Headlines from the past is a recurring feature looking back at stories we've covered over the past 40+ years.
Boaters dream of blue skies and even bluer waters. But in 2004, staff at Port Moody’s Reed Point Marina were thinking green.
The marina had implemented a series of ambitious programs to educate its boaters about environmental issues and minimize the potential for water pollution.
The effort was being led by its manager, Kirsty Walde, a Simon Fraser University (SFU) grad with a degree in marine toxicology.
Among the green initiatives implemented at the marina was a special waste depot for oil, filters, solvents and other materials boaters might use that could be harmful to marine life.
It also hosted a series of themed weekends covering various topics to educate its members about recycling, environmentally sound boating and new regulations.
All boaters were also given a Guide to Green Boating booklet created by the Georgia Strait Alliance.
“As long as you educate people and make it as easy as possible for them, you can make a difference,” said Walde, adding future plans include construction of a free sewage pump-out facility that will allow boaters to drain their craft’s holding tanks rather then emptying at sea.
Walde said everyone associated with the marina had bought in, including owner Dave Harris, who sits on the board of directors at the Vancouver Aquarium.
“It’s a real group effort,” she said.
The Tri-City News has covered civic affairs, local crime, festivals, events, personalities, sports and arts in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody since 1983. Bound back issues of the paper are available at the Coquitlam Archives, while digital versions of several past years can be found at issuu.com.
