Ocean Wise AquaVan returning to Prince Rupert

The Ocean Wise AquaVan is heading back to Prince Rupert as part of its three week tour across Northwest B.C.

A community event will be held at Coast Mountain College on Sat., Sept. 28, allowing children and families to come out and see the educational experiences and activities the AquaVan has to offer.

Sea stars, sea urchins, crabs, sea anemones and more will arrive in the van’s mobile aquarium, which is a project of the Vancouver Aquarium. There are also artifacts aboard, such as whale bones. The van hopes to encourage an understanding of ocean literacy and the effects people have on our marine ecosystems.

Kids explore a squid display during a visit by the AquaVan to Prince Rupert in 2015. (File photo)

Ocean Wise team members accompany the van, educating students about marine life during their visits. Kids also get out of the classroom and head down to a local body of water to get a firsthand look at ocean life in its natural environment.

“Providing youth with a hands-on learning experience in their own backyard is invaluable in creating stewards for our environment,” Catriona Wilson, manager of Ocean Wise’s mobile programs, said.

“Working with youth and watching them share their knowledge, ideas and passion for their local environment is at the heart of why we do what we do,” she added.

The van will make a number of school stops in Terrace and Kitimat during its tour as well, in addtion to the Prince Rupert community event.

Alex Kurial | Journalist

Alex Kurial