Farewell Chums! Salmon Left Home

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Thank you to all the families who came out to enjoy and learn!

On April 27, residents of Coquitlam came to help release our Chum salmon at our Salmon Leave Home festival. Traditionally held around Mother’s Day for the release of our Coho, in 2024 the Society decided to change the focus of the release to the Chum species.

Hatchery manager and Society vice president, Tyler Storgaard explains why, “After significant efforts by our volunteers, we are able to hold both Coho and Chum fry, where previously we had only been able to hold one species at a time. This new capacity and growing concern over drier and warmer conditions earlier in the year had us rethink our release dates for overall fish health. “

Despite the constant rain, the festival was well supported and manageable throughout the day. Children and adults carried buckets of fry down Hoy Trail to a quiet and easily-accessible part of Hoy Creek to release the fish.

Crafts, education, hatchery tour and release of Chum salmon

Residents also got to view Chum fry up close in tanks as well as the Coho fingerlings raised at the hatchery. A scavenger hunt was available as well as the opportunity to make seed bombs to take home and plant to encourage spring flowers for our pollinators.

The Society would like to thank the community who didn't let the weather get in the way! Thanks also goes out to our dedicated and hardworking volunteers.

A huge thank you to our event sponsor, Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, and for the continuous support of the Fisheries & Oceans Canada.

We hope to see you at our next festival in October for Salmon Come Home!

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Tyler, Anne and Suzz helping bucket out the Chum!

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Chum Arrive for Salmon Come Home

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Left to right: Kyle Uno, President, HSWS; Councilor John Peters, KFN; and Rodney Lee, DFO. (Photo: HSWS)

Held in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, the Salmon Come Home festival returned to its traditional layout and format around the Hoy Creek Hatchery on Oct. 22. The weather was mild and enjoyable as the rains held off.

The event celebrates the return of the salmon and the chum had only just been spotted in the stream a few days prior.

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) would like to thank Kwikwetlem First Nation councilor, John Peters who provided a welcome to open the festivities, along with the president of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society, Kyle Uno.

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Entertainer, Angela Brown in hat and rainbow cape is an annual favourite with her stories and costume parade. (Photo: HSWS)

The event was very well attended by other environmental groups and residents enjoyed educational displays, stories and a dress-up parade with Angela Brown and her nylon zoo, musical entertainment by Ruel Morales and Elaina Buenaventura, carvings by Indigenous storyteller, Simon Winadzi Jamesler and Creative Art Cart programs by J Peachy Gallery and crew from Red Fox Society.

A big highlight was seeing live salmon for brief seconds during a talk provided by DFO community advisor, Isaac Nelson, assisted by hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard.

Thanks to Jay Peachy and Friends who put on a pancake breakfast with proceeds supporting the Society.

Thanks also to Radio-Canada / CBC French who came out and featured the event in their newscast that evening.

A great time was had by all!

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Children of all ages marvel at the live Coho salmon held by hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard during a talk by DFO. (Photo: HSWS)

Salmon Return After Successful Home Coming Event

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Isaac Nelson of DFO points out markings on the chum salmon held by HSWS hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard at the Salmon Come Home festival on Oct. 23 (HSWS photo)

Our annual Salmon Come Home event, held in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, took place on October 23, a beautiful cool dry autumn day. The popular community event has grown over the years, along with the forest area around the hatchery, so the event has expanded to include the Douglas College parking area. Salmon Come Home celebrates the life cycle of salmon, which spend their adult lives at sea and then return to the creeks where they hatched to spawn and die.

Thanks to the support of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, live salmon talks were provided each hour during the event, led by Isaac Nelson (DFO) and assisted by hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard. Live chum salmon were brought in from the Coquitlam River, as with the low rainfall, the streams had not risen to provide them passage.

That all changed on October 24, as enough rainfall had occurred to bring the chum salmon home.

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A chum salmon jumps in Hoy Creek on Oct. 24 (HSWS photo)

Society members had the 10-month-old coho fry out for viewing adjacent to the rearing pond and visitors learned about the returning species. The hatchery incubation room was also on display.

Families were provided the opportunity to plant spruce seedlings or wildflower seeds in peat pots to take home.

Maple Creek Streamkeepers got people up close to examine a salmon dissection.

