September 28th is BC Rivers Day, but why not make it a month-long celebration of watery learning and fun?! How often do you stop to appreciate our position at the headwaters of one of the most important rivers in the province? How much do you know about not just the Columbia River, but its whole watershed? When you turn on the tap, do you think about where that water flows from, and to where it gurgles down the drain? 

Join us for a series of free interactive events to learn, explore, play and experience the wonders of freshwater.

• Next Tuesday, Sept 16th: Watershed whodunnit social — This will be a fun social gathering in Radium to get to know other Wildsight members, volunteers and friends, and together tackle a playful water-quality “mystery” game while exploring the key factors that affect our waterways. Bring a dish to share and enjoy a potluck supper. To RSVP, click HERE.
• Tuesday, Sept 23rd: Everyone is a river steward — webinar hosted by the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC. More info HERE.
• Friday, Sept 26th: Behind the scenes of clean water — tour the Radium water treatment facility and learn the answers to the song ‘where did you come from, where did you go?’, as well as everything that happens to water in between. Register HERE.
• Sunday, Sept 28th: River paddle from Invermere to Radium, including hands on water-quality testing and other activities. Register HERE.

Lakes are a public treasure that must be managed collectively. Proper regulation of buoys on the lakes ensures that ecological integrity is preserved, human safety is prioritized, and recreational opportunities remain accessible for all. This summer, the Regional District of East Kootenay implemented a buoy tagging system to classify buoys as compliant, legally grandfathered, or non-conforming with zoning bylaws (see: engage.rdek.bc.ca/buoy). We are encouraged and supportive of this initiative and urge other municipalities to adopt similar measures. You can help by adding your voice to the call to strengthen buoy management.

Change of seasons = wardrobe refresh. If this equation makes you smile, you’ll love the pre-loved clothing market on Friday September 26th 5–9pm, hosted by our friends Less2Landfill at the Columbia Valley Centre. Come for an evening of shopping, drinks and good vibes, with over 20 stalls hosted by your fellow fashion-lovers in the community. Keeping clothing items being worn rather than stored, and keeping the economy local and circular, helps to reduce mass produced ‘fast fashion’ that too often ends up in the landfill. You can make good choices for the planet, and have a little fun too!

The last day of the Invermere Farmers Market this Saturday marks the end of our first bike valet season, and we’d call it ‘wheely’ successful. Over 200 bikes were parked at the valet over the course of 13 market days this summer, and we had universally positive feedback from users (and lots of passers-by!) who appreciated the convenience and security of supervised bike parking in downtown Invermere.

It was especially appreciated by e-bike riders, who can be more often targeted for theft. This is a good sign for encouraging more local active transport, as e-bikes can help overcome the fitness barrier in a hilly town like ours. Also great to see people riding to the market from Fairmont on the Westside Legacy Trail, as well as other routes around the valley. We had kids' bikes, cargo bikes, tandem bikes, bikes with trailers, racing bikes, mountain bikes and more, all helping to keep fossil fuel-powered vehicles off the road. More bikes, less fuel, more fitness, less carbon emissions; that’s a lot of wins. 

We are grateful to the BC Cycling Coalition, and their funding partner the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit, for the grant that allowed us to set up the bike valet infrastructure. Thanks also go to the East Kootenay Climate Hub for getting us started and the Invermere Legion for supporting the initiative and providing equipment storage.

But the biggest shout-out must go to our dedicated volunteers who showed up week after week. Huge thanks to the Invermere Royal Canadian Army Cadets, a group of capable, enthusiastic youth who generously and efficiently took over the early morning setup every single week; they’ve done themselves proud. And very heartfelt thanks also to Cathy White and Delaney Nicol, who stepped up to be ‘lead valet hosts’ and cheerfully gave up many of their summer Saturday mornings. We couldn’t have reliably offered this free community service without you: thank you!

One more thing…if you missed the first silent auction of the colourful cruiser bike donated by Bike It Forward, well good news, there’s another cutie on offer and the auction will close at 1pm this Saturday at the market. Come check it out!

Although the Columbia Valley has been relatively smoke-free this summer, recent weeks have reminded us of the reality we live with as wildfire smoke once again settled in. Across Canada, wildfires are increasingly affecting air quality with serious consequences for human health, not to mention being a clear indicator of climate and ecosystem change. This is not just a local issue — it is a global one. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ principal judicial body, recently issued a landmark advisory opinion affirming that member States have a legal obligation to protect the environment from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 

Wildsight has joined 34 other organizations in urging the BC government to align its climate policy with these international obligations. We urge community members to add their voices. Write to our MLA (Scott.McInnis.MLA@leg.bc.ca), speak out at public consultations, and support organizations, like Wildsight, pressing for stronger climate action. Together, we can push the BC government to live up to its obligations and commit to a safer, healthier future for our communities and for generations to come.

Three wonderful and worthy local food organizations are working together to celebrate, promote and support food resilience in our community and reduce food waste; hurrah! Visit the harvest event Columbia Valley Rooted Together on September 28th 4–8pm, and support Groundswell Network, Columbia Valley Food and Farm, and the Columbia Valley Food Bank. The family-friendly event features lots of fresh local food, and goats!

Mark your diaries: tickets go on sale on October 1st for the 12th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival. The first 50 tickets sold will enter an early bird prize draw, so bookmark this page and get in quick!

Our film program is shaping up beautifully with 10 short documentary films to fill the evening. You’ll laugh, sigh, be inspired, provoked and entertained by a cast of characters – human and otherwise! – from all over the world.