Prince Rupert Port Authority lends a financial hand towards Salmon Education

Prince Rupert's Oldfield Creek Fish Hatchery and the Prince Rupert Salmon Enhancement Society are putting the finishing touches on their recently completed modernization plans for their Wantage Road site.

A location that now features a new interpretive centre for the north coast, one that will provide for an education on the importance of salmon to the region.

Towards that project, the volunteer group was recently provided with a 10,000 dollar contribution from Prince Rupert Port Authority, which has announced the interpretive centre as the latest recipient from their Community Investment Fund.

"The Salmon Education and Stewardship Centre is the first of its kind in Northern British Columbia, and will continue our effort to educate the public and promote salmon stewardship while rebuilding local salmon populations ... We are excited about the opportunities this Centre will provide for engaging even more Prince Rupert residents in the restoration and improvement of local salmon habitat, as well as the value it adds to our growing tourism industry." -- Neil Pilgrim, President of the Prince Rupert Salmon Enhancement Society and Oldfield Creek Fish Hatchery

It is the second time that the Port Authority has offered a financial hand to the facility, having provided  a donation from the Community Investment Fund in 2010.

This year the facility has also benefited from assistance from a number of other funding partners including CN Rail, Ridley Terminals, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Northern Savings Credit Union, The Prince Rupert Rampage, Shaw Cable, BC Hydro, Annunciation School, Maher Terminals and the Pacific Salmon Foundation, all of which provided assistance towards the $45,050 required for the project.

Interpretive Centre at Oldfield Creek Hatchery

The renovation project, which in effect was a rebuild, will once again bring the Oldfield Creek Hatchery project back into public view.

A valuable local attraction that will not only provide an educational service to the local community, but offer up on more Prince Rupert destination to the many tourists and visitors that pass through the city during year.

The Salmon Education and Stewardship Centre volunteers will be holding regular workshops and provide educational programs to provide a better understanding of salmon, their life cycles and the links they provide to sustainable coastal ecosystems.

Those interested in taking a tour of the newly renovated facility can contact the Prince Rupert Salmon Enhancement Society through the Oldfield Creek Fish Hatchery at 250-624-6733.

The organization also has a Facebook page where you can learn more about their efforts.

You can learn more about the background of the project and the Port of Prince Rupert's contribution towards it from this media release.

The $10,000 contribution from the Port Authority continues on their tradition of giving back to the community, in recent years the Port has provided funding for a wide range of community projects, you can review some of their past efforts from our archive page.

(photo above from Oldfield Creek Fish hatchery Facebook page)