With Canada geese flying and honking low overhead, a new wildlife viewing platform was officially opened to the public on Nov. 30 at Willband Creek wetlands in Abbotsford.
Built by the Abbotsford Mission Nature Club, the $90,000 project was funded by the Otter Co-op’s Community Spaces Fund. Additional contributions and support from Abbotsford City, CHP Architects, Lang Engineering, Fricia Construction and many volunteers all made this project possible.
“We would like to congratulate you on your success in creating this amazing viewing platform that you have brought to our community” said Otter Co-Op board president Angie McDougall in her address to the large group of public, volunteers and students who made the rainy trek along Willband’s walking trail to the site.
Other speakers included Shawn Gurney with Abbotsford Parks, Hank Roos, president of the Abbotsford Mission Nature Club, Dr. Allen Berge, president of BC Nature, and Abbotsford City councillor Ross Siemens, who thanked Otter Co-Op for its investment in community, and thanked the Nature Club for their on-going efforts to enhance the natural environment.
Sitting amongst nature at its finest, the Willband Creek Viewing Platform allows the public to get close and right into its surrounding nature and wildlife. Suspended over the creek, the architectural platform features natural wood construction, minimalist non-obscuring railings for maximum view from any site line and a raised platform for both seating and a higher elevation for children.
Regardless of the time of day or year, the perspectives will be rewarding and satisfying from any of the platform’s vantage point of view.
Willband Creek Park is an urban wetland park located in the Sumas Flats in the community of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The trail explores a marsh, grass fields and nearby, there are farms.
The parkland features two retention ponds and circling those ponds are two loop trails. Each loop trail circles a wetland pond and connects with each other. The northern loop trail measures 1.6 kilometres and the southern loop trail measures 2.33 kilometres.
The Willband Creek Trails are easy going, level routes suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Located on the paths are sightseeing benches and wooden bridges. There is a trail map in the main gravel parking lot.
The trails are shared, gravel trails. The activities enjoyed in the park include walking, jogging, biking, birdwatching and picnicking.
How to get to Willband Creek Park: The main entrance to Willband Creek Park is located off Bateman Road. From Abbotsford, travel north on Highway #11 (Abbotsford/Mission Highway) to Bateman Road. Take a right on Bateman Road and continue to the park entrance.