New signage for Hoy Creek Linear Park

New interpretational signage by Hoy Creek Hatchery providing information about the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society.

Thanks to the City of Coquitlam for prioritizing the Hoy Creek Linear Park as an area that not only supports the Hoy Creek Hatchery but also gets a lot of foot traffic from those that use the trail to shortcut to Walton Elementary, Douglas College, Pinetree Secondary, or the SkyTrain to name just a few.

The trail supports these connections but is also a beautiful green space for people to get exercise, walk their dogs, or simply unwind and melt into nature.

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society had been working with the City discussing updating of the signage but were very surprised as to the end result.

“Not only do we have beautiful trailhead markers so people can now identify entrances to the Hoy Creek Linear Park,” said Society president, Robbin Whachell, “but we love the interpretational signage around the trail closest to the hatchery area and into the deep part of the woods which educate the trail users as to local fauna, fish that live in the stream, forest life, the history of the hatchery, the work of the Society and more.”

New trailhead markers thanks to the City of Coquitlam

Salmon Left Home Thanks to Many Volunteers

Salmon Leave Home 2019 at Hoy Creek Hatchery - Left to right: Pinetree student, Lucas; Elder Beverly and Chief Ed Hall of Kwikwetlem First Nation. (Photo: HSWS)

Mother's Day was extra special this year as we released our coho smolts during an idyllic temperature day on May 12 at the Hoy Creek Hatchery.

Hundreds came out to take part in our Salmon Leave Home event, where 5000 coho smolts found their new home in Hoy Creek. From the creek, the smolts begin their journey to the ocean: Hoy Creek → Scott Creek → Coquitlam River → Fraser River → Strait of Georgia / Pacific Ocean!  

A student volunteer guides a boy in releasing a coho smolt at Salmon Leave Home

The student volunteers of the Pinetree Secondary School Community Club, and our own HSWS student volunteers played a huge part in the success of the event. They helped members hand out buckets of fish, kept the crowds directed to salmon release areas, assisted in safe salmon release, and led Mother’s Day themed plant crafts, as well as provided face-painting throughout the day. Thank you!

Honoured guests, Chief Ed Hall and Elder Beverly of Kwikwetlem First Nation were on hand for opening words and to release our first fish.

Thanks to all that took part in making this day special. Be sure to save the date, and join us in the fall for Salmon Come Home on October 20.

See more photos on our Facebook album.

Salmon Leave Home 2019 at Hoy Creek Hatchery -- THANK YOU Student Volunteers!

Coquitlam residents help release coho at Salmon Leave Home

A boy releases coho salmon under the guidance of a volunteer at Hoy Creek. 

The weather was perfect for our annual Salmon Leave Home event on May 6! Well over a thousand residents participated.

We'd like to thank everyone who came out to lend a hand and give their well wishes and good thoughts to our 5000 coho smolts who now make Hoy Creek their home.  The fish will now make the creeks, or the Coquitlam or Fraser rivers their home for about a year before making it to the ocean. 

Patrons of Salmon Leave Home listen to Ed Hall of Kwikwetlem First Nation at the opening of the annual event at Hoy Creek. 

A big thank you to special guests, the Kwikwetlem First Nation who provided comment during the opening ceremony and released our first fish into Hoy Creek. Thanks also to the Wild Salmon Caravan for providing entertainment and art activities. The kids loved painting the salmon van!  The Pinetree Secondary School students were a great help on site, and also provided face painting. 

The Wild Salmon Caravan served up fishy fun. 

CBC News came out to provide coverage of the event on the evening news that day. 

After the event closed, the rearing pond was cleaned out in preparation for the next broodstock which will make the location their home in June. The approximately 6-month old salmon will live there until the next Salmon Leave Home event in May 2019. 

To view our all of our photos of the event, check out our Facebook album. If you are not a Facebook user, we have a Google photo album too.

We'll see you at Salmon Come Home in October!

Pinetree Secondary School Assists in Invasive Plant Removal

Pinetree Secondary School students helping clear invasive Himalayan blackberry along Hoy Creek (Photo: Kyle Uno / HSWS)

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society spent another morning removing invasive Himalayan blackberry with the enthusiastic help of students from Pinetree Secondary School on April 1st, 2017. An area along Hoy Creek was cleared. Work was wet, muddy, and prickly with the thorny brambles.

"The students from Pinetree Secondary have been very helpful with our work in the riparian area," said Rodney Lee, Vice President, Hoy-Scott Watershed Society. "Rain or shine, they come out and get muddy with us; and many hands make light work.  They provide a welcomed and appreciated contribution!"  See more photos on the HSWS Google Photos page.

Wet, muddy and prickly work, as Pinetree Secondary student clip the invasive Himayalan blackberry along Hoy Creek. (Photo: Kyle Uno / HSWS)

Aside from the salmon enhancement program, Hoy-Scott Watershed Society works within the riparian area to enhance the creek system. Invasive plants can overtake native plants. Healthy native plants ensure the health of the creek, protecting the water from heavy sunlight, ensuring cooler temperatures for fish and bug life.

To get involved with the Society, click the "Get Involved" button on the upper right-hand-side of our website, or email the Society at hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com

Record attendance at our Salmon Leave Home event

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Honourary guests from Kwikwetlem First Nation, Ed Hall, Councillor and elder Beverley Mrockowski speak at the opening of Salmon Leave Home on May 1st (Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS)

On a beautiful spring day, May 1st,  the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) held our annual Salmon Leave Home event at the Hoy Creek Hatchery in Coquitlam with record attendance. Our lineups to collect fish in our rearing pond went past the hatchery building at peek times of the day, and we had to open up a second release point on the creek to keep things flowing.  

Honourary guests were Kwikwetlem First Nation councillor Ed Hall, and elder Beverley Mrockowski who both spoke at a brief opening ceremony, and then released the first coho smolts into Hoy Creek.

"Kwikwetlem means 'red fish up the river'," said Ed Hall who spoke of his elders sharing stories of when the local creeks and rivers were teaming with salmon.  "It's a rare opportunity to see fish leave their local habitat and return."

It was an extra-special day as HSWS honoured one of our own, as Len Meneghello, who recently retired was celebrated after giving 12 years of service to the Society.

Kwikwetlem councillor, Ed Hall releases some of the first salmon on May 1st at Hoy Creek during Salmon Leave Home.

The Society was pleased to welcome a group of Coquitlam's newest Syrian immigrant children attending with Coquitlam mayor Richard Stewart, and councillor Teri Towner. They participated in the salmon release and learned how to build bird boxes and bee houses.  

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Councillor Teri Towner (back left), new immigrant Mohammed Kurdi (back middle) and Coquitlam mayor Richard Stewart (back right) attended with newly settled Syrian immigrant children. (Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS)

The society wishes to thank the community for their interest and support.  Special thanks goes out to Kwikwetlem First Nation, CKPM 98.7 Tri-City Radio; Pinetree Secondary School, Sustainable Youth Canada, Coquitlam Farmer's Market Society, and Rocky Point Ice Cream.

ALL of our photos from the event can be viewed on our Facebook page.

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, is a not-for-profit, volunteer run environmental stewardship group, that conducts a year-round salmon enhancement program in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. They are actively involved in watershed restoration, public awareness, education and preservation.  If you would like to become a volunteer, please let us know HERE.

Listen to councillor Ed Hall speak at the opening ceremony.

A great time was had by all!  Thanks to all our amazing volunteers!