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Dwight and Rosamond Moore Community Wetland park opens

A new park has been opened right in the middle of Creston.

A beautiful mix of wetland and hiking trails, the 4.3 hectares that used to be the Crawford Hill reservoir site is now the Dwight and Rosamond Moore Community Wetland.

After the reservoir site was decommissioned, town council decided that it would be a perfect place to add value to the valley by returning the land to its natural state.

The park was named in honour of Dwight and Rosamond Moore for their contributions to the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area to the west of town.

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Rosamond was at the unveiling of the park and says it means more than words can say.

“Dwight died in 1989, which is 30 odd years ago. Since he died, it has seemed to me as though those years of development have just slipped out of the community’s memory.”

“I’m lost for words. It’s extremely exciting that Jim Elford has a better memory possibly than I do and he was the one who cooked up the whole idea.”

Elford, a town councillor, was instrumental in the creation of the park, along with Creston Valley Community Forest, the Columbia Basin Trust, and the Regional District of Central Kootenay.

Rosamond says it’s not easy to get parks like the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area and Dwight and Rosamond Moore Community Wetland up and running.

“It’s fairly complex when you create a wetland. It needs to be managed. You have to be able to raise the lower water levels to keep the vegetation from filling in and keep the marshes attractive to waterfowl, but all other wildlife as well.”

Rosamond addressed the large group gathered for the park opening on Oct. 18, saying the park will add value to the valley not just for residents, but for the local wildlife.

She says all creatures need water and will be attracted to the park, making it the perfect spot for birders.

“To find that the awareness persists is extremely rewarding and, you know, to be able to see that it exists is just outstanding. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

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