News & Media

LRCA launching community-supported Storybook Walk at Brown Drive Park

The Ladysmith Resources Centre Association (LRCA) is delivering a unique, safe and active family-friendly experience by taking community members on a literary adventure through Brown Drive Park.

Ladysmith's first Storybook Walk is launching on Family Day, February 15, 2021, thanks to a community-supported partnership between the LRCA, Town of Ladysmith, Ladysmith Rotary, Ladysmith & District Credit Union, Vancouver Island Regional Library - Ladysmith Branch, and La Rosa Gardens residents.

A storybook walk promotes physical literacy as children explore pages of a picture book mounted to storyboard signs along a trail or walkway. Each storyboard sign will include interactive questions relative to the story or environment and give readers an opportunity to partake in fun, physical literacy activities.

The Storybook Walk will be in place at Brown Drive Park for a period of 24 weeks until July 31 with a new book installed every Tuesday. 

Julia Donaldson's "The Gruffalo" is the first book being showcased. We are inviting children to dress up as their favourite character from the book or a beloved forest animal when they go on the walk. 

"The support for this project has been incredible," said the LRCA Program Coordinator Tanya Reid. "In a time when COVID-19 is keeping us apart, our partners and sponsors have come together to help make something truly wonderful for our community. We now have a magical trail through the forest that will beckon families every week with a new and exciting book."

Ladysmith Rotary provided the materials and the elbow grease to make the signs and the Town's Parks crews took care of the installation.  The project is made possible by the generous donations from the Ladysmith & District Credit Union, residents of La Rosa Gardens, the Vancouver Island Regional Library -  Ladysmith branch, and a donation made in honour of Margot Ney -- a former teacher and literacy advocate in Ladysmith who passed away in 2019.

The LRCA's Adventures in Early Literacy program has been on hold due to COVID-19. The non-profit organization created the Storybook Walk at Brown Drive Park to get families outside in nature while at the same time continuing the mission to ignite a passion and excitement around books.

Storybook Walk passports will be available to families once the walk is up and running in February. Every time families visit the Storybook Walk, they are encouraged to keep track of their progress by filling in their passport when they get home.  At the end of the 24 weeks, families with children aged 0 - Kindergarten can redeem the coupon on their passport for a literacy bag containing a book that was showcased on the walk as well as an assortment of early learning activities and materials for home.  Pacific Care and Child Care Resources and Referral have generously provided the funding for these bags.  Families with children over the age of 6 can obtain a separate passport containing an entry form making them eligible for a free book draw in July.

For more information on the Storybook Walk and/or how to obtain a passport email tanya@lrca.ca , join Ladysmith Storybook Walk on Facebook or visit www.lrca.ca.

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