Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!

Vancouver Aquarium rolls with the tide

English Bay

Vancouver's first privately owned aquarium opened at English Bay in 1939. The exhibit was small and featured an Oscar the octupus. In 1956 it closed and Oscar  moved to Stanley Park's newsest attraction, the Vancouver Aquarium. At the time it was Canada's first publicly owned aquarium. The idea that humanity was but a cog in the intricate dealings of the universe had not even occurred to mainstream culture. Performing dolphins attracted crowds, and in1964 the exhibit grew to include its first captured "killer whale".  It was a hit and by 1967 the aquarium was three times its original size featuring two orcas, Scana and Hyak, that performed for the crowds at what remains as one of North Americas five largest aquariums.

In 1990 the beluga whale pool was added but in 1996 the Stanley Park zoo was closed and in 2001 the orcas were fazed out largley due to public pressure and changing attitudes about animals in captivity.

Almost 450 thousand gallon tank still a tight fit

Today activists continue to agitate for the release of the belugas and dolphins. Whatever you may think about the capture and containment of large mammals, you cannot deny the aquarium's stellar record when it comes to innovations. Shows where trained animals jump through hoops have been replaced by animal-centered training sessions run by professional biologists and training specialists.

That doesn't mean the animals don't bust out a move or two for the camera, but these interactions are part of short general check ups. The aquarium has a very large rescue program that saves hundreds of abandoned seals and sea lions each year and returns many of them to the wild.

The aquarium is expanding once more as it reclaims some of the land left from the zoo. A larger rescue habitat and improvements to the recently restored salmon streams are in the works. As far as accessibility goes the aquarium is excellent. It has reserved viewing areas, automatic doors, hearing assist devices, ramps, elevators, accessible washrooms and tables in the cafeteria section designed for chairs. They also have a limited supply of loaner chairs and honour the Access2entertainment card enabling half price single admission or free attendant fare.

under our local waters

Tropical

For an extensive look at the aquarium and its programs go to http://www.vanaqua.org/