The creators of Kamloops’ Sustainability Stories project are pleased to announce the addition of new stops to both the Downtown and North Shore audio tours. Locals and visitors alike are once again invited to experience our city in a new way via this series of walkable, cyclable, self-guided tours with a sustainability theme.
Signage at all of the Sustainability Stories locations features a QR code, scannable with a smartphone, which links users to the website. Listeners can click on the audio and enjoy a 5-minute story at each site.
Each of the stops highlights an enterprise, business or infrastructure that features an aspect of community sustainability. The tours can be done all at once, or a stop or two at a time, in any order. Stops can also be “discovered” randomly by spotting the signs bearing the QR code.
One of the new additions on the North Shore is a stop called “Net Zero 4-Plex.” This is Kamloops’ first multi-family net zero building, which means that it produces as much energy as it uses.
“It was also important to us to showcase Secwe̓pemc knowledge keepers, so this year, with the help of a Social and Community Development Grant from the City, we have done a story on the Xget’tem’ Trail (Deep Valley), with an interview of elder Jeannette Jules conducted by Jessica Arnouse, TteS Language Coordinator at the time” says Jesse Ritcey, one of the project creators. This story is available in both the usual short version as well as a longer one suitable for listening to while walking the entire length of the trail.
“The stories complement the City’s Community Climate Action Plan, which was adopted in 2021,” says Deb Alore. “Sustainability needs to be integrated into every facet of our community. By raising awareness about how we interact with each other and with the land around us, we’ll hopefully sow some seeds and get more of us talking about how we want Kamloops to develop in a healthy way in the future.”
Do you have a Sustainability Story to share? Get in touch!
The Sustainability Stories project is an initiative of the Community Alliance for a Resilient Kamloops, a loose partnership of local groups and individuals interested in supporting and celebrating local sustainability initiatives. In addition to many hours donated by community members, this project benefited from a 2023 Community Climate Action Grant from the City of Kamloops.
