Proclamation Text

In January 2010 British Columbia's Lieutenant Governor The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC,
Xw? l? qw?l t?l, signed a Proclamation marking the official re-enactment of the original 1910 Ellison Expedition to celebrate the first steps in establishing Strathcona Park which was legislated March 1st, 1911.

WHEREAS the Premier of British Columbia in 1910, Sir Richard McBride, impressed by Reverend William W. Bolton's account of his expeditions through Vancouver Island, reserved an area in Central Vancouver Island to establish a park, and

WHEREAS the Premier of British Columbia requested that the Provincial Minister of Lands, Price Ellison, formalize the area to be established as a park by leading an expedition into the area in July of 19 10, and

WHEREAS the Provincial Minister of Lands, Price Ellison, departed Campbell River on July 7th, 1910, with a party of 23 in all, including his daughter, Myra Ellison, an historian, a photographer and others to document the trip, and

WHEREAS the expedition achieved the summit of Crown Mountain, Ellison Peak, July 29th, 19 10, which event afforded the party one of the most spectacular alpine views on the island, and this view sealed for Provincial Minister of Lands, Price Ellison the idea that this was the ideal location to establish British Columbia's first park, and

WHEREAS Minister Price Ellison submitted his report on the expedition to cabinet and on March I st, 1911, Strathcona Park was officially legislated protecting 250,000 hectares of wildemess mountain terrain and deep forested valleys, land of spiritual significance and traditional use for local First Nations, home to a variety of wildlife, a temperate rainforest, rugged hillsides and valley floors from tide waters' edge to the alpine tundra zone, one of the richest eco-systems in the world, was the very first provincial park established in 1911, and

WHEREAS throughout 2011, BC will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of its world renowned parks system, and

WHEREAS to celebrate this landmark anniversary, a re-enactment of the original 1910 expedition following Price Ellison's footsteps from Campbell River through Strathcona Park to Port Alberni and including an ascent of Crown Mountain en route, known as the Strathcona Centennial Expedition, will be carried out in July 2010, and

WHEREAS Our Lieutenant Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, has been pleased to enact Order in Council 903 on October 11, 2002;

NOW KNOW YE THAT we do by these presents mark by Proclamation the official re-enactment of the expedition to commemorate the establishment of British Columbia's very first provincial park, and thereby convey the gratitude of the people and Government of British Columbia for the invaluable contribution of the park to the preservation of our natural and cultural heritage and the provision of exceptional recreation opportunities.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF we have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent and the Great Seal of Our Province to be hereunto affixed.

WITNESS The Honourable Steven L. Point, Lieutenant Governor of our Province of British Columbia, in Our City of Victoria, in Our Province, this fifteenth day of January, two thousand ten and the -fifty-eighth year of Our Reign.

BY COMMAND.

Honourable Michael de Jong Steven L. Point
Attorney General Lieutenant Governor
(counter signature for the Great Seal)