Join the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee for their annual Junction Creek Festival and Trout Release and celebrate Junction Creek and the critters that call it home. Rain or shine, the festival will take place on Saturday, May 11, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Twin Forks Park (1475 Gary Avenue).
The festival is free to attend with an optional pay-what-you can donation. There will be a variety of activities for families of all ages, including trout release, live reptiles from Science North, identifying aquatic bugs from the stream, planting wildflowers, games, and more. There will also be numerous community booths to check out and ice-pops from Papaya Pops, a BBQ, and drinks available for purchase.
The MNRF will be bringing approximately 2,000 brook trout for participants to release into the creek to help establish and maintain a healthy population. The ability to re-introduce brook trout into Junction Creek is an indicator of the success of the community's restoration efforts and improvement of stream health over the years.
Junction Creek has come a long way from the “Junk Creek” that we grew up with, states a release from the stewardship committee. “Once a barren, murky, and acidic stream filled with more trash than wildlife, Junction Creek is now becoming a diverse, thriving ecosystem central to the Greater Sudbury community,” reads the release. “The ability to enjoy the green space and natural assets of the Junction Creek watershed is a result of decades of restoration work and community support.”
Since 1999, the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee has worked with community partners and almost 47,000 volunteers and participants to plant over 44,100 native trees and shrubs, remove over 88,600 kilograms of garbage from shorelines and in-stream to make the Junction Creek waterway a healthier and more vibrant place to live, learn, and play. This year, the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee celebrates its 25th anniversary.
The festival is a celebration of the revival of Junction Creek, local wildlife, and the stewards of the community. It is a great opportunity to gather and connect with Junction Creek while enjoying a fun day outdoors.
You can find more information about the stewardship committee on their website, found here.
