Main Conference Registration

Please call 604-432-6359, Mon-Fri 8am-430pm OR email programs.info@metrovancouver.org with your name, phone number, and the best time to call during business hours.

Friday only – Field Trips – membership not included

IC or NAI member*    $90

Non-member           $120

Saturday & Sunday only – Workshops

Member                 $180 (membership not included)

Non-member          $235 (membership included – your choice IC or NAI)

All 3 Days

Member                 $250 (membership not included)

Non-member          $300 (membership included – your choice IC or NAI)
Note: Cost is in Canadian Dollars

* Interpretation Canada or National Association of Interpretation members through to April 19^th, 2015.

Conference Schedule

Friday, April 17 2015 Conference Schedule  
8:30 am Registration opens at the Fraser River Discovery Centre (located near the New Westminster Skytrain Station and Inn at the Quay) 

9:00-10:00 am  Keynote: Fin Donnelly
Description: Fin gained his love of BC watersheds at a young age, leading him to swim the Fraser River (1400km) twice to promote sustainable living. Fin Donnelly currently represents the people of New Westminster-Coquitlam & Port Moody in parliament. He serves as NDP Deputy Critic for Fisheries and Oceans (West Coast), NDP Deputy Critic for Infrastructure and Co-chair of the All-Party Oceans Caucus. As an MP, Fin introduced legislation to ban tanker traffic along BC’s sensitive northern coast, transition BC fish farms to closed containment and introduced a motion to stop the importation of shark fins. Prior to being elected, Fin played a key role in calling for and securing the Cohen Inquiry into the collapse of the Fraser Sockeye Salmon. Fin also served on Coquitlam City Council for 7 years and was the Executive Director of Rivershed Society of B.C. for 13 years. Fin was born in New Westminster, grew up in Port Moody and currently lives in Coquitlam with his wife Lynda.

 
10:00-11:00am Free shuttle to your choice of field trip (bagged lunch provided)

11:00am - 4:00pm Field Trips
Choose 1 of the field trip options (A, B or C) below:

Field Trip A - My River My Home: Exploring Connections to the Fraser River
Location: Fraser River Discovery Centre

Description: This session will begin with an exploration of Our Bones are Made of Salmon, an exhibit and education program about Aboriginal fishing and wind-drying salmon in the Fraser Canyon. Through a storytelling film, participants will hear two oral histories of how salmon came to the Fraser River and the personal connections of Musqueam Elder Larry Grant and Stó:lō Cultural Historian Sonny McHalsie each have to the Fraser River. During the second half of the program, participants will explore their own connections to the Fraser River through a series of activities featured in the new on-line resource kit My River My Home which features 25 lesson plans for grades K-9 about the sustainability of the Fraser River basin.

Field Trip B - Seymour Watershed: Exploring a Place-based Education Program that Aims to Inspire

Location: Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve

Description: Discover the treasures of the Seymour Watershed where ancient trees tower in steep mountain valleys, wildlife abounds and water flows through natural landscapes to our drinking water supply system. The Seymour valley is also home to the ever-popular environmental education field trips for grade 4/5 and grade 8/10.

This engaging professional development adventure will feature:

• A behind the scenes tour that includes the dam, a section of old growth forest, and the Seymour-Capilano Water Treatment Facility,

• An exploration of our Watershed Education program goals , success stories and lessons learned,

• A preview of pre and post trip resources to support and enhance field learning and,

• Dialogue, idea exchange and exploration of future water education program collaborations (between water managers, interpreters, and K-12 teachers).

Meet our Watershed Education team and our youth leaders who have participated in our Youth4Action program and are now leading change via Youth4Tap and beyond! Participating Grade 4/5 and 8/10 teachers will be given advanced booking privileges for the Fall 2015. We look forward to a meaningful and memorable day with you.

Field Trip C - Water is Life: Connecting Learning to Place through Water

Location: Capilano River Regional Park
This field trip cancelled due to low registration. Please sign up for another.

Description: Explore a stunning local Regional Park and learn how to use Project WET in your classroom and outdoors. Hike along trails to scenic views while learning about how water connects the giant trees of the temperate rainforest to the tiny aquatic insects of the river to the people of the valley.

Please dress for the weather as we will be outdoors for a part of the day. Project WET activity guide included.

4:00-5:00pm Free shuttle back to the Fraser River Discovery Centre (if on field trip B or C)

5:00-6:00pm Dinner on your own (suggestion: Central City Brew Pub: a 10 minute skytrain ride away)

6:00pm+ Join us for free appies and a social at Central City Brew Pub!
              Network and meet other like-minded educators and interpreters.  Please RSVP when making your conference reservation.

Saturday, April 18 2015 Conference Schedule 

8:00-8:30am      Free shuttle from Inn at the Quay (located near the New Westminster Skytrain Station) 

8:30-9:00am      Registration open at Annacis Research Centre (google maps) (virtual tour)

9:00-10:30am    Keynote:Stealing Fire: Voice & Language for Interpreters
                         with Susan Strauss
Description: Humans are capable of producing extraordinary imagery with their use of voice and the sounds and rhythms of language. This skill was the olden times storyteller - building meaning and interest with nothing but language and voice. Interpreters can spark and enliven their speaking with an unforgettable quality. This keynote is full of activity - be prepared to move in the three dimensional quality of language. Discover the hidden power of vowels and consonants to create moods and imagery leading to more effective word choice in writing and speaking. The audience will explore notable poetry and speeches with Eurythmy movement gestures for vowels, consonants and natural ways to project voice and find character voices. Come ready to move and be moved.

