Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Vancouver is well known for its rainy climate but parched lawns are now a common sight in its sprawling suburbs and city parks. New restrictions on watering began early this summer and - unlike elsewhere - most residents are happy to comply. The grass in front of Sky Morfopoulos' home in East Vancouver is barely grass at all. Although the strands are brown and parched, tiny sprinkles of weeds and clovers blend in with the fading grass and present an illusion of a semi-green lawn.
