A StoryWalk in Tsawwassen will be on the move to a new location.
Council last week approved a staff recommendation to relocate the StoryWalk at Beach Grove Park to Diefenbaker Park.
A StoryWalk is a deconstructed children’s book, where laminated pages of the book are placed on display stands spread along a path or trail, to encourage young readers to enjoy the story while completing a walk through the park.
In 2021, the city entered a memorandum of understanding with the Rotary Club of Tsawwassen to create one at Beach Grove Park.
A staff report notes it was chosen as a suitable location due to its popularity as a walking space, and adjacency to Beach Grove Elementary School. At the time, the park served as an unenclosed off-leash dog area, and included a number of walking trails through a forested landscape.
The city later received complaints from the Beach Grove Elementary Parent Advisory Council about off-leash dogs and dog waste on students arriving at school and utilizing the school’s playing field.
The city proceeded to add fencing to enclose the park in fall 2022, but it led to a decline in those accessing the park to engage with the StoryWalk. installation.
The club then approached the city requesting a relocation to another park.
The $5,000 cost to re-install the feature will be shared between the service club and city.
