Bellingham Parks & Recreation Leisure Guide
Issue link: https://bpr.uberflip.com/i/1533579
cob.org/parks • (360) 778-7000 WELCOME TO OUR SPRING & SUMMER PLAYBOOK! "An optimist is the human personification of spring." ~ Susan J. Bissonette I often refer to myself as an eternal optimist but lately, keeping a rosy outlook has been hard. Flowers help, and so does getting outside and participating in experiences that connect us to our community. A few things of note this season, the Procession of the Species is back! With the help of Gabriel's Art Kids, this creative community festival and parade will be happening Saturday, May 3. Thanks to the increased pay offered to our aquatic staff, we are confident that the lifeguards will be back at Bloedel Donovan Park this summer. Woodstock Farm is also available to rent for special events, with some changes to ensure we protect this special place. Plus, there will be concerts at Boulevard Park, and new adventure and summer camp options to create memorable experiences. I'm thrilled that the Little Squalicum Pier is opening to the public this Spring. Desired by Parks & Recreation for decades, this 1200-foot pier is located at Little Squalicum Park, and is slated to open by the end of April. We are also saying heartfelt goodbyes to a long-standing and valued employee. Lori Jacobson, our Aquatic Manager at Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, began her career 30 years ago before the pool was built, when we had lifeguards at Bloedel Donovan and Lake Padden Parks, and wading pools instead of spray parks at Fairhaven and Cornwall Memorial Parks. Since then, she has helped thousands of children learn to swim, and trained and mentored hundreds of staff members, many of whom have gone on to be life-long aquatics professionals. As we embark on the sunnier and warmer time of year in this beautiful place we call home, be sure to be kind to yourself, and don't forget to stop and smell the flowers. Sincerely, Nicole C. Oliver Parks & Recreation Director Spring Flowers at Elizabeth Park, Photo by Kate Bemis Lori Jacobson We acknowledge that we gather on territory that has been the traditional and ancestral homeland to the Lhaq'temish (the Lummi people), Noxws'áʔaq (the Nooksack people), and other Coast Salish tribes of this region Since Time Immemorial. We honor our shared responsibility to this land and these waters, we commit to learning from Indigenous wisdom, and we strive to repair and deepen our relationships as neighbors and friends. Director's Letter 1