Approximately $800,000 of government funds will go towards rebuilding the shoreline at Whey-ah-Wichen/Cates Park, courtesy of a joint project between the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the District of North Vancouver.
The grant, provided by the provincial government’s British Columbia Destination Development Fund, will be funnelled into “nature-based” restorative strategies that address erosion concerns and improve the area’s resilience to the impacts of climate change, said the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in a statement.
The restoration project will be careful to preserve the site’s history, it read, with Whey-ah-Wichen being an ancestral village and a site of cultural and historical significance to the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
“We are pleased to collaborate with the District of North Vancouver to undertake the important work of restoring the shoreline in Whey-ah-Wichen, our ancestral village site, where our peoples have lived, played, and accessed resources such as plants and animals since time out of mind,” said Tsleil-Waututh Nation Chief Jen Thomas.
“We’re losing the foreshore in front of our eyes due to erosion. This project will safeguard our rich cultural history while allowing current and future generations to continue to safely access the shoreline.”
Projects led by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation that centre around the preservation and protection of the shoreline’s ecosystem and environment have been ramping up in recent years.
In April, the Nation completed a four year restoration project to protect the Burrard Inlet and restore the area’s marine habitats.
The ambitious plan, worked on in collaboration with the SeaChange Marine Conservation, included the restoration of eelgrass, the restoration of native plants along the coastline, and the removal of waste and marine debris from local waters.
District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little said the District was “honoured” to be working in partnership with the Tsleil-Watuth Nation on the new project.
“Protecting the natural beauty and cultural history are top of mind as we strengthen the area’s resilience to climate change and ensure future generations can enjoy this important park,” he said.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
