A presentation on the Creston Kids Outside Society left most of those attending last week’s regular Town Council meeting in smiles—councillors included.
Founders Kristina Leidums and Zavellennahh Young, both with extensive training and experience in outdoor education, spoke about their commitment to encouraging the community’s youth to play outside.
“Our mission is to provide children and families with opportunities for outdoor play, ecological awareness and connection to Creston’s natural spaces,” Leidums said. The society’s vision is “to enable each child attending Creston Kids Outside programs to develop an inquisitive mindset about nature, cultivating a positive relationship with peers, adult mentors and the natural world.”
Most of the society’s programs are all-outdoor events, and the focus is on pre-schoolers. The Kootenay Nature School, for children ages 3-5, runs Wednesday and Friday mornings at Canyon-Lister Elementary School.
Programs are designed to help children become familiar and comfortable in natural settings.
“If a three-year-old comes up to a fallen tree and can’t climb over it, we don’t just lift the child over the log,” Young said. “We encourage he or she to walk along the log to see if there is a lower spot that can climbed over.”
By participating in the Magic School Bus program and organizing activities for parents and children, Leidums said the society has connected with hundreds of kids and adults since its establishment.
Leidums and Young made their presentation as a delegation primarily to educate Town Council on their activities. There was no request for money included in their talk.
In other Council news:
• “Lister Days” will be proclaimed for June 7-9 as community members prepare for a weekend of celebrations to mark the 100 years since Camp Lister was formed in 1919.
READ MORE: Lister celebrates centennial in June with weekend event
• A request for a $260 grant by the Creston Valley Regional Airport and Creston Valley Flying Club was refused, with Couns. Jim Elford pointing out that the Town already funds the airport society to operate the facility. The requested money was to help with expenses for Airport Appreciation Day on May 20th.
• A request for support from the City of Maple Ridge, which is protesting the provincial government’s “unilateral action” in building affordable housing, was received for information.
• Council is adopting new policies to clarify the confidential nature of closed meetings, which are held in camera.
• Another policy will clarify the chain of command, outlining how communications between elected officials and Town staff and management should be conducted.
• Council approved the closure of Hillside Street from 10th to 16th Avenue for the 8th Annual Just “Tri” It! Triathlon on June 1st.
• The latest Five Year Financial Plan was passed. Included is a schedule that outlines a general tax rate $4.42651 per $1,000 of tax value for residential properties in Town. Other residential tax amounts include municipal policing ($1.20246 per thousand); East Kootenay Regional Hospital ($0.14602 per thousand); and Regional District of Central Kootenay ($2.92275).
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