Power of community turns inclusive dreams into a reality

From the waterfront to campsites nestled in the woods, a network of trails has opened up access to adventure at Power To Be’s program hub at Prospect Lake. The trail weaves past a timber framed kayak storage facility and meanders up to the fire pavilion at the heart of the site, before ending at the campsites nearby.

All of the work is thanks to HeroWork, which unveiled its Radical Renovation of the site July 19 to a crowd of volunteers and project supporters. The work was completed over two weeks by more than 300 volunteers, 40 coordinators and 46 companies giving their time, dollars and resources to support the massive project.

“We’ve always had a dream at Power To Be to have a home like this” says Jason Cole, Director of Programs. “It’s a place where we can build on our programs and create more inclusion and accessible opportunities for our shared community.”

Helping to make those dreams of inclusive adventures come true, Paul Latour, HeroWork Executive Director, says HeroWork completed its Radical Renovation of Power To Be’s program hub at Prospect Lake by harnessing the power of the community.

“This was a real honour for us, creating an infrastructure for programming that Power To Be participants need in order to get into nature and experience the magic of what that is,” Latour says.

The Radical Renovation created inclusive campsites with raised tent pads, some complete with ramps, accessible bathroom facilities, gravel pathways to key locations on site and gear storage to support adventures such as kayaking, canoeing, camping and more.  The projects also support access to a dock funded by Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC installed in June. The built infrastructure complements the natural landscape of the 78-acre site which provides ample room to explore different ecosystems year-round. With dedicated activity spaces throughout the property, Power To Be will be able to host multiple programs on the site while creating inclusive experiences for smaller groups.

Linda Morrison, Operations Manager with HeroWork, says being involved with this massive project, on a massive site, with a massive impact is something to get passionate about. “People want to make a difference,” she says.

With a program booked on the site the day after the reveal, the positive impact the renovations will have for participants is already clear. With immense gratitude and appreciation from all of us at Power To Be, thank you to HeroWork and to everyone who contributed in making this Radical Renovation of our program site a reality!