☀️ June 2026 Newsletter ☀️
- Jun 1
- 8 min read
Hi, friends!
Look at that beautiful blue sky and sunshine... summer is comin’ in hot, and GWAS is about to be busy with all the incredible events that are happening in the community! The abundance of activities happening in June will be no problem at all thanks to the great hardworking individuals joining our team from Canada Summer Jobs!
The shining summertime means that the Nature House will be open every day, so be sure to look forward to that. We’ve also got a slew of great opportunities to join us in the gorgeous weather to celebrate Ocean Week Victoria! Put on the sandals and sunglasses, because we’re prepared for summer and we hope you are too!
Also, see those ducklings above? They were hatched underneath the slide in the playground next to the Nature House! 💕
GET INVOLVED
🌷 Volunteer With GWAS 🌷
Interested in getting involved at the Gorge Waterway Nature House? Volunteers support hands-on environmental education, restoration, and community outreach aligned with our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) programming. From welcoming visitors to supporting shoreline learning, your time helps connect people to place and care for the Gorge Waterway!
Summer options for volunteering:
Weekdays at the Nature House
European Green Crab trapping, email andrea@gorge.ca for more info
Ecological Restoration Community Drop-Ins on Thursday mornings from 9:30am to 11:00am, meet at the Nature House (no registration or experience required)
Dungeness Crab Light Trap Volunteering, email andrea@gorge.ca for more info
💚 Become a GWAS Member 💚
An annual membership with GWAS helps fund vital restoration projects and environmental education initiatives, such as the operation of our youth-focused Nature House in Esquimalt Gorge Park. As a member, you will receive free admission to the Gorge Waterway Nature House, free tea and coffee, and you'll also receive voting privileges at the Annual General Meeting to help decide the future of GWAS!
BLAST FROM THE PAST
For the summer months, we will be including a new series in our monthly newsletters, “Blast from the Past,” featuring noteworthy stories taken from GWAS’ archival documents. This month’s story focuses on a column from an April 1996 GWAS newsletter April 1996 about former board member John Roe.
After suffering from a workplace back injury, John began rowing in the Gorge to recover his strength, during which time he discovered that the waterway was highly polluted and was in similar need of rehabilitation. John engaged in many actions to improve the conditions of the Gorge, including diving for and hauling out debris, such as pipes, engine blocks, and shopping carts, and calling MPs in Ottawa to force the City to fix a faulty sewer pipe that was polluting the waterway.
Importantly, John was not alone in his efforts since not only was he often accompanied by his 10 year old son, he also brought together many members of the community to participate in ‘clean-up parties’. On one summer’s clean-up party, 16 tons of garbage were removed from the waters and shores of the Gorge! Describing his tireless efforts to improve the Gorge, the newsletter states, “John has contacted an impressively large number of people and gained their support and help in cleaning up the Waterway. He is not one to take ‘no’ for an answer and his persistence has reaped significant results.”
MAY RECAPS
🌞 Welcome to our Summer Staff! 🌞
We are thrilled to welcome 11 new hires from Canada Summer Jobs to the GWAS team for the summer work season!
A huge thank you to our funders and to Employment and Social Development Canada for the opportunity to bring on these aspiring new members.
🪼 Gorge Splashtacular Festival Recap 🪼
We kicked off Ocean Week Victoria 2026 with an amazing event outside the Nature House on May 30! Nearly 20 of our fellow nature organizations showed up with their tents and tables for a fun day in the Gorge of exploring ocean life. After a territorial welcome from Cecelia Dick and some words from The Honourable Stephanie McLean, we let the crowd loose in the tents for some marine education. Also in attendance was artist Dana Batho, painting a wonderful piece that served as our raffle prize, and the Trash Panda Brigade, giving the Gorge a garbage clean-up. We had a lot of fun and so did all our guests!
🎣 Fisherman's Wharf Ocean Day Recap 🎣
GWAS headed down to the docks to participate in the World Ocean Day festivities at Fisherman’s Wharf on May 31! Once again, we joined other nature organizations to give attendees a fun and meaningful day of ocean knowledge. The event was kicked off by a song-and-dance performance from the Esquimalt Nation Dancers, which was enjoyable all around. Guests that stopped by the GWAS table got to spin our wheel and answer some trivia questions about marine life, as well as observe select specimens from our gallery. It was another great turnout for Ocean Week Victoria that we had a great time attending.
🦋 World Migratory Bird Day Recap 🦋
There was a cool breeze in the air at Beacon Hill Park on May 9 for Rocky Point Bird Observatory’s celebrations for World Migratory Bird Day! GWAS joined fellow organizations like Friends of Bowker Creek, The Raptors, and others for a morning of bird fun! At our table, we showed off cool bird bones, tested guests’ knowledge with trivia, and gave out fun stickers. The highlight was, of course, the Scream Like a Seagull contest, where everyone got to watch grown adults make bird sounds in public. All in all, a great day of fun and discovery that we were happy to attend!
🎤 hum Micro-opera Recap 🎤
On a gorgeous sunny day in Esquimalt Gorge Park, we gathered in Sherwood Forest for a nature walk, hoping to see the Anna’s Hummingbird. And saw it we did... we even got to hear it sing! The hum Micro-opera was held on May 17, featuring Anna Brigland-Pritchard dancing and singing to a composition from Jami Reiner. She “fluttered” around in hummingbird getup, made a nest, and brought wonder to attendees. We were moved by the experience and were happy to have hosted the musical event!