Susan Strauss is internationally recognized as a storyteller, keynoter, and for her signature Passionate Fact Workshops: Storytelling Science. Performances include: Smithsonian Natural History Museum, US National Park Service, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh, National Geographic Society, National Gallery of Art and the Oregon Symphony. She is the author of four books including: Coyote Stories For Children, Wolf Stories: Myths & True Life Tales, When Woman Became the Sea: A Costa Rican Creation Myth and The Passionate Fact: Storytelling in Natural History and Cultural Interpretation, six recordings and original narratives for museum exhibits and a National Forest Service restoration project. She also teaches Eurythmy movement at Cedarwood Waldorf School in Portland, Oregon.

“No teller embodies the animals with the same fierce aliveness as Susan!”
- Dr. Linda Sussman, Author

“I thought I had seen the best in storytelling until I met Susan Strauss. Susan lives her stories and embodies each of her characters, bringing them to life with such vivid visual and auditory detail that her audiences literally lose themselves in the fantasy. Absolutely captivating!” from Speech of the Grail: A Journey Toward Speaking That Heals and Transforms - Dr. Sam Ham, Professor of Interpretation, University of Idaho

“Susan is a very creative collaborator and blended her original script beautifully with the music (The Firebird Suite). Her talent is so large that children in the back rows of our 2800 seat hall were mesmerized.
- Peggie Schwartz, Oregon Symphony
 
10:30-10:45am Coffee Break

10:45-12:15pm Workshop A: My River My Home Activity Kit - Shannon King
                        Workshop B: Props, Artifacts, Biofacts and More 
                                             Constructive Facts - Perry Poon
                        Workshop C: Event Planning 101: A Bird and Bug's Eye View 
                                             - Candace Ng & Jeremy Plotkin

12:15-1:00pm   Lunch, food provided

1:00-2:30pm     Workshop D: Introduction to the River Mile Network 
                                              (Part 1 of 2) - Janice Elvidge
                        Workshop E: Engage Your Audience: Using Songs and 
                                             Costumes in Interpretation - Reed Osler
                        Workshop F: Fostering Focus: Group Management Skills for 
                                             Pre-K to Adult Programs - Nancy Lee

2:30-2:45pm     Coffee Break

2:45-4:15pm     Workshop G: Introduction to the River Mile Network 
                                              (Part 2 of 2) - Janice Elvidge
                        Workshop H: Connecting Children with Nature - Jill Deuling
                        Workshop I: An Introduction to Wildlife Monitoring Camera 
                                             Programs - Roger Bean

4:30-5:00pm     Free shuttle to Deas Island Regional Park

5:00-6:00pm     Networking (& walkabout if desired) at Deas Island Regional Park

6:00-8:00pm     RSVP: BBQ Dinner provided at Deas Island Regional Park

8:00-10:00pm   Campfire & Interpalooza: Showcase your Best Ideas, Activities or Program at Deas Island Regional Park

10:00pm           Free shuttle back to Inn at the Quay

Sunday, April 19 2015 Conference Schedule

8:30-9:00am    Free shuttle from Inn at the Quay to Annacis Research Centre

9:00-10:00am   Silent and Not-so-Silent Auction

10:00-11:30am Workshop A: Interpreting the Invisible Watershed 
                                             - Monica Van der Vieren
                        Workshop B: Puppet Up! - Lori Bartley
                        Workshop C: Understanding the Visitor: Interpreting for  
                                             Cultural Diversity - Amandeep Johal

11:30-1:00pm   Workshop D: Wetland Who-dunnit! - Heather Chatwin
                        Workshop E: Moving Outside the Box: Creative Ways to 
                                             Connect Guests to Your Resource - Madeleine 
                                             Irving
                         Workshop F: The Triumphs and Trials of Interpretive 
                                              Management: A discussion - Nicole Cann


1:00-2pm    Lunch, food provided

2pm            Free shuttle back to Inn at the Quay

Conference - Hotel Info

Quote Interpretation Canada BC  & NAI Conference for the special rate!

deLuxe accommodations are built around the modern traveller’s most precious needs – complimentary Wi-Fi and local calls, cordless phones and a 24 hour business kiosk.  No need to miss one’s daily health and fitness regime – not with the convenience of a 24 hour fitness centre and in-room mini fridge.  Slumber comes easily with the help of spa-like amenities from Cutler Salon in NYC, soft bathrobes, crisp white linens and pillows so good you’ll want to buy two to take home!  Add a river view balcony, plenty of fresh air and a personalized welcome gift from our General Manager – and there you have it!  A fabulous experience!

  

$124 + tax for a queen bed (one or two people sharing)

$144 + tax to share a room with 2 double beds

http://www.innatwestminsterquay.com/

10% discount for hotel guests at the family-run restaurant, Angelina’s next door.  Fantastic offerings, like dutch pannekoken and homemade waffles, are very tasty and reasonably priced.  (7 am - 2 pm every day) 

Boathouse Restaurant cater to hotel guests as well as the surrounding neighbourhood…..starting at 6:30 am during the week, and at 7:30 am on weekends.  Their menu runs between $10 and $17 and provides a continental breakfast as well as benedicts, hash and omelettes.