The Nicholas Sonntag Marine Education Centre situated in the Gibsons Public Market is offering free admission this Saturday, April 7, to celebrate the official opening of the aquarium. The event will be hosted by the Gibsons Marine Education Centre Society to recognize the project’s supporters.
The centre is the fourth “collect and release” community aquarium of its kind in Canada, according to Nancy Grenier, communications and marketing director for Gibsons Community Building Society, and was modelled after similar projects in Ucluelet, Campbell River and Petty Harbour, Newfoundland.
The centre, intended to educate the public about local marine environments, has been opening in phases since September 2017. So far it has developed 30 live exhibits featuring 70 species from Howe Sound. Species put on display at the centre are eventually released back to the wild on scheduled “release days,” with participation of volunteers and community groups.
Celebrations start at 9 a.m. with family yoga, followed by a blessing ceremony by Skwxwú7mesh Nation and speeches by local politicians including Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, at 11 a.m. Skwxwú7mesh Nation will present some oral traditions and in the afternoon the public is invited to visit the aquarium for free and to participate in family art activities, with live music from 3 to 5 p.m. and cake from Emelle’s Market Bistro.