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Members of Maple Creek Streamkeepers at the salmon dissection table (HSWS photo)

Over at the Douglas College site, live entertainment was provided by Elaina Buenaventura, Etienne Siew, and Erzsi Institorisz. Many other local environmental groups were on site. Other activities include the popular Nylon Zoo and costume parade with Angela Brown, food trucks and an explore nature contest.

Now that the salmon have begun their return, check out our Salmon Spotting Tips. Typically, chum salmon return to local creeks from early October to mid-November and coho from late October to mid-December. Return dates of salmon fluctuate annually based on weather conditions.

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Families learn about the salmon species and view coho fry outside the rearing pond at Hoy Creek Hatchery (HSWS photo)

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A beautiful fall day for Salmon Come Home on Oct. 23 at Hoy Creek Hatchery (HSWS Photo)

Salmon Come Home Held After One-Year Gap

Salmon Come Home looked a lot different this year with reduced numbers as part of the event plan.

Due to the high demand and limited event space due to Covid event planning guidelines, the Salmon Come Home event, operated in collaboration with the City of Coquitlam was at capacity within a few days of opening registration.

Most years, the City and the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) celebrate the return of salmon to local creeks inviting local environmental groups to take part. That was not the case this year.

“We were excited to have this event back, as the residents so enjoy it,” said the president of the Society, Robbin Whachell. “This year with health guidelines we opted to focus on the salmon, the hatchery and the work of the Society.”

The City handled the registration for a walk-through event highlighting salmon talks with live coho and chum supported by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

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DFO representative, Brandon holds a mature live coho salmon.

The reduced attendance, along with the registration created the right mix for a nice steady and easy to manage flow of people. Residents had lots of time to ask questions of HSWS volunteers and lots of space to see the coho fry up close as well as the mature coho and chum.

“We did not have many fish in the stream this year, but a couple of chum held out under the bridge for a good part of the event to the delight of families salmon-spotting,” said Whachell.

Chum salmon can usually be seen into mid-November so there is still time to go out and explore.

Coho salmon run into mid-December. Check out our salmon-spotting tips HERE.

The City has provided a family-fun guide and map of salmon-viewing locations (PDF) along with a scavenger hunt to help you explore nature and enjoy the outdoors.

Check out our Facebook photo album for more images.

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Participants learned about the varied work of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society at Hoy Creek Hatchery.

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Kim and Robbin with MLA, forCoquitlam-Burke Mountain Fin Donelly.

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HSWS volunteers, Edmond and Ron show off the coho fry at the rearing pond.

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Scott from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada with City Councillor Steve Kim.

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Former hatchery manager, Rodney Lee speaks to current hatchery manager Tyler Storgaard before heading with other volunteers to conduct the weekly salmon survey of a 500m stretch of Hoy Creek.

Salmon-Spotting Map and Scavenger Hunt Released by City of Coquitlam

Click to open this activity page and download from the City of Coquitlam website.

While the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society has cohosted our Salmon Come Home event with the City of Coquitlam for over 25 years, this year will be different. 

Salmon Come Home has been canceled due to pandemic regulations, but we're excited to tell you that it's prime viewing for chum salmon in Hoy and Scott Creeks. Chum salmon started arriving on Thanksgiving weekend.

To celebrate the return of the salmon, the City of Coquitlam has created a map of prime viewing areas around the city as well as a children’s nature scavenger hunt to enjoy in the great outdoors. 

Head out and enjoy the fall colours and all the wonders of nature.

Check out our Salmon-spotting Tips.

Enjoy the salmon-spotting season!

Salmon Come Home to Coquitlam Creeks

Families look on at the Maple Creek Streamkeepers table, ready for a salmon dissection demonstration. (HSWS photo)

The annual event Salmon Come Home event hosted by the City of Coquitlam and the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) took place on a very wet Sunday (Oct. 20). Approximately 1300 residents geared up and came out anyway to take part in learning about their watershed and about the salmon lifecycle.

The heavy rain and high water flow dampened the ability to see salmon in the stream for the most part, but several chum salmon were spotted throughout the day in the lower-lying creek areas along Hoy Trail.

The event’s expanded area, allowed for families to enjoy a ‘watershed walk’ between two festival sites, the main site behind Pinetree Community Centre situated next to a Hoy Creek Linear Park trailhead, and the feature site, the Hoy Creek Hatchery. Along the watershed walk between both locations, HSWS put out interpretational signage for the public to enjoy information about plant-life, insects, birds and other animals of the watershed.

