Sandcastle Competition 2010 Images, Davis Bay

by Publisher/Editor Laurie McConnell

It’s that time again, and here’s hoping the weather stays great through this first July weekend of 2010. The event this year will be held on Sunday, July 11, starting at approximately 9:30 am for participant registration. Around noon- 1pm is a great viewing time for spectators. I’ll post an addendum if anything changes!

Every year the competition seems to draw more contestants and crowds while conversely the amount of sand continues to shrink at this popular beach, exposing barnacled beach rocks below. Maybe this year everyone could sign a petition asking the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to allow re-sanding of the beach? Stories tell of Con-Agg offering to donate sand and trucking, and the beaches were originally sandy way back when before it was all removed for the Vancouver Airport, according urban rumours.

It seems senseless that a beach that USED to be sandy – I can remember 2-3 times the sand when I moved here 25 years ago that has gone just through wave attrition – can’t be re-sanded because is it might ‘disturb the sea floor habitat.’ This at a time where the Suzuki Foundation, Watershed Watch, and SkeenaWild Conservation have to drop everything to head to court and fight a UK-based organization, the Marine Stewardship Council, from having the troubled and near-extinct Fraser River sockeye salmon run designated as meeting MSC criteria, thereby becoming a preferred consumer brand. Perverse, is it not?

But, I digress. By all means, come on out and enjoy the sandcastle competition, while we’ve got the sand to offer it. Perhaps we can develop a ‘contest in miniature’ in the near future… or get the DFO to let us bring the beach back to former glory, to the delight and enjoyment of all… want to bet a sand dollar on it?

TEXADA ISLAND EVENT

Man, every year I plan to go to this one, and every year I miss it. This venerable sandcastle event is an actual festival held over two full days at beautiful Gillies Bay, with a parade, bed race, food/arts/craft vendors at Gillies Bay Baseball Park and the unforgettable Lip Synch Contest, followed by the intriguingly named ‘Moon Bag Ceremony’.

Sunday starts with a pancake breakfast, as every community event of this kind should (nothing like the service club griddles!), and the Sandcastle Competition runs from the 9:30 start through to judging from noon to 1:30 pm. and then an afternoon of ceremonies, slowpitch tourney and beer garden to close things out.