BC Parks and Parks Canada made history as they both celebrated their centennials at Parks Day 2011 held in Stanley Park.

Parks Day is an annual countrywide event showcasing parks and historic sites in every province and territory in Canada. First celebrated in 1990, Parks Day is an opportunity for everyone to take part in fun, family events from coast to coast.

This year's event coincided with Parks Canada celebrating 100 years as the world's first national park service, and BC Parks celebrating 100 years of provincial parks.

Established March 1, 1911, Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island was British Columbia's first provincial park. Since that time, the Province added an average of 10 new parks and protected areas each year for a total today of almost 1,000. With 13.6 per cent of the province set aside as parks and protected areas, B.C. has the second-largest park system in Canada - second only to the national park system.

Quick Facts:

• Jerry the Moose is the official mascot of BC Parks.
• Parking fees were eliminated from B.C. provincial parks on May 3, 2011, to help make parks more accessible and inviting to families.
• BC Parks provided $450,000 to community groups through the Community Legacy Fund to support improvements to 27 parks throughout the province.
• The 100 Park Benches For 100 Years of BC Parks program allows people to sponsor their own park bench and personalize it, at the same time providing 100 new locations for park visitors to sit and enjoy the fantastic scenery.
• Learn to Fish is a free program available at 12 provincial parks and now open to more children, youth and families than ever before, thanks to a grant from BC Parks.
• In partnership with the Geocaching Association of B.C., BC Parks supported placement of 100 geocaches in parks, recreational sites and private campgrounds throughout the province - available for discovery through fall 2011.
• The Province also launched a BC Parks 100 Passport program that offers prizes to kids and families for visiting provincial parks this summer.

Find out more:

Parks Day 2011: www.parksday.ca

BC Parks 100 celebrations: www.bcparks.ca.

Contact:

Suntanu Dalal
Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9745