In advance of the tourist/tubing season, the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society hope to have several new river signs out on the river.
Over the course of the past couple of months, the Stewards have been running a river signage contest, with participants sharing their suggestions.
The main sign will have the word “Respect,” running vertically, with each letter of the word beginning a new phrase. Horizontally, underneath, it will read “Our Heritage River.”
Issues the signage will represent include garbage, cursing, alcohol abuse, safety, washrooms, environment and wildlife, and trespassing.
“The idea is to get a sign that represents all of these things,” member Gerald Thom said.
For the group’s Thursday, April 14, meeting, Thom created a display of all of the best suggestions, with members being invited to vote on their favourites.
One large sign will be erected at a tuber entry point, with subsequent smaller signs being put up between the Town of Lake Cowichan and Little Beach, where tubers typically end their float down the river.
The Gazette will keep up to date with this story as it develops, including when the signs will be erected, and what the society’s final decision on the winning slogans is.
Society status
The Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Committee’s (now Society) long-talked about efforts to reach society status have proven successful.
As a new society, their first Annual General Meeting has tentatively been set for Saturday, July 23, at 10 a.m. at Centennial Hall.
New members sought
Before the July 23 Annual General Meeting, the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society plans on holding a membership drive.
In their search for new members, they plan on attending the Country Grocer Customer Appreciation Day, Saturday, April 30. During the day, the stewards will have a booth set up with information about the group’s efforts to educate the public about Cowichan watershed issues.
River Cleanup
The Third Annual Cowichan River Cleanup is being planned for sometime in the late summer/fall season.
As always, volunteers will be sought to help clean the Cowichan River.
With a bit of tweaking from last year’s event, organizers hope to more finely tune this year’s cleanup.
One idea that has been brought to the stewards is the creation of a public sculpture, using materials pulled from the river.
“It’s just to raise the profile and make a statement,” Thom said, of the proposed sculpture.
A date has yet to be set for the annual cleanup.