Naomi Higo, Institute of Urban Ecology Coordinator for Douglas College provided hourly guided tours along Hoy Trail between the two sites assisted by Lani Lehun of Hoy/Scott Watershed Society.

A welcome with Chief Ed Hall. (HSWS photo)

Chief Ed Hall of Kwikwetlem First Nation offered words of welcome and acknowledged the Society’s loss of HSWS founding member, Chris Hamming in 2019.

HSWS members gathered to pay tribute to Earl Elliott, the recipient of the inaugural Hatchery Manager’s Award presented by Rodney Lee.

Angela Brown’s coho tent provided fun and dry retreat from the rain, as children’s gathered inside the inflated fish to hear stories before suiting up in nylon zoo costumes for a parade along the trail.

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society volunteers had the hatchery on full display and provided talks in front of the rearing pond which houses the young coho fry which will be released this coming May at Salmon Leave Home.

The expanded layout focused on the ‘watershed walk’ which is Hoy Trail, between Pinetree Community Centre and the Hoy Creek Hatchery. (HSWS photo)

Maple Creek Streamkeepers provided salmon dissection for all to view the inside of the fish up close.

The Wild Salmon Creative Cafe kept hearts warm with music provided by several local performers, and hands and bellies warm with Spirit Bear Coffee. Food trucks, BC Taco and Bannock Queen kept everyone well fed. Creative Cafe musical performers were Elaina Buenaventura, Julia DePieri, and Bobby Ravensdaughter,. Metis artist, Pat Calihou gave a carving paddle demonstration.

Creative Cafe artists helped brighten moods on the wet cool day!

Other contributors to the event were: Articipation; Burke Mountain Naturalists; City of Coquitlam Urban Forestry (Bad Seed); City of Coquitlam Environmental Services; Coquitlam River Watershed Roundtable; Coquitlam Riverwatch; Friends of DeBoville Slough; Hyde Creek Watershed Society; Maple Creek Watershed Streamkeepers; Port Moody Ecological Society; VanCity Pinetree Branch; Kwiketlem First Nation; and the Minnekhada Park Association.

An event favourite! Angela Brown’s inflatable coho provided a dry spot to hear stories before children and parents suited up in the nylon zoo costume for a parade along the trail. (HSWS photo)

Thank you to all of our youth volunteers that assisted to make this day a success! (HSWS photo)

Interpretational signage along the ‘watershed walk.’ This exact location is where several salmon were spotted on the day. (HSWS photo)

With the heavy rain behind us and current cool clear weather, it makes for idyllic conditions for salmon spotting at both Scott and Hoy Creeks.

Hatchery volunteers have begun their broodstock collecting. Salmon spawning time runs through to mid-December.

(View our Facebook photo album)

A chum salmon spotted in Hoy Creek on Oct. 27, 2019 (Photo: Lilian Elliott)

“Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) is a volunteer-run non-profit society that operates a small salmon hatchery beside Hoy Creek, and conducts a salmon enhancement program in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, and with technical expertise from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The group stewards the Hoy and Scott Watersheds, promoting public awareness and education, and is involved in watershed habitat restoration and preservation. ”

Rain Forecast Hopeful for Salmon Coming Home

Broodstock collection: A coho salmon caught in 2018 for the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society’s salmon enhancement program. (HSWS photo)

The annual event hosted by the City of Coquitlam and the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society takes place this Sunday, Oct. 20 covering an expanded area. The main festival site will be set up behind Pinetree Community Centre between Douglas College David Lam Campus and Pinetree Secondary School, which is just steps away from the Hoy Trail where residents can take a ‘watershed walk’ along Hoy Trail to Hoy Creek Hatchery.

“We’re excited about this year’s new layout,” said the president of Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, Robbin Whachell. “The event attracts a lot of people, and it had become quite tight around the hatchery and creek, in particular with the growth of the surrounding trees. Now we have so much more space, and everyone can enjoy the forest walk from Pinetree which provides some close views of Hoy Creek. Once at the hatchery, which is adjacent to the creek, hatchery volunteers will provide educational talks with live salmon and give hatchery tours.”

