Dripping in mud on a gloomy rainy day, Grade 12 students from Belmont secondary school earn their keep or in this case, their grad party.
“It’s a great way to help the environment and it makes the community look so much better,” said Metchosin teen Courtney Guss.
About 20 students gearing up for grad spent a day in the mud planting native riparian plants at Glen Lake Park in Langford. The city gave the school $10,000 for its dry grad activities held at City Centre Park June 15 and in turn asked student volunteers to help with the project.
“We are very enthusiastic they are here,” said Jane Waters, Langford park planner. “I think it’s going to be their successors at the new Belmont (high school), who will come down here to enjoy water sports or for a biology or botany class.”
The students planted skunk cabbage, iris flowers and sedges as part of the infiltration rain garden.
“Instead of us having culverts on the roads we are directing the water to the lake through the plants that uptake the toxins,” said Waters.
Emily Besler-Dean was happy to volunteer her day carrying stones and building the rain garden.
“This is a great way for us to spend the day giving back to our community, it’s the least we can do for the donation from the city,” said the Colwood teen.
Glen Lake Park, with a beach, playground, picnic tables and field, will officially open at the end of June.