Dunbar Residents Association News and Events

I can remember when Pacific Spirit Park , was not a Metro Vancouver Park , but just a “you can do any thing you want here . piece of U. E. L. Bush land ! What has not changed for probably thousands of years , is the wonderful “Signs of Spring ” in the park forest !

On my walks this week , I noticed that this urban forest was showing numerous great awakenings from winter signs ! Here they are : The Pink and Red Salmonberry flowers have fully opened now and added colour at last to the dull forest . With the flowers opening , comes numerous Male Rufus Humming Birds doing display flights near the top of Imperial Trail ! Yes look for the hummer sky diving events , on sunny warm days ! Female Anna’s Humming birds are also very active now , grabbing beaks full of hair from our Dog Hair Bags in the back yard and doing quick back and forth Buzzing Zumies into the park !

Oh just today , I noticed Pond and Stream Surface Strider’s have awakened on Musqueam Creek at Clinton Trail ! The “Insect Wolves of the Parks Creeks” are “Slipping and Sliding” and checking out every thing on the surface of the creek , with those funny pontoon life jacket legs sticking way out ! When the sun comes out , out come the Strider’s from some where in the stream side vegetation ! Where do they go to sleep at night , only the Shadow’s Know ?

It was just today that I found myself stopping and breathing in deeply on the Booming Ground Trail in the park ! Its a great place to visit , especially when a spring westerly or south west wind is blowing up the cliff face and on to the little trail The very unusual clean and wonderful smelling marsh air is here , stop and enjoy it . As a boy lived here on the marshes and for years I look forward to the historic first spring sweet smells of the marsh grasses , breaking through the river mud’s ! The little secret trail is just the east of the Simon Fraser Monument Lookout , on Marine Drive and for years I called it my Spring Marsh Sniffing Trail ! Please take a few minutes to have a look at the grove of Great Grand Fir Trees , just to the east of the lookout on the cliff top trail ! Watch the children , its a long way down from the top of the trail !

Other early spring plants with new green growth to look for in the park just now are : The Red Flowering current , Red Elderberry and the Skunk Cabbages have just come back to life at Clinton Trail and Musqueam Creek ! Have fun looking and sniffing for the first signs of Spring in Pacific Spirit Park !

Terry