🍁 Biodiversity Day at Fort Rodd Recap 🍁
So much of GWAS’ restoration and conservation efforts along the Gorge Waterway aim to revitalize native species biodiversity. Biodiversity in native ecosystems is essential for long-term resiliency, especially in a shifting climate crisis. We were thrilled to participate in Parks Canada’s Biodiversity Day celebration at Fort Rodd Hill on May 23. Following a beautiful welcome by Carmen Dick and singers and dancers from the Songhees Nation, we brought our trusty crab trivia to the park, chatting with folks about our charismatic native crab species and the less-than-charming European green crabs.
With camas and spring flowers in bloom, there’s never an easier time to appreciate the biodiversity all around us. Stop by the Gorge Waterway Nature House to learn more about how you can support biodiversity in your neighbourhood!
UPCOMING EVENTS
🏠 Nature House Summer Hours! 🏠
Starting June 1, the Nature House will be open every day from 10:00am to 4:00pm! Be sure to swing by to check out our usual activities including our touch tank, watershed model and specimen gallery!
🌊 Ocean Week Opportunities Fair 🌊
Curious about a career around the ocean? Want to get involved in protecting marine ecosystems? Join us for the Ocean Opportunity Fair! This is a free event that will bring together youth and early-career professionals with organizations across marine science, conservation, and ocean-related sectors. Discover careers, volunteer roles, mentorship, training programs, and education pathways to help launch your ocean journey!
🗓Wednesday, June 3
🕰4:00-7:00pm
🏞️ Beach Clean-Up at the Gorge 🏞️
Celebrate Ocean Week Canada with purposeful action at the Gorge! We’re coming together to care for the shoreline we all love. Bring your friends, family, and neighbours for a hands‑on beach clean‑up that protects local wildlife, restores habitat, and keeps our waters healthy for generations to come.
This is more than a beach clean‑up – it’s a chance to learn about local ecosystems, support salmon‑bearing waters, and contribute to the long-term health of the Gorge Waterway. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or joining for the first time, your efforts help protect shoreline species and strengthen community stewardship. All ages welcome. Supplies provided.
Personal kayaks and paddleboards are welcome! Paddling is a great way to reach coastlines with less foot access.
🗓Wednesday, June 3
🕰9:30-11:30am
🌿 Make a Difference Week Restoration Event 🌿
Help to steward a restored shoreline in the Green Shores demonstration site in Esquimalt Gorge Park. The Green Shores site, planted in the fall of 2024, features native coastal and riparian vegetative species, running along the beach. This beautiful restoration project was designed to mitigate sea level rise and provide critical habitat to coastal wildlife. The GWAS Restoration team can use your help to monitor and maintain the site by removing invasive species that have encroached after the initial planting.
🗓Thursday, June 4
🕰9:30-11:30am
🐬 Saltwater Tongues Poetry Night 🐬
Saltwater Tongues is a poetry & environmental justice gathering where your words, your listening, and your presence all matter. Last year we heard stunning poems about marine mammals, bull kelp, and the deep pull of the ocean. This year we’ll explore what it means for the Salish Sea to thrive amidst the changing climate.
Bring your words, or someone else’s, or any creative expression that moves you. Or just come to soak it in. All are very welcome.
🗓Saturday, June 6
🕰6:30-9:00pm
🐟 World Ocean Day Celebration 🐟
Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea’s annual World Ocean Day Celebration is back for 2026! Join us in Beacon Park on the SETINES/Sidney waterfront for this free family-friendly event. Explore, learn and engage by enjoying science and conservation exhibitions, art stations, touchpools, games, photos and more!
🗓Sunday, June 7
🕰11:00am-3:00pm
☁️ Esquimalt Neighbourhood Party ☁️
Esquimalt’s biggest neighbourhood party is back! Join us on Bullen field for an afternoon filled with local community groups, kid vendors, performances, and activities for the whole family. Kids can look forward to an activity zone with a bouncy castle, lawn games like giant Jenga, cornhole and more!
Bonus – The Splash Park has opened for the season! Don’t forget your swimmers!
Stay tuned for more details!
🗓Saturday, June 13
🕰11:00am-2:00pm
🪸 Pauquachin Sea Garden Restoration 🪸
The Pauquachin Marine Department would like to invite you to a summer filled with sea garden restoration events in Coles Bay! Join us as we continue to build on the 400ft wall that was started last year by amazing community members and volunteers. These events will include moving rocks, spreading shellhash, and hanging out with a lot of other awesome volunteers!
For more information on registration, please visit this page on the Pauquachin website.
🐝 Celebrating Gaia Series 2026: Haydn's Seasons & Arts/Educational Exhibition 🐝
The Victoria Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Peter Butterfield, presents Joseph Haydn's magnificent and rarely-performed secular oratorio, The Seasons. This work, first performed in 1801, paints musical pictures of the joys and sorrows of human endeavours, and of nature itself, in the colours of our planet's natural cycles. (Listen for the sounds of croaking frogs and an approaching thunderstorm!). Along with an orchestra, there are three soloists who represent archetypal country folk: soprano Jennifer Turner (Jane/Hanne), tenor Isaiah Bell (Lucas), and bass-baritone Stephen Hegedus (Simon).
Tickets are $36 regular & $11 student, plus fees, and free for children under 13. On concert night, be sure to check out the Fire and Ice exhibition of photography by Sam Baardman, in the main entrance of Christ Church Cathedral.
🗓Saturday, June 6
🕰7:30pm
📆 Save the Date for these Events! 📆
Robin Hood Performance | Friday, July 17
BC CrabFest | Saturday, July 18
Oceans and Rivers Piano Recital | Sunday, July 19
We hope you have an amazing start to your summer! We’ll see you in the next newsletter.
Sincerely,
The GWAS Team
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