The big question everyone is already asking is, “Where are the salmon?”

“We’ve been checking the creek daily for signs of return. Steam water levels are low again, and we’re hoping the rain forecast for this week will bring the salmon home. We have heard salmon are in the Coquitlam River, so they are almost here,“ said Whachell.

Hatchery manager, Rodney Lee providing a talk on the salmon life cycle in 2018 in front of the hatchery rearing pond.

The Society runs a year-round salmon enhancement program focusing on chum and coho stocks and has already prepared for the upcoming broodstock collection.

Even if the salmon do not return in time for the event, it will be an excellent opportunity to explore the watershed and learn from local environmental groups. The hatchery rearing pond has close to 3000 fingerlings, just short from the usual 5000 after the fish kill incident in May. Young wild salmon can also be spotted in the stream in various areas.

“With the environment taking such a strong focus in world news today, one can’t help but worry about the salmon return. Nature is resilient, however, and every year the salmon do arrive. It’s hard to remain patient,” said Whachell. “We have people emailing us asking what day they will arrive, and the best thing to do is keep tabs on our Facebook page. We’ll announce as soon as they show up.”

Visitors are encouraged to start their visit to Salmon Come Home on Sunday at Pinetree Community Centre and enjoy the 'Watershed Walk' to the hatchery. Visitors can use this handy event map to assist with their visit. The event runs rain or shine from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Salmon viewing

There will also be food trucks, live entertainment, a scavenger hunt, face-painting and more.

Maple Creek Watershed Streamkeepers will be attending again performing a salmon dissection.

Location & Parking

The Hoy Creek Hatchery is located in Hoy Creek Linear Park, west of the City Centre Aquatic Complex, 1210 Pinetree Way (Pinetree and Guildford Way) and the Pinetree Community Centre, located at 1260 Pinetree Way, just north of Douglas College.

Free parking is available at Coquitlam City Hall, Pinetree Community Centre and Douglas College. Both Pinetree Community Centre and the Hoy Creek Hatchery are also a 7-minute walk from the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station.

Visitors can use this handy event map to assist with their visit.

More information is available at www.coquitlam.ca/salmoncomehome and  www.hoyscottcreeks.org.  

Thank you to Vancity, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, and the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program.

RSVP TO THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE

Angela Brown’s nylon zoo red salmon will be spawning at Salmon Come Home on Oct. 20, 2019. Come inside, hear a story and dress up in costumes provided for a parade in the watershed.

Expanded Salmon Come Home Event Sunday, Oct. 20

HSWS volunteer, AJ holds up a chum salmon for viewing at Salmon Come Home (Photo: City of Coquitlam)

COQUITLAM, BC, Oct. 9, 2019 – Coquitlam residents are invited to celebrate the annual fall return of chum and coho salmon to Hoy Creek at the popular Salmon Come Home event held on Sunday, Oct. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Event Details

Co-hosted by the City of Coquitlam and Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, the free family event has an expanded site this year.

• New this year are expanded interactive exhibits, musical entertainment, children’s crafts, activities, face painting and food vendors.

• BC Taco, the Jerk Shack, and Spirit Bear Mobile Café will be at Pinetree Community Centre rear parking lot (1260 Pinetree Way) located immediately adjacent to one of the pedestrian entry paths to Hoy Creek Trail.

• Hoy Creek Hatchery has streamside live salmon viewing, informative talks, expanded hatchery tours, crafts and the always-popular Nylon Zoo kids’ costume parade.

• Visitors can enjoy a 'Watershed Walk' and a children's scavenger hunt between the hatchery and Pinetree Community Centre rear parking lot along the Hoy Creek Linear Park Trail that will also be populated with informative signs about the Hoy Creek watershed.

Attendees are advised to dress for the weather, as the event runs rain or shine. See photos of last year’s event.

Location & Parking

The Hoy Creek Hatchery is located in Hoy Creek Linear Park, west of the City Centre Aquatic Complex, 1210 Pinetree Way (Pinetree and Guildford Way) and the Pinetree Community Centre, located at 1260 Pinetree Way, just north of Douglas College.

Free parking is available at Coquitlam City Hall, Pinetree Community Centre and Douglas College. Both Pinetree Community Centre and the Hoy Creek Hatchery are also a 7-minute walk from the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station.

