Showing up (in costume!) for the ocean
What is Ocean Week Canada?
From June 2-11, we celebrated Ocean Week Canada (OWC)! Throughout the week, we ran and supported events focused on ocean literacy, which develops our connection to the ocean and local waterways. There were hundreds of events across Canada that brought people together in a joint effort to protect our ocean and water bodies.
Ocean-themed parkruns
We kicked off the week with several themed parkruns throughout Canada that celebrated our shared connection to the ocean while in costume. Who wouldn’t feel like a part of the ocean while dressed as a crab, fish, or octopus?
parkruns are free community events that harbour a positive, welcoming, and inclusive environment where everyone is welcome to participate, volunteer, or spectate. At parkrun, you get people outside, moving and connected to their local parks! We encouraged individuals, families, and furry friends alike to come out for the 5km walk, jog, or run dressed in ocean themed costumes or dressed in blue!
Mousette parkrun goers.
Parkrun highlights
From Vancouver to Nova Scotia, eight parkruns took up the ocean theme. We also had Water Rangers volunteering and participating in ocean themed Parkruns all over Ontario and Quebec! The weather could not have been better for the event and participants showed up in some spectacular costumes. Many sea creatures, both mythical and real, were well represented at the parkruns. We had some great fish costumes, such as a guest appearance by Nemo in Kitchener and our very own water ranger Kat dressed as a salmon at the Moussette parkrun!
Victoria Park Kitchener parkrun. Nemo made an appearance!
Victoria Park Kitchener parkrun, even mythical sea creatures were in attendance.
Kat, Julia, and Emma made some awesome ocean critter headbands that were passed around at events for those who wanted to add to their running attire. The Moussette parkrun attendees were even spoiled with homemade sea creature cookies!
Victoria Kitchener parkrun, whale headband!
Kat and Julia showing off their wonderful work!
Moussette parkrun, ocean creature cookies being enjoyed by spectacular co-conspirators Dominique and Martyne!
Overall, we had eight participating parkruns in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. There were 51 participants in the Victoria Park Kitchener parkrun with a boatload of first timers! Sixty sea creatures showed up to Moussette (a course record!) along with 60 others at the Frédéric Back Parkrun. These are just the numbers from the ocean-themed parkruns, there were many more across the Province and the rest of Canada! Thank you to all who participated and volunteered!
A special thank you to Moussette parkrun organizer Dominique, who introduced us to other organizers and made this fun event possible.
Running forward
It’s events such as these that encourage communities to come together to find solutions for restoring and regenerating our water bodies. Here at Water Rangers, we focus on building the tools necessary to facilitate community-based water monitoring that aids in water protection. Thanks again to our Ocean Week Canada and parkrun organizers who worked tirelessly to put these events together! If you want to stay up to date to know what’s happening with Ocean Week Canada and learn more about Ocean Week Canada’s impact, you can visit their website!
Parkrun attendees!
