
BC Trails Day Self-Led Story Walk a real page turner
By Kathy O'Reilly, North Island Eagle, June 20 2025
The BC Trails Day Self-led Story Walk along the Quatse River Loop in Port Hardy was a page-turner.
The initiative was created by the District of Port Hardy in partnership with the Quatse Salmon Centre.
BC Trails Day is part of the international celebration of Trails Day on the first Saturday of June. BC Trails Day serves to foster awareness about responsible recreation and environmental stewardship while promoting access to and enjoyment of the province’s outdoor spaces.
This year’s featured book was “To Live on an Island” by Emma Bland Smith that highlights the wonders of island life.
“It was a lovely day for families to enjoy time out on the trail, and many were delighted to find Wally’s food truck waiting at the end of the loop - a perfect way to wrap up their walk,” said District of Port Hardy Community Outreach Coordinator Katie Hoedt.
“Despite a busy weekend in the region with the soccer tournament happening in Port McNeill, we still had a solid turnout,” Hoedt said.
“As I always like to say, it’s not about the size of the crowd - it’s about the individual experiences. And by that measure, the day was a real success.”

Photo — Submitted
A youngster stops to read a page from a book while enjoying an ice cream cone on the BC Trails Day Self-Led Story Walk along the Quatse River Loop June 7.