Visitors are encouraged to start their visit at Pinetree Community Centre and enjoy the 'Watershed Walk' to the hatchery. Visitors can use this handy event map to assist with their visit.

More information is available at www.coquitlam.ca/salmoncomehome and  www.hoyscottcreeks.org.  

Volunteers Clean-up Scott Creek near Runnel Drive

The haul after 2 hours in an along Scott Creek north of Runnel Drive.

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society volunteers were out on August 24 for the annual creek clean. This year the focus was Scott Creek, and within two-hours the group was able to remove a sizeable amount of refuse from the urban stream.

The haul consisted mainly of: trash (cans/wrappers/plastics), a Xmas tree, chairs, car and bicycle tires, bike parts, a book, bottles, needles, clothes, bedding, lots of doggy doo bags and more.

“I’m very proud of our group of volunteers,” said society president Robbin Whachell. “Several of whom are new and experiencing Scott Creek for the first time. Our cleanup exercise, which can be discouraging to see the trash, allows us to experience the stream up close and personal.“

“It’s a beautiful time of year, and a safe time for us to walk within the stream without disturbing fish eggs/nests,” said Whachell.

“Although we found a good amount of trash, there were long stretches that appeared unmarred by humans, which was great to see!”

The Society will begin hosting monthly open houses the first Saturday of each month, starting in September. Come by Sept. 7 for a tour and to ask questions. If you’d like to become a volunteer, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more.

Save the date for Salmon Come Home, a family-friendly event hosted by the Society along with the City of Coquitlam. This year the four hour event will be held on Sunday, Oct. 20.

(See more photos in our Facebook album)

Helena removes a bed sheet from the stream. (Scott Creek)

Volunteers collecting trash along Scott Creek north of Runnel Dr.

Volunteers of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society stand near the information sign on Runnel Drive.

Salmon Come Home to Focus on Watershed Protection

Salmon educator Chris Hamming

Enjoy the fall colours, celebrate the salmon, and learn about your environment at the twenty-sixth annual Salmon Come Home at Hoy Creek Hatchery on Sunday, Oct. 21.

Co-hosted by the City of Coquitlam and Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS), the free family event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with music, face painting, crafts, displays and conversation with local environmental groups, food, and Angela Brown's Nylon Zoo costume parades.

Fall is the time that salmon return to Hoy and Scott Creeks, and rain is an essential element that raises creek levels, allowing the salmon to swim upstream to the area they were born to complete their life-cycle, spawn and die. Prime viewing of returning salmon is usually from mid-October to early November.

“With no rain expected before the event, it may be unlikely that we’ll see salmon instream, however, this will not take away from the purpose of the event,” said Hoy-Scott Watershed Society president, Robbin Whachell, “that is to educate about the salmon and bring awareness to preserving our habitat to ensure its return in the years to come.”

Salmon educator and HSWS founding member, Chris Hamming will be on hand to offer interesting and fun facts on salmon, one of nature’s great wonders.  Hatchery tours will be conducted – the facility is home to 5000 young coho which will be released in May 2019. Hoy Creek is also home to wild baby salmon often visible in the shadows or seen under the bridge ways. Hoy Trail offers a beautiful walk featuring towering trees and active birdlife.

The hatchery is home to 5000 young coho which will be released in May 2019.

The Hoy-Scott Watershed Streamkeepers formed a society in 1992, with a mandate to promote watershed restoration and public awareness of the need to preserve the creek and surrounding habitat. With the support of the Department of Fisheries & Oceans, the society works to increase both coho and chum salmon populations.

A clear warm weather day is in the forecast for Oct. 21, however the event runs rain or shine.

The Hoy Creek Hatchery is in Hoy Creek Linear Park, west of the City Centre Aquatic Complex (Pinetree and Guildford Way), and is a seven-minute walk from the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station.

Visitors can walk in from a variety of locations: from Princess Crescent, from behind Douglas College; from Guildford Way (between Johnson and Pinetree), from Walton Avenue or behind Walton Elementary, or from the foot of Lasalle Place.

Free parking is available at Coquitlam City Hall, Pinetree Community Centre and Douglas College.

Receive a reminder by RSVPing to the event’s Facebook page, or go to hoyscottcreeks.org for more information.

It’s a beautiful time of year to explore Hoy